465 



that Father Gili speaks of Carichana *, which is 

 forty leagues from Encaramada, as of a spot far 

 distant; and that he never advanced so far as 

 the first cataract of the river, of which he ven- 

 tured to undertake the description. 



In the port of Encaramada we met with some 

 Caribbees of Panapana. A Cacique was going 

 up the Oroonoko in his canoe, to join in the fa- 

 mous fishing of turtles' eggs. His canoe was 

 rounded toward the bottom like a bongo, and 

 followed by a smaller boat called curiam. He 

 was seated beneath a sort of tent, toldo, con- 

 structed, as well as the sail, of palm leaves. 

 His cold and silent gravity, the respect with 

 which he was treated by his attendants, every 

 thing denoted him to be a person of importance. 

 He was equipped, however, in the same manner 

 as his Indians. They were all equally naked, 

 armed with bows and arrows, and covered with 

 onoto, which is the colouring fecula of the bixa 

 orellana. The chief, the domestics, the furni- 

 ture, the boat, and the sail, were all painted red. 

 These Caribbees are men of an almost athletic 

 stature ; they appeared to us much taller than 

 the Indians we had hitherto seen. Their smooth 

 and thick hair, cut upon their forehead like that 

 of choristers, their eyebrows painted black, their 

 look at once gloomy and animated, give their 



* Saggio di Storia Americana, vol. i, p. 122. 

 VOL. IV. 2 H 



