The Preface, 



an over-eameft pretention thereto may feem to proceed 

 from a certain vanity and f elf -confidence \ yet when all cir- 

 cumftances Jhall be conftdered, the ingenuous will eafily 

 he induced to allow them even that alfo. 



For i . The Relations they had to wor\upon came from 

 Perfonswhohad been Eye-witneffes of what they delive- 

 red, dif-intereffed, and of known' integrity, and endfted 

 with the abilities reqnifite to manage fuch a Worh^ 

 2. There was a deftgn of this Hijlory drawn at Paris,/*?///? 

 years before it came abroad, andthen thought worthy pub- 

 lijhing, by divers intelligent men,to whom it was commu- 

 nicated, who carefully read it over, and honoured it with 

 their Remarkj. Yet that it might come forth with greater 

 exaSlnefs, it was laid afide, till the obfervations of after- 

 Voyages had added much to itsperfeSlion. So that if the 

 Publicity eceive any fatisfaSlion from this Hijlory, it will 

 have reafen rather to congratulate, than quarrel at its de- 

 lay; fince it comes out now more enriched and exa&, than, 

 it would have been, at the jirft proffer of it to the Prefs. 

 For be/ides that many Obfervations and Relations came 

 fince to hand, the Authors made alfo great advantages of 

 the private Difcourfes they had with one Father Ray- 

 mond, efpecially as to the Moral part of the Caribbian 

 Hijlory. For this man having lived many years in thofe 

 Iflands, and had much converfation with the Caribbians 

 flf Dominico, came by that means to be acquainted with 

 their Language, their Manners, and the moB particular 

 Cufioms of that Nation. From the fame F. Raymond 

 they had alfo the Caribbian Vocabulary, which may be 

 feen at the end of the Bookc 



They thought fit to divide the Hijlory into two Parts, 

 the Natural and the Moral, in imitation of that of the ex- 

 cellent Jofcphus Acofta, and they hope the Piece will be 

 found fuch as to anfwer the Title ; comprehending in the 

 former whatever is of the natural growth of the Country, 

 as Plants, Fruits,FIowers, Birds, Beafts, <&c. and under 

 the latter, whatfoever relates to their Manners, Cuftoms, 

 Religion, Vertues, Vices, &>c. Not that they would have 

 it inferrd thence, that this Treatife fhould contain what- 

 ever might be written on the fubje& of the Caribbies ; 



nay 



