THE ABORIGINES OF GUIANA. 
35 
few years ago made so much noise in Europe, and delighted the thousands who heard it ? The musical sounds which the Warrau 
produces on his reed flute, are conducted on the same principle as those of a Russian horn-band, and also claim originality. 
The next day proved fair, and on our arrival at Mr. Bayfield’s, we found a great number of Indian females assembled under 
some shady Tamarind trees. They were handsomely dressed, according to their fashion ; loose garments of flowered calico, or of blue 
or red cotton stuff, were attached to their waist, where they were fixed, or partly slung round their left or right shoulder ; the neck, 
arms, wrists, and ancles, were richly adorned by red and white beads, while others, by means of gum, had fixed the white down 
formerly spoken of, to their faces and arms; many wore pieces of silver or metal in their nose, which comj)letely covered the upper 
lip, while with others, a blueish line extended from the corners of the mouth, and ended in a figure resembling an anchor. Some had 
their eyebrows effaced, and a similar line of a blueish colour was painted on the place which they had occupied, and which gave a 
certain expression, by no means unpleasant. 
A WARRAU INDIAN. 
The glances of the assembled females were directed towards a neighbouring thicket, from which we soon after saw the young Warraus 
issue headed by their Hohohit. All stooped when advancing, their bodies nearly bent to the ground : each carried his instrument, grasped 
in the middle ; their heads were embellished by large feather caps, that of the band-master being especially distinguished. Some of the men 
wore strings of the seed of the Cerbera thevetia round their ancles, which made a rattling noise whenever the foot was put to the ground. 
They slowly approached the place which was to be appropriated to their dancing, their movements being directed by the sound of a small 
whistle, which imitated the cry of a monkey. When arrived, they formed a circle round the dancing place, and another sound of the 
whistle being given, they laid their instruments on the ground; the men remained motionless in a cowering attitude, while the band- 
master muttered incomprehensible things until another sound of the whistle roused them all up, when taking their instruments they 
began to play. By this ceremony the place was devoted to their amusement, and, as with the Caribs and Macusis, the evil spirits were 
thus enjoined to keep their distance. 
Dancing now commenced, but their etiquette is somewhat the reverse of ours ; the fair sex are not engaged by the men, who 
place themselves in the dancing circle, and while they proceed once or twice round, the Warrau woman approaches the man with whom 
she feels inclined to dance, and placing her hand lightly upon his shoulder, he takes no further notice than assuming the same posture ; 
and their eyes bent to the ground, they step forwards and sidewards, and with musical instruments in their left hand, they accompany 
their dance at the same time by a strain which possesses more music than I have heard among any other tribe. When the dance is 
about to end, the men shake that foot distinctly three times to which the shells are attached. If her partner be an intimate friend, 
a sweetheart, or brother, the woman will patiently await the third rattle ; but if only a slight acquaintance, or a stranger, she will return 
to her place with the swiftness of a deer at the first sound. A yell from the men concludes the diversion. The dances of the Warraus 
are varied ; they have a bird-dance, a monkey-dance, and many others in which they attempt to imitate the voice or movements of the 
animals of which it bears the name ; but the most amusing is the Macusi dance, which is worth describing, as it represents the incursions 
which the Caribs, and other warlike Indian tribes, formerly committed upon the Macusis, carrying their females forcibly away as the 
Romans did the Sabines. When the dance is about to commence all the women hide themselves, for which they have sufficient time, 
as the men move first round in a circle. At a signal given by the band-master the men disperse in all directions in search of them : 
every corner of the house is looked into, every bush or tree in the neighbourhood is subjected to examination. As soon as the hiding 
place of one is discovered, she is conducted to the dancing place, and ordered to keep the station assigned to her. When the men 
