Old Time Indians. 67 
would only just mention the fact that, according to Roman Catholic accounts, 
certain European Protestants, in full Indian war-paint, and attire, used to 
accompany the Caribs on their slave-raiding expeditions. 
Tn one form or another, cannibalism has been practised among probably all 
peoples at some period of their tribal life. In America, there are numerous 
recorded references to its occurrence within historic times amog the Brazilians, 
Carib of Northern South America, the Aztec, and other Mexican tribes, and 
among many of the Indians north of Mexico. The word itself, cannibal, now 
more commonly used than the older term anthropophagy, is derived from Carib 
through Spanish corruption. Indian mythology and beliefs are replete with 
references to man-eating monsters and deities, which point to the possibility that 
anthropophagy in some form was a practice with which the Aborigines have 
long been acquainted. I myself have come across an Arawak folk-story wherein 
aman in order to revenge himself on his mother-in-law kills his wife and deceives 
the old lady into eating the liver. One of the chief forms of cannibalism may be 
spoken of as accidental, from necessity, as a result of famine, though the more 
prevalent form was a part of war Custom and was based principally on the belief 
that bravery and other desirable qualities of an enemy would pass, through actual 
ingestion of a part of the body, into that of the consumer. The eating of human 
flesh may also be considered as a religious duty, even almost as one of sentiment, 
of which I have had experience in certain parts of North Queensland. By the 
Caribs out here, however, man-eating, though still with captives as the victims, 
was practised on a larger scale, and with the acquired taste for human flesh 
as one, if not the chief incentive. It is curious to learn the views of two Jesuit 
Fathers (Grilletand Bechamel) with regard to cannibalism in connection with the 
Acoguas of French Guiana. Writing some 250 years ago, they say :— 
“Tf one may judge of that nation, by near 200 of them whom we have seen, 
they are an honest, affable, pleasant people, and are very attentive and ready 
to receive what is said to them. “Tis true they not long since exterminated a 
small nation, and ate several of them, but I attribute this barbarity to the 
ill-custom of the country, rather than to the disposition of the people !”” 
The rules of hospitality were strongly observed amongst the old-time Indians. 
Before reaching a house, the visitor would give signs of his approach usually by 
striking with a heavy stick or paddle upon one of the fluted projections of a tree 
trunk : in other cases, by blowing a sort of tune upon the bone-flutes. The visitor 
would not dare to come in without being asked and according as he were older 
or younger would say : “ Older or younger, brother ; I am come.” The house 
master would then ask him where he came from, what his business was, and 
whither he was going. Having given satisfactory replies, the visitor would then 
be provided with food and drink,—in most cases by the women-folk. 1 say in 
most cases, because certainly amongst some of the French Guiana Carib tribes 
(the Roucouyennes and Oyampi) it was the women who would lie in their ham- 
mocks while he men attended to the visitors. This over, the house master would 
give his congratulatory address—in some cases of a very complicated nature. 
Thus a Cacique would, if special occasion ordered, utter an address (learnt 
when a child so as to be rattled off without a hitch) shortly detailing the 
various accidents and incidents which had befallen his ancestors ; adding by way 
