178 
A CAKIB CHIEF. 
founded in 1749 by Father Gill, the Jesuit, author of the 
Storia dell ’ Orinoco, published at Kome. This missionary 
learned in the Indian tongues, lived-in these solitudes during 
eighteen years, till the expulsion oi the Jesuits. To form a 
precise idea of the savage state of these countries it must ho 
recollected 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 in tho river of which he ventured to undertake the 
description. - 
In tho port of Encaramada we met with some Caribs oi 
Fanapaua. A. cacique was going up the Orinoco in his 
canoe, to join in tho famous fishing of turtles’ eggs. His 
canoe was rounded toward the bottom like a Ijohcjo , and 
followed by a smaller boat called a curiara. He was seated 
beneath a sort of tent, constructed, like the sail of palm- 
leaves. His cold and silent gravity, the respect with 
which he was treated by his attendants, everything 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 painted 
with onoto, which is the colouring fecula of the Bixa Orellana. 
The chief, the domestics, the furniture, the boat, and the 
sail, were all painted red. These Caribs are men of an 
almost athletic stature; they appeared to us much taller 
than any Indians we had hitherto seen. Their smooth and 
thick hah, cut short on the forehead like that of choristers, 
tbeir eyebrows painted black, their look at once gloomy and 
animated, gave a singular expression to their countenances. 
Having till then seen only the skulls of some Caribs of the 
"West India Islands preserved in the collections of Europe- 
we were surprised to find that these Indians, who were ot 
pure race, had foreheads much more rounded than they af<‘ 
described. The women, who were very tall, and disgusting' 
are scattered in our maps as if by chance. It is pretended that the 
Mission of Guoja affords a very rare example of the composition of two 
Spanish words. The word Encaramada means things raised one upo» 
another from encaramar. ‘ to raise up.' It is derived from the fig ur0 
of Tepupano and the neighbouring rocks : perhaps it is only an India 0 
word caramana, in which, as in rnanati, a Spanish signification 
believed to be discovered. 
* Saggio di Storia Americana, vol. i. p. 122. 
