372 TiMEHRI. 



dropped their naked bodies with burning bacon, and 

 such other torments, which I found afterwards to be 

 true : for in the city after I entred the same, there were 

 5 of the Lords or litle kings (which they cal Casiqui in 

 the west Indies) in one chaine almost dead of famine 

 and wasted with torments : these are called in their own 

 language Acarewana*, and now of late since English, 

 French, and Spanish are come among them, they cal 

 themselves Capitaynes, because they perceiue that the 

 chiefest of euery ship is called by that name. Those 

 five Capitaynes in the chaine were called Wannawa' 

 nare^ Carroaort, Maquarima, Tarroopanama, and 

 Aterima. So as both to be reuenged of the former 



* Humboldt considers that Acarewana signifies, in one of the differ- 

 ent Carib or Caribisi dialects, a chief or any person in command. This 

 supposition is correft ; more accurately it refers to the commander or 

 head of the tribe to which he who speaks and makes use of the word 

 belongs. The name of a chief or commander in the general sense of 

 the word is Tepotori in the Macusi language, but if the speaker alludes 

 to the chief of his own tribe or horde, he would say Epotoriwana ; that 

 is, our headman or chieftain. As Raleigh observes, these petty chief- 

 tains call themselves now capitan or captain. Esakamapung in the 

 Caribisi, or Tepotorokung in the Macusi dialedl, signifies a great 

 captain or chief who had command over a number of inferior chiefs ; 

 it is perhaps analogous to ' king' in the English language. 



The metaphorical application of the word tepotori in the Macusi 

 language deserves a passing observation, as it affords an instance of 

 the similarity of the metaphors employed in the infancy of languages 

 ir. general. The largest of a number of apples, oranges or any other 

 oLjefts would be called by a Macusi tepotori, the chieftain or captain. 

 This application reminds us of our own expression in childhood for the 

 Ijirgest apple or orange among a number, which playfully would be 

 called " the captain ;" and if we follow the idea suggested by this 

 applioation it will lead us to the most striking qualifications required 

 tor a leader.— 6'tA#»t6Mr^i6 'a Nott. 



