TbeHiftory of 



Boor II 



CHAP. VII. 



Of the Origine of the Caribbians, the natural Inhabitants 

 of the Country. 



THe Method we had propos'd to our felvesforthe profe- 

 cution of this Hiftory requires that henceforth we treat 

 of the Indians, the natural Inhabitants of the Caribbies. And 

 here we conceive it not to be our bufinefs to bring upon the 

 Stage that great and difficult Queftion,to wit, How the race of 

 Men came to fpread itlelfinto America,znd whence they came 

 into that new World } There are lome eminent Perfons have 

 treated of this matter with fo much iufficiency 3 exaftnefs, and 

 iblidity, that it were a tedious and fuperfluous Work at the 

 prefent to trouble the Reader with any thing concerning if. 

 Befides, the Hiftory of the Originals of our Savage Inhabitants 

 of the Caribbies requires not that we fhould delcend fo low to 

 find them. 



The ancient and natural Inhabitants of the Caribbies are 

 thole who have been called by fome Authors Cannibals, Anthrfa 

 pophagi, or Eaters of Men 3 but molt others who have written 

 of them, commonly call them Caribbians or Caribes: But their 

 primitive and originary Name, and that which is pronounc'd 

 with moft gravity is, as the French Writers would have it, that 

 of Caraibes ; Nay, if we may credit thefe laft mentioned Au- 

 thors, not only the Caribbians themfelves of the Iflands do fo 

 pronounce their name, but alfo thofe of their Nation who live 

 in the Continent of America, both the Septentrional and Meri- 

 dional : S6 that that being the moft common appellation of 

 them amonj* the French Inhabitants of the Iflands, we (hall al- 

 fo have occaMon to ufeit fometimes in the fequel of this Hiftory 9 

 in regard the prefent Work is rendered out of that Language. 



Some ate of opinion, that this word Caraibes (or Caribbians) 

 is not natural to the favage Inhabitants of the Caribbies , but 

 that it was impos'd upon them by the Spaniards, as they had 

 given the fame denomination to many Savages of the Meridi- 

 onal Contineht,who;are known thereby 5 as alfo that of C alibis, 

 or CalibUes, to their allies the Inhabitants of the fame Continent. 



Thofe who maintain this opinion affirm, that the Spaniards 

 might well give to thofe People that name of Caraibes,m regard 

 they over-ran all the Quarters of the Southerly part of Ameri- 

 ca 3 and that having made the firft Maps thereof,they fet down 

 thofe Nations under that Name, which hath ftuck to them ever 

 fince. To prove this they alledge, that they are never call'd 

 Caraibes or Caribbians among themfelves, but only when they 

 are drunk , and that having tjieir heads full of Wine they 



