393 



noko there existed another river, called the river 

 of the Aikeam-benanoes, or the Amazons. 



What must we conclude from this narration 

 of the ancient missionary of Encaramada ? not 

 that there are Amazons on the banks of the 

 Cuchivero, but that women, in different parts of 

 America, wearied of the state of slavery in which 

 they were held by the men, united themselves 

 together, like the fugitive negroes, in a palenque 

 [staccado] ; that the desire of preserving their 

 independance rendered them warriors ; and that 

 they received visits from a neighbouring and 

 friendly horde, perhaps a little less methodi- 

 cally than tradition relates. It is sufficient, that 

 this society of women acquired some power in 

 one part of Guyana, for events the most simple, 

 which may have been repeated in different 

 places, to have been described in a uniform and 

 exaggerated manner. This is the character of 

 traditions ; and if the most extraordinary rising 

 of the slaves, of which I have spoken above*, 

 had taken place in the middle of the continent, 

 instead of having happened near the coast of 

 Venezuela, a credulous people would have seen 

 in every palenque of Maroon Negroes the court 

 of king Miguel, his council of state, and the 

 Negro bishop of Buria. The Caribbees of the 

 continent held intercourse with those of the 



* Vol. iv, p. 262. 



