184 SEVERITY OF CARIBEAN Book I. 
cular wall of some red material, either clay or sandstone, 
which I could not approach near enough to distinguish. 
Steep ridges of wooded hills follow the coast, sending 
down some small streams, like that of Omoa: the Tulian, 
Cieneguita and Marques. The mouth of the latter is 
connected with the Laguna de Alvarado. Where these 
little rivers reach the sea, and at the connecting channel 
between the latter one and the laguna, small communities 
of Caribs have built their villages. We landed at Tidian, 
where we took our breakfast in the habitation of the chief, 
or "general" as he is styled. Before his door some heavy 
chains attracted my attention, and, on inquiry, I was 
informed that these chains — together with an apparatus 
consisting of two blocks of wood prepared to fit to each other 
so as to leave certain circular openings between them — 
were intended for securing malefactors. The criminal law 
of the Caribs seems to be exceedingly harsh, and in other 
respects also this remarkable and highly respectable race 
is distinguished by an uncommon discipline and severity of 
manners. In their engagements as mahogany cutters, or 
for any other work to be executed, they are always to be 
depended on; the responsibility for each member of a 
company of labourers resting with their own captain with 
whom the contract is made. But, on the other hand, 
they expect the strictest fulfilment of obligations on the 
side of their employers, and when the term for which they 
have been engaged — and which in the mahogany cuttings is 
generally eight months — is over, they stop working, and it 
is almost impossible to induce them to continue even for a 
single day. A gentleman, who has had much experience 
with this race, assured me that they were in the habit 
of punishing the intercourse of their women with men 
of other races in the most cruel manner, by whipping the 
unfortunate female slowly to death. Whatever may be 
