The Beautiful Arawaks. 
17ö 
consists of a straight line from which several parallel ones extend at 
right-angles up the forehead, while from each corner of the mouth either 
one or two curve-like decorations reach up to the temples so as to 
resemble a moustache curled up at the ends. The colour of their skin is 
not darker than that of Spaniards and Italians. Whether they have 
given up the body-painting on account of their intimate intercourse with 
the Colonists, or whether it was ever at all indigenous to the Arawaks, I 
have not been able to learn. 
593. The hospitality of Caberalli went so far that he immediately 
put his house at our disposal : this was conspicuous among all the rest 
not only by its size but also by its comfortable internal arrangements. 
Soon after our Negroes had filled their maws, an extraordinary change 
seemed to have taken place in their state of health, for the fever had disap- 
peared without leaving a trace, and the two ringleaders regarded each 
other cheerily: they did not seem to be worried in the least when Mr. 
King passed sentence and told them that from now onwards they need 
not count further upon us, from whom they had nothing more to expect, 
and that they must look for some other means of returning to George- 
town. Their confidence in finding a place in Caberalli’s corial or some 
other Indian’s that might be leaving for the coast as opportunity offered, 
and the hope of being able to pander here in the meantime to the 
comforts of the belly, made them regard the verdict in a far from serious 
light: they nevertheless bitterly deceived themselves. 
594. Just as we had settled down in our new home, the women and 
girls who had been despatched to the cassava fields returned with filled 
baskets and truly they entirely vindicated the reputation of their tribe, 
for each new face always seemed to me prettier than the last. Among 
the coastal Indians the Waikas at all events possess the finest men, the 
Arawaks on the other hand the finest women. The language also of the 
Arawaks, and to a greater extent that of the women, has something so 
melodious and sweet-sounding about it that I might very pertinently 
compare it with the Italian. In tone and modulation of voice they 
always suit themselves to the situation or circumstances in which the 
object of which they are speaking happens to be. Thus one of Caberalli’s 
wives mentioned in an oppressed, wailing and whining tone, that her 
mother during his absence had been dangerously sick: all the others 
expressed similar deep grief in the subdued ring of the voice when the 
conversation happened to concern this woman. The more charmed I 
was with these signs of sympathy for the misfortunes of others, the more 
surprised was I on becoming witness of the really uncharitable treatment 
which a sick person receives at their hands. This neglect of the suffering 
is constant in all circumstances, and is just as much a failing witli 
parents and intimate connections as it is with those far distantly related. 
595. If anyone is confined to his hammock by sickness, it would seem 
that the unfortunate individual scares every living thing out of his way. 
Without one word of comfort or sympathy the housewife places the food 
close to the sick-bed, but no one makes enquiries as to his wants or 
wishes: everything that he may require lie must first of all ask for. 
Although, for the rest, the sick woman of whom I spoke suffered from 
