62 ■ ISLAND CULrUEE AREA OF AMEEICA [eth. ann. 34 



note that Catib place names are rare in St.' Kitts and Santa Cruz, 

 which is in marked contrast to other islands, as Porto Eico, St. Vin- 

 cent, and Dominica, which still bear Indian names. Islands colonized 

 by white settlers of English extraction rarely preserve Indian names, 

 while in those settled by French and Spanish many survive. Thus 

 in Barbados, settled by English, there are few Indian jalace names, 

 while in Jamaica, which was obtained by conquest and was Spanish 

 for 162 years before the English subdued it, several Indian names sur- 

 vive. As, however, the present paper does not venture into the great 

 field of Antillean linguistics this subject must be passed over with a 

 brief mention. 



In the following pages the author considers the different archeo- 

 logical culture areas in sequence, from Trinidad northward, the 

 characteristic antiquities of each island being considered geographi- 

 cally. 



TEINIDAD 



The island of Trinidad may be regarded as the gateway to the 

 migration of Arawak and Carib races from South America to the 

 chain of islands connecting the continent with Porto Eico and the 

 other Greater Antilles. This island was the home of several tribes of 

 Indians when discovered by Columbus and constant references to 

 them are found in all the early writings. 



The following account of excavations at Erin, Trinidad, is quoted 

 at length from " Prehistoric Objects from a Shell-heap at Erin Bay, 

 Trinidad":" 



The shell heap at Point Mayaro to which the author has here called 

 attention,, and which he wished later to study, has been excavated 

 since he left the island and has yielded many specimens, some of 



that the soil may not show on the neighboring plants. The top of the hole must be as 

 small as possible and enlarged as it deepens. When the cached objects have been put in 

 it is filled with earth and tightly packed down ; water is thrown on it ; the sod is also 

 wet which has been lifted, carefully replaced, and the rest of the soil is carried away. 

 The ground around is dampened in order to freshen the ground which has been parched. 

 When clothes, laces, silks, papers, and other things which may be impaired by dampness 

 are to be cached they are put in big coyemboucs, which are great calabashes from trees 

 cut off the fourth or fifth part of their length ; this opening is covered by means of 

 another gourd (calebasse), and these two pieces are held together by a thread of mahot 

 or agave, somewhat as the bottom of a senser is attached to its top. These two pieces so 

 attached are called "coyembouc." This word, as the invention, is of savage origin. 

 When the coyembouc is tilled with what is desired should be put in it, the cover is 

 attached with a cord and it is tied among the branches of chestnut trees or trees with 

 larger leaves, which are commonly surrounded with vines, some of which are put in the 

 coyembouc, which hide it so well that it is impossible to see it, and the leaves which 

 cover it prevent the rain falling in it or to cause the least humidity. Thus the 

 inhabitants cache their most valuable articles ; but their booty, jewelry, and money 

 they must hide themselves without witnesses, for if their negroes know they will not 

 hesitate to force him to tell where it is, or the slave may rob the cache while the master is 

 lighting. 



"Amer. Anthrop., n. s. vol. xvi, no. 2, pp. 200-220. 



