342 
Carib Brutality to Women. 
property. Only extreme necessity can Immble Iiis arron^änce and pride 
to work for the Europeans for wages. I liave already mentioned how 
assuming and overbearing they shewed themselves to l)e towards ns in 
genei'al. Hunting, fishing, and the manufacture of the weapons and 
implements connected therewith constitute the chief employment of 
the men: everything else falls to their wives and daughters. Polygamy 
prevails with them throughout. Just as arrogant and tyrannical as 
the Carih is towards other Indians, so is he towards the opposite sex, 
and it would be a difficult job to find but one woman Avho does not carry 
a number of scars and wounds, the openly blazoned proofs of her hus- 
band's inhuman treatment which at almost every drinking bout degen- 
erates into bestiality. 
828. The peculiar custom rules throughout all the tribes in British 
Guiana for the Avomen to eat apart from the men, a custom that Cook 
and Förster found indigenous with the Xew Zealanders, but amongst 
the Caribs tliis l ule is carrieil still rm ther Ity the women not even lieing 
allowed to eat in the presence of the men. If the latter are eating inside 
the house, the former must take their food outside. I will only mention 
one instance out of the many I witnessed of the inhuman brutality with 
which' tlie Tarib treats his women. The ehieftain of Arraia had given 
me his son's residence, in which, besides a second family, he lived with 
his young and pretty wife, whom he had only married a short while 
before. The poor girl suffered with the uiost terrilde toothache which 
increased so much on the second day after our arrival, that she could not 
refrain from groaning a little now and agaiu. Her lord and master who 
had not left his hammoek and had done nothing else but sleep, eat and 
whistle on his flute, while his wife, still suffering with the paiu, carried 
on her heavy duties, liad already throughout the whole day cast some 
dark glances in her direction. Before lying down in her hammock she 
yet lighted the accustomed fire under his, and then sought the rest she 
so murh desired in vain because her sufferiugs, rendered evident by a 
light moau. made this imitossilde. Angered thereby the man suddenly 
jumpe<l out of his hammock, took up a knife and cut the ropes to which 
hers was tied. The poor woman fell on tlie gi-ound and dislocated her 
arm, but without troubling himself about her, the brute threw himself 
back into his hammock. The ill-treated creature silently gathered 
herself up, slipped out of the house, and at break of day, her swollen 
arm covered with bast, and even her face with a smile — brought her 
master's breakfast to his side. Without even deigning to look at her, 
the beast sat up to eat it. T was so angered that I complained to the 
old chief about his son's inhuman conduct, but he only looked at me in 
amazement and surprise. 
820. The chief occupation of the women besides the houseliold affairs, 
consists in spinning cotton with a fine spindle and in making hammocks 
wherein they show extraordinary dexterity. This industrial ai'ticle is 
in general request on account of its durability although it is only made 
with the fingers, without the help of any apparatus: it takes the woman 
mostly a year t© finish one. 
