Cap. XVIII. TfoCaribby-lflands. tj*' 7 



This kind of entertainment may well be accounted more 

 rational than that of the Caribbians of the Southerly part of the 

 Continent,who receive theirGuefts after a very odd fa{hion,not 

 much unlike what is pradifed by the Canadians : For the Ca~ 

 cict^ of thole Caribbians conduces him who comes to fee them to 

 the Publick-houfe, without fpeaking at all to him .• then he is 

 prefented with a ftool and fome Tobacco, and fo they leave him 

 for a time, without fpeaking a word to him, till he hath refted 

 himfelf and taken his Tobacco : Then the Cacicf^ comes and 

 asks him, whether he become ? The other anfwering yes, he 

 fits down by him and falls into difcourfe ; Afterwards thole of 

 the common fort come asking him after the fame manner, whe- 

 ther he become ? And having thereupon brought him fome- 

 thing ro eat, they alfq fall into difcourfe with him : True it is 

 indeed, that our Infulary Caribbians, in the reception of their 

 Guefts, towards thofe of their own Nation, who are ftrangert 

 in their lflands, praftife the fame thing as the Caribbians of the 

 Continent : But when they entertain French and other Europe- 

 .ans who would be loth to keep filence fo long, they fpeak to 

 them,andfall immediately into difcourfe, as we faid before, ac- 

 commodating themfelves to their humour, and, to comply 

 with them, ctoffing the rules of their own Ceremonies. 



But the Banquet they intend them was prepared before hand, 

 let us now fee how it is ordered, and how they demean them- 

 felves therein : They give everyone his little Table, and his 

 Meffes apart, as the Chinefis do.* " Some bring in broil'd Lizards j l "8 aur » 

 others, fry'd Crabs \ fome,Pulfe5 and others, Fruits, and fo of ' '°' 7 ' 

 the reft .- Daring the rVepaft, they difcourfe with them, and 

 Wait on them with the greateft care imaginable : They think it 

 the greateft kindnefs can be done them to eat and drink hearti- 

 ly ; and all their bafinefs is to fill the : Cups, and fee that every 

 TaMebeftrtnimed: When a man drinks he muft take all off, 

 beherwife they are difobliged} and if one cannot eat all the 

 'Cajfava that is given him, he mufiP put up the reft and carry it 

 along with him, otherwife they will take it unkindly : Thus Busbequiu*, 

 the 'lurks when they are at a friends Table, are wont to fill ^'4« 

 thetrH.incfkcrchers,and fometimes the fleeves of tbeirGarments • 

 with fragments of meat and bread, which they carry away with 

 them. And among thcGrand-Tartars 3 when a.Gue{\ cannot eat all Rubriques 

 rhat is prefented to him, he muft give the remainders to his in bis 7ra» 

 Servant to lay up for him, or carry it away himfelf in his bag vds into 

 or pouch, wherein he puts up alfo the bones, if he hath not pick- Tartary. ( 

 ed them clean enough, that he may afterwards do it at his lea- 

 fure : But among the Chinefes, when the Gueft goes home, the 

 Servants of the perfon who invited him, carries along with him 

 the dimes that were left. 



After the tVepaft, the Caribbians conduct you to their pri- 

 vate Houfes, and into their Gardens, (hew you their Arms,, 



their 



