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THE ABORIGINES OF GUIANA. 33 
Marriage among these Indians is not accompanied by any religious rites. They are frequently contracted by the parents 
when infants, in which case the young man is bound to assist the family of his wife till she arrives at puberty ; in the intermediate time 
he is very particular in his attention to her, presents her with beads, and brings her the best of what he has been able to procure at 
the chase. At the time of marriage he leads her where he pleases, and establishes his own household. 
Young men and women, at a more advanced age, consult their own inclinations ; a visit to the bride’s abode, and some presents 
are the usual preliminaries : if the suitor meet with favour in the eyes of the parents, the woman is purchased either by gifts or labour ; 
in the latter instance the bridegroom is bound to serve the parents of the bride for a year, or longer. When the marriage takes place, 
the husband clears a sufficient space of ground for raising provisions: when cleared, it is made over to the care of the woman, who 
from that time has the whole management of it. 
The generality of husbands have only one wife, but polygamy is allowed and practised by all those who have the means 
of maintaining several wives. I recollect an Arawaak chief in the river Berbice, who had five, the youngest of whom was only 
thirteen years of age, and handsome. The first wife generally pretends to superiority in domestic affairs over the rest, but it is 
frequently necessary for the husband to exercise his authority in order to restore tranquillity in his harem. 
On the husband’s return from hunting or fishing, his wife prepares his meal, which usually consists of fish or game, the latter 
frequently boiled in the blood of the animal, and well-seasoned with Capsicums or Cayenne pepper. The male part of the family 
all eat together, and if the weather permit it, before the door in the open air. Squatted on the ground, the Indian dips his cassada 
bread into the pot which contains the food, and helps himself with his fingers to that piece of meat, for which he has the greatest fancy. 
Their meals last but a short time, and every one rises as soon as he has done. The females do not eat with the men, but wait till 
the latter have finished; it frequently happens that a favourite dish is put aside by the Indian women, which they contrive to hide 
until a favourable moment arrives in which they may enjoy it unobserved by the men. 
Many of the Indian tribes reckon several animals and birds unlawful to be eaten. They abhor our domestic hog, the cow, and 
fishes of large size. The Caribs are more particular in that respect than any other nation. The delicious fish, the Sudis gigas, or 
Pirarucu, one of the largest which swims in fresh water and which abounds in the Rupununi, and different species of Siluridese are 
considered unclean by the Macusis and Caribs. In their native woods and savannahs, where they are not degenerated through intercourse 
with Europeans, the meat of the domestic hog is held in horror. I could never induce Irai, a Carib chieftain, who was otherwise a 
sensible man, to taste the smallest slice of ham. The herds of wild cattle on the savannahs of the Rupununi and Rio Branco, are 
unmolested by the Macusi Indians who inhabit these regions, as the flesh is considered unclean. They, however, eat their native hogs, 
the Peccari and Cairuni. The cassada affords their chief sustenance; the root of this plant (Jatropha manihot), which in its natural 
state is so poisonous, is by a simple process converted into nutritious food. After it has been washed and scraped, it is grated and 
pressed into an elastic tube, which is called a Matappi, and has been made of the plaited stems of a Calathea. The tube being filled, its 
upper end is tied to one of the beams in the hut, so that its opposite end, which possesses a loophole, remains a few feet from the 
ground; a long pole is pushed through the loophole, the shorter end of which is fixed, while the longer being pressed down serves 
as a powerful lever, and the elasticity of the tube presses the grated cassada forcibly together, and the poisonous juice escapes through 
the interstices of the plaits. The mass deprived of its juice, is then gradually dried, and if required, some of the flour after it has been 
sifted, is put upon a pan over a fire, and in a few minutes a cake, resembling the oatmeal cake in appearance, is ready. Violent as the 
poisonous juice of the cassada root proves to be, its narcotic principle is so volatile, that it escapes by being exposed to fire ; the Indian 
forms, therefore, a sauce of the juice, which resembles ketchup or soy. 
The Indian females in the Wapisiana village, Watu Ticaba, are thus occupied in preparing these cakes, which, after they have 
been baked, are dried in the sun, and become ultimately so hard, that they may be kept for months. This bread constituted our 
chief sustenance during our sojourn in the interior, and after we had been accustomed to it for about three or four weeks, we found 
it as wholesome as wheaten bread. 
The village, which is represented in the plate, is situated in latitude 2° 32', on the extensive savannahs bound by the Carawaime 
and Canuku mountains. The dome-shaped form of the huts is the mode of structure which the Wapisiana generally adopts, and a 
little hut of the description as that sketched here, is attached to the chieftain’s house, which appears to be exclusively dedicated to 
baking and other culinary purposes. 
Yams, Batatas, and Indian corn form the other articles of food which they cultivate in their fields. They are particularly fond 
of the half-ripe ears of the Indian corn, which they parch ; this custom equally prevails in Egypt. In the morning the women rise first, 
and after having taken the customary bath, they prepare their husband’s breakfast. The Indian eats little at one time, but he eats 
often ; the general hours are sunrise, ten, noon, three, and sunset. The chief meals are breakfast and supper. 
The Indians prepare different beverages of divers fruits and Indian corn ; but the favourite drink is Paiwori, which is prepared 
K 
