124 ISLAND CULTURE AREA OF AMERICA [eth. ANN. 14 



to what is known of shell mounds or middens on this island. There 

 are opportunities to study the ethnology of the Carib who still 

 survive in Dominica and still speak their aborip-inal language. As 

 historical accounts of the ancestors of the Carib in Dominica ai"e not 

 voluminous, archeological field work among them would be amply 

 repaid. 



The archeology of Dominica is illustrated by the numerous char- 

 acteristic objects purchased from Mr. Huckerby, and there are sev- 

 eral collections on the island, the objects in which resemble those 

 from the neighboring island of St. Vincent. 



The museum in the library at Roseau, Dominica, has a collection 

 loaned by Dr. Nichols, which is one of the most complete examined, 

 and contains typical prehistoric specimens from the island. These 

 objects are mainly stone implements, which as a rule resemble 

 those from neighboring islands, although there are two or three 

 specimens which are quite different in form from any others from the 

 St. Vincent-Grenada area. Several petaloid celts were seen, but the 

 majority of the axes are similar to those so widely distributed 

 throughout the West Indies. The majority are peculiar to the chain 

 of volcanic islands to which Dominica is geologically related.''^ The 

 most characteristic implements are the rubbing and grinding stones. 



Dominica is one of the few islands still inhabited by a consider- 

 able number of the natives who speak Carib and preserve some of 

 the old Indian legends and many place names taken from their 

 aboriginal tongue. Many stories connected with a lake in the 

 middle of the island are survivals of Indian myths, and a large body 

 of folklore of like character is current. 



The sacred lake of Dominica is regarded with superstitious dread 

 by the natives and has much folklore connected with it, which are 

 evidenth' survivals of old Indian legends. 



Notwithstanding all efforts to crush it out, there still survive in 

 some of the Antilles remnants of the old negro culture called the 

 voodoo, brought by slaves from Africa. The so-called priests of this 

 superstition make use of all prehistoric objects in their rites and are 

 said to sprinkle Carib celts and axes with blood in their orgies. It is 

 not as complicated as in Haiti, and is generally used by the Obia men 

 in laying spells or in medical practices, which the common people 

 cling to with great obstinacy. The power of these Obia men on the 

 l^oor blacks is a very serious obstruction to the uplifting of economic 

 conditions in all the West Indies. 



" A collection of prehistoric objects at Fort de France, Martinique, is representeil to 

 cont.Tln several exceptional forms, but the author did not have the opportunity to 

 examine them. 



