25® The Htflory of Book II. 



rhings which they pra&is'd before with an inviolable ftri&nefs : 

 So that there may be feen in them now a remarkable change 

 from what they were heretofore : That the cafe ftands thus 

 with them now, is to be attributed partly to the converfation 

 of the Europeans, who in fome things have oblig'd them to 

 abate fomewhat of their originary fimplicity , and in others 

 have made them worfe than they were, as to our own (hame we 

 cannot but acknowledge : Hence it comes that Monfieur du 

 Montei tells us in his Relations, that two ancient Caribbians^ 

 confidering that degeneration of their Country-men 3 took oc- 

 cafion to entertain him with a difcourfe to this purpofe : cc Our 

 " people ar£ become in a manner like yours, fince they came 

 cc to be acquainted with you j and we find it fome difficulty to 

 u know our felves, fo different are we grown from what we 

 "hare been heretofore.' It is to this alteration that our peo- 

 cc pie attribute the more frequent happening of Hurricanes than 

 " they were obferv'd to be in the days of old 5 and conclude 

 cc thence,that Maboj/*(thsLt is to fay ,the evil fpirit)hath reduc'd 

 cc us under;the power otlheFrencb^EngliJh^paniards and others., 

 "who have driven us out of thebeft part of our Country. 



Thirdly, it is poffible they may have different Cuftoms^ 

 according to the diverfity of the Iflands, though they all make 

 up but one people 5 as may be obferved in the diverfity of the 

 Cuftoms of one and the fame Kingdom, according to the le- 

 veral Quarters and Provinces of it : Whence it may have pro- 

 ceeded, for example, that thofe that have conveffed moft at 

 Dominico will give an account of the Opinions, Cuftoms, and 

 Ceremonies of the Caribbians^ much different from what (hall 

 be related thereof by thofe perfons who (hall have frequented 

 other places 5 and yet the Relations of either fide (hall be 

 true. 



Fourthly, as in the Continent of America , the Caribbians y 

 who inhabit a good way within the Country, and confequent- 

 ly feldom fee any forreigners, retain much more of their anci- 

 ent Cuftoms, and their oldcourfe of life,than thofe who living 

 neer the Dntc h Colonies of Cayenna and Berbica 3 drive on an 

 ordinary trade with the Chriftians j fo among our Caribbians^ 

 f the Inhabitants of the Iflands, thofe who converfe leaft with 

 the Eur op £ an s 0 fach as are thofe of St, Vincent's, are moreftrift 

 obfervers of their ancient courfe of life, than are, for exam- 

 ple, thofe of Martinico or Dominico 3 who are oftner feen 

 among them. * 



Fifthly, thence it proceeds that thofe peribns who have feen 

 them only in thefe laft mentioned places, or have heard of 

 them only from fuch as have been acquainted with them only 

 in thofe places,will haply find many things in the profecution of 

 our Hiftory,which may clafli with thetvelations they had recei- 

 ved of them from others^ which if they do 5 they are not to won- 



