Cap. XII. The Caribby-I (lands. 



That there were fome people who could not count above five, 

 and others who could not exceed four. 



The Inhabitants of Guinny having counted to Ten, were 

 wont to fet a mark, and then begin again. Certain Savages of 

 the Septentrional part of America^ to exprefs a great number, 

 which it was impoffible for them to name, make ufeof aneafie 

 kind of demonft ration, taking their hair or fome fand in their 

 hands 5 a fort of comparifons which are frequent in holy Scri- 

 pture. The Inhabitants of the Carib by -lfands have alfo their 

 invention to fupply the defect of Arithmetick } for when they 

 are to go to the Wars, and are to be ready at their general 

 Rendezvouz on a certain day, they take each of them one af- 

 ter another aq equal number of Peafe, in their folemn AlTem- 

 bly j as for inftance, thrice or four times Ten, and fome certain 

 Dumber under Ten, if need be, according as they are refolv'd 

 to advance their Enterprife 5 they put up thefe Peafe in a little 

 Gourd, and every morning they take out one, and caft it away, 

 till there are none left, and then the appointed time for their 

 departure is come, and the next day they are to be upon their 

 inarch.- Another way they haveisthis,every one of them makes 

 fa many knots on a little Cord, and every day they unty one, 

 and when they are come to thelaft they make ready for the 

 Rendezvouz : Somtimes alfo they take little pieces of Wood, 

 upon which they make fo many notches as they intend to fpend 

 idays in their preparation 5 every day they cut off one of the 

 notches, and when they come to the laft, they take their march 

 towards the ptece appointed. 



The Captains, the Boyez, and the moft ancient among them, 

 have more underftanding than the common fort, and by long 

 experience, joind to what they had receiv'd by tradition from 

 their Anceitors,they have acquir'd a grofs knowledge of divers 

 Stars 5 whence it comes that they count the Months by Moons, 

 and the Years by the Seven Stars, taking particular notice of 

 that Conftellation : Thus fome Peruvians regulated their Years 

 by their BarvefVs: Thofe Inhabitants of Canada who live in the 

 Mountains obferve the number of the Nights and Winters 5 and % 

 the Soriquefes count by Suns. But though the more judicions 

 among the Caribbians difcern the Months, and the Years, and 

 obferve the different Seafons, yet have they not any Monu- 

 ments of Antiquity , and cannot tell how long it is fince the 

 Srft of their Nation left the Continent, and fetled themfelves 

 in the Iflands > but all the account they are able to give of it is, 

 That neither themfelves, nor their Fathers, nor their Grandfa- 

 thers could remember any thing of it j nor can they teli what 

 age they are of, nor give any precife account of the time when 

 the Spaniards came into their Country , nor of feveral other 

 things of that nature 3 for they take no notice of ought of this 

 kind, and make no account of knowing what is done in the 

 World. N n 2 CHAP, 



