DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD. 
487 
throws light upon their origin. In the hot part of Guiana 
we can go back only to the period when the Castilian and 
Portuguese conquerors, and more recently peaceful monks, 
penetrated amid so many barbarous nations. 
It appears, that, to the north of the Cataracts, in the 
strait of Baraguan, there are caverns filled with bones, 
similar to those I have just described: but I was informed 
of this fact only after my return; our Indian pilots did not 
mention it when we landed at the strait. These tombs no 
doubt have given rise to a fable of the Ottomacs, according 
to which the granitic and solitary rocks of Baraguan, the 
forms of which are very singular, are regarded as the ‘grand- 
fathers,’ the ‘ ancient chiefs’ of the tribe. The custom of 
separating the flesh from the bones, very anciently practised 
by the Massagetes, is still known among several hordes of 
the Orinoco. It is even asserted, and with some probability, 
that the Guaraons plunge their dead bodies under w'ater 
enveloped in nets; and, that the small caribe-fishes, of which 
we saw everywhere an innumerable quantity, devour in a 
few days the muscular flesh, and thus prepare the skeleton. 
It may be supposed, that this operation can be practised 
only in places where crocodiles are not common. Some 
tribes, for instance the Tamanacs, are accustomed to lay 
waste the fields of a deceased relrtive, and cut down the 
trees which he has planted. The, say, “ that the sight of 
objects, which belonged to their relation, makes them melan- 
choly.” They like better to efface than to preserve remem- 
brances. These> effects of Indian sensibility are very detri- 
mental to agriculture, and the monks oppose with energy 
these superstitious practices, to which the natives converted 
to Christianity still adhere iu the missions. 
The tombs of the Indians of the Orinoco have not been 
very closely examined, because they do not contain valuable 
a rticles like those of Peru ; and even on the spot no faith is 
now lent to the chimerical ideas, which were heretofore 
formed of the wealth of the ancient inhabitants of El Dorado. 
The thirst of gold everywhere precedes the desire ol instruc- 
tion, and a taste for researches into antiquity ; in all the 
mountainous part of South America, from Merida and Santa 
Marta to the table-lands of Quito and Upper Peru, the 
labours of absolute mining have been undertaken to discover 
