Cap. IX, Tfe Caribby-Jflands. 251 



der thereat, fince moft of our Obfer rations relate to the Ca* 

 ribbians of St. Vincents. 



Laftly, we defire our Readers to take this further adver- 

 tifement, that it is our defign to give a defcription of the anci- 

 ent Manners and Cuftoms of thefe Caribbians 0 to the end that 

 no body may think it ftrange, if their prefent demeanour be 

 not in all things anfwerable thereto : Thefe advertifements be- 

 ing thus premis'd, we proceed to give the Reader fadsfaction 

 confequently to the title of this Chapter. 



Moft of thofe people whom we call Barbarians and Savages^ 

 have fome thing hideous and deformed or defective, either in 

 their Countenances or fome other part of the body, as Hi- 

 ftorians affirm of the Maldivefes, the Inhabitants about the 

 Magtllane jlreights, and feveral others which we need not name 

 here. 



But the Caribbianszre a handfbme well-fhap'd people, well 

 proportion^ in all parts of their bodies, gracefull enough, of 

 afmiling countenance, middle feature, having broad moulders, 

 and large buttocks, and they are moft of them in good plight, 

 and ftronger than the French: Their mouths are not over large^ 

 and their teeth are perfectly white and clofe i True it is their 

 complexion is naturally of an Olive-colour, and that colour 

 fpreads even into the whites of their Eyes, which are black, 

 fomewhat little like thofe of the Chinefes and Tartars , but very 

 piercing .* Their foreheads and nofes are flat, not naturally, 

 but by artifice : For their mothers crufh them down at their 

 birth, as alfo continually during the time they fuckle them, 

 imagining it a kind of beauty and perfection 5 for were it 

 not for that, their nofes would be well fhap'd, and they would 

 have high foreheads as well as we : They have large and thick 

 feet, becaufe they go barefoot, but they are withall fo hard, 

 that they defie Woods and Rocks. 



Among thofe of the Country a man cannot meet with any 

 wanting either one or both eyes, lame, crook-back'd, orbald 5 

 or having any other deformity naturally } as is in like manner 

 affirmed of the Brajilians, the Floridians^ and moft Nations of VeLeryc. 8, 

 America 5 whereas thofe who have walked through Grand Vo a ^ 

 Cairo relate. That in the Streets they have met with many one- B °^ t f f * 

 eyed, and many ftark blind people 5 thofe infirmities being fo 

 frequent and fo popular in that Country, that of ten perfons 

 five or fix are fbbjefr thereto: But if any a.njjong^the Carihbi- 

 ans are thus deformed, or have loft, or are maimed in anylimb^ 

 ir hapned in fome Engagement againft their Enemies and fo 

 thofe fears or deformities being fo many demonftrations of their 

 Valour, they glory in them } fo far are they from being in any 

 ganger of mifchief, or being caft into a furnace by their Coun- 

 try-men, as thofe poor Children were among the people of 

 Guy ana , and among the Lacedemonians in the time of Lycurgus^ 



K k 2 who 



