The Hi/lory of 



Book II 



their Armies, and he is always highly refpected among them: He 

 appoints the meetings of the Carbet 3 either for merry-making 

 or deliberations in order to a War : And he al waies goes abroad 

 attended by all of his own houfe, and fome others who do 

 him the honour to wait on him : Thofe who have the greateft 

 retinue are the moft highly honoured : If any one gives him 

 not the refpeft due to him upon the account of his charge, it is 

 in his power to ftrike him Of thefe there are but two at the 

 moft in an Ifland, as at Dominico : They are alfo commonly the 

 Admirals when a Fleet goes out : Or haply that charge is be* 

 ftowed on fome young man, who is defirous to fignaiize him- 

 felf upon that occafion. 



This charge is obtain'd by ele&ion : and commonly he who 

 is advanced thereto muft have killed divers of the Arouagies, or 

 at leaft one of the moft considerable perfons among them. The 

 Sons do not (ucceed their Fathers in that charge, if they be not 

 worthy thereof. When the chief Captain fpeaks all others are 

 lilent •• and when he enters into the Carbet^ every one makes 

 him way he hath alfo the firft and beft part of the entertain- 

 ment.* The Lieutenant to this Captain is called in their Lan- 

 guage Qnbouton maliarici^ that is to (ay properly, the Tracks of 

 the Captain^ or that which appears after him. 



None of thefe Chiefs hath any command over the whole Na- 

 tion nor any fuperiority over the other Captains : But when the 

 Caribbians go to the Wars, among all the Captains they make 

 choice of one tobe General of the Army, who makes the firft 

 3flault : and when the expedition is over, he hath no autho- 

 rity but only in his own Ifland :True it is,thatifhe hathbehav'd 

 himfelf gallantly in his enterprifes, he is ever after highly re- 

 fpe&ed in all the Iflands : But heretofore, before the commerce 

 between the Caribbians and forreign Nations had alterd the 

 greateft part of their ancient Pol itie, there were many condi- 

 tions requifite to obtain that degree of honour. 



It was in the firft place requisite that he whom they advane'd 

 to that dignity, had been feveral times in the Wars, and that 

 to the knowledge of the whole Ifland whereof he was tobe 

 chofen Captain, he had behaved himfelf couragioufly and gal- 

 lantly : Next to this it was neceffary, that he {hould be Co 

 active and fwift in running, as to furpafs all competitors in that 

 exercife : Thirdly, he who ftood for the Generahhip of art 

 Ifland, fhould excell all others in fwimming and diving: A 

 fourth condition was, that he (hould carry a burthen of fucb 

 weight as his fellow-pretenders (hould not be able to ftand un- 

 der : Laftly,he was obliged to give great demonftrations of his 

 conftancy : for they cruelly cut and mangled his fhoulders and 

 breafts with the tooth of an Agouty nay his beft friends made 

 deep incisions in divers parts of his body : And the wretched 

 perfon who expetted that charge was to endure all this, with- 

 out 



