Chapter II: Part 2

Such, in brief, were their national myths. Conspicuously marked in them we note the sacred number four, the four brothers typifying the cardinal points, whose mother, the Dawn, dies in giving them birth, just as in the Algonkin myths. These brothers aid the men in their struggles for life, and bring to them the four women, the rain-bringing winds. Here, too, the first of existences is the woman, whose son is at once highest of divinities and the guide and instructor of their nation. These peculiarities I have elsewhere shown to be general throughout the religions of America.[47]

The myth of the thunder storm also appears among them in its triplicate nature so common to the American mind. God of the storm was Guabancex, whose statue was made of stones. When angry he sent before him as messenger, Guatauva, to gather the winds, and accompanied by Coatrischie, who collected the rain-clouds in the valleys of the mountains, he swept down upon the plain, surrounded by the awful paraphernalia of the thunder storm.[48]

Let us place side by side with these ancient myths the national legend of the Arawacks.[49] They tell of a supreme spiritual being Yauwahu or Yauhahu. Pain and sickness are the invisible shafts he shoots at men, _yauhahu simaira_ the arrows of Yauhahu, and he it is whom the priests invoke in their incantations. Once upon a time, men lived without any means to propitiate this unseen divinity; they knew not how to ward off his anger or conciliate him. At that time the Arawacks did not live in Guiana, but in an island to the north. One day a man named Arawanili walked by the waters grieving over the ignorance and suffering of his nation. Suddenly the spirit of the waters, the woman Orehu, rose from the waves and addressed him. She taught him the mysteries of _semeci_, the sorcery which pleases and controls Yauhahu, and presented him with the _maraka_, the holy calabash containing white pebbles which they rattle during their exorcisms, and the sound of which summons the beings of the unseen world. Arawanili faithfully instructed his people in all that Orehu had said, and thus rescued them from their wretchedness. When after a life of wisdom and good deeds the hour of his departure came, he "did not die, but went up."

Orehu accompanied the Arawacks when they moved to the main, and still dwells in a treeless, desolate spot, on the banks of the Pomeroon. The negroes of the colony have learned of her, and call her in their broken English, the "watra-mamma," the water-mother.

The proper names which occur in these myths, date back to the earliest existence of the Arawacks as an independent tribe, and are not readily analyzed by the language as it now exists. The Haitian Yocauna seems indeed identical with the modern Yauhahu. Atabes or Atabéira is probably from _itabo_, lake, lagoon, and _era_, water, (the latter only in composition, as _hurruru_, mountain, _era_, water, mountain-water, a spring, a source), and in some of her actions corresponds with Orehu. Caracaracol is translated by Brother Pane, as "the Scabby" or the one having ulcers, and in this respect the myth presents a curious analogy with many others in America. In modern Arawack _karrikala_ is a form, in the third person singular, from _karrin_, to be sick, to be pregnant. Arawanili, which one might be tempted to suppose gave the name Arawack to the tribe, did not all writers derive this differently, may be a form of _awawa_, father. In the old language, the termination _el_, is said to have meant son.

Of the two remaining languages said to have been spoken in the small provinces of Macorix de arriba and Macorix de abajo, in Hayti, we have no certain knowledge.[50] Las Casas gives one word from the former. It is _bazca_, no, not. I cannot identify it. There is reason, however, to suppose one of them was the Tupi or "lengua geral," of Brazil. Pane gives at least two words which are pure Tupi, and not Arawack. They are the names of two hideous idols supposed to be inimical to men. The one was Bugi, in Tupi, _ugly_, the other Aiba, in Tupi, _bad_. It is noteworthy, also, that Pigafetta, who accompanied Magellan on his voyage around the world, gives a number of words, ostensibly in the language of the natives of Rio Janeiro, where the Tupi was spoken, which are identical with those of Haiti, as _cacich_, chief, _boi_, house, _hamac_, bed, _canoe_, boat. But Pigafetta acknowledges that he obtained these words not from the natives themselves, but from the pilot Juan Carvalhos, who had been for years sailing over the West Indian seas, and had no doubt learned these words in the Antilles.[51]

The remaining idiom may be supposed to have been Carib, although we have actually no evidence that the Caribs had gained a permanent foothold on any of the Great Antilles at the period of the discovery, some careless assertions of the old authors to the contrary, notwithstanding.

The investigation which I here close, shows that man in his migrations on the Western Continent followed the lead of organic nature around him. For it is well known that the flora and fauna of the Antilles are South American in character, and also, that the geological structure of the archipelago connects it with the southern mainland. So also its earliest known human inhabitants were descended from an ancestry whose homes were in the far south, and who by slow degrees moved from river to river, island to island, until they came within a few miles of the northern continent.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Since reading this article before the Society, Prof. S. S. Haldeman has shown me a copy of a work with the title: "_Die Geschichte von der Marterwoche, Auferstehung und Himmelfahrt unsers Herrn und Heilandes Jesu Christi. Uebersetzt in die Aruwackische Sprache und erklärend umschrieben. Philadelphia: Gedruckt bey Carl List, 1799_," 8vo. pages 213, then one blank leaf, then 40 pages of "Anmerkungen." There is also a second title, in Arawack, and neither title page is included in the pagination. The Arawack title begins: "_Wadaijahun Wüüssada-goanti, Wappussida-goanti baddia Jesus Christus_," etc. The remarks at the end are chiefly grammatical and critical, and contain many valuable hints to the student of the language. I have no doubt this book is the Life of Christ mentioned in the text. The name of the translator or editor is nowhere mentioned, but I have no doubt Mr. Schultz wrote the "Anmerkungen," and read the proof, as not only are his grammatical signs and orthography adopted throughout, but also we know from other sources that he was in Philadelphia at that time.

[2] Brett, _The Indian Tribes of Guiana_, p. 117 (London, 1868).

[3] _Etudes Philologiques sur quelquee[TN-12] Langues Sauvages de l'Amerique_, p. 87 (Montreal, 1866).

[4] _Beiträge zur Ethnographie und Sprachenkunde Amerika's zumal Brasiliens_, B. I., p. 705 (Leipzig, 1867).

[5] De Laet. _Novus Orbis_, lib. xvii., cap. vi.

[6] Martius, _Ethnographie und Sprachenkunde Amerika's_, B. I., S. 687.

[7] Antonio Julian, _La Perla de la America, la Provincia de Santa Marta_, p. 149.

[8] _Ethnographie, etc._, B. I., S. 714.

[9] _The Myths of the New World; a Treatise on the Symbolism and Mythology of the Red Race of America_, p. 32 (New York, 1868).

[10] _The Discoverie of Guiana_, p[TN-13] 4 (Hackluyt, Soc., London, 1842).

[11] _Relation de l'Origine, etc., des Caraibes_, p. 39 (Paris, 1674).

[12] "Havia mas policia entre ellos [los Lucayos,] i mucha diversidad de Lenguas." _Hist. de las Indias_, cap. 41.

[13] Las Casas, in the _Historia General de las Indias Occid[TN-14]_, lib. III, cap. 27, criticizes him severely.

[14] Columbus says of the Bahamas and Cuba: "toda la lengua es una y todos amigos" (Navarrete, _Viages_, Tomo I, p. 46.) The natives of Guanahani conversed with those of Haiti "porque todos tenian una lengua," (_ibid_, p. 86.) In the Bay of Samana a different dialect but the same language was found (p. 135).

[15] Gomara says the language of Cuba is "algo diversa," from that of Espanola. (_Hist. de las Indias_, cap. 41.) Oviedo says that though the natives of the two islands differ in many words, yet they readily understand each other. (_Hist. de las Indias_, lib. XVII. cap. 4.)

[16] The American Nations, chap. VII, (Philadelphia, 1836.)

[17] _Cuba, die Perle der Antillen_, p. 72. (Leipzig, 1831.) The vocabulary contains 33 words, "_aus dem Cubanischen_." Many are incorrect both in spelling and pronunciation.

[18] When Columbus returned from his first voyage, he brought with him ten natives from the Bay of Samana in Haiti, and a few from Guanahani.

[19] See the remarks of Richardo in the Prologo to his _Diccionario Provincial_.

[20] The remarks of Peter Martyr are; "posse omnium illarum linguam nostris literis Latinis, sine ullo discrimine, scribi compertum est," (_De Rebus Oceanicis et Novo Orbe_, Decades Tres, p. 9.) "Advertendum est, nullam inesse adspirationem vocabulis corum, quae non habeat effectum literae consonantis; immo gravius adspirationem proferunt, quam nos f consonantem. Proferendumque est quicquid est adspiratum eodum halitu quo f, sed minime admoto ad superiores dentes inferiore labello, ore aut aperto ha, he hi, ho, hu, et concusso pectore. Hebraeos et Arabicos eodem modo suas proferre adspirationes vides," (id. pp. 285, 286.)

[21] There was a ball-ground in every village. It was "tres veces mas luenga que ancha, cercada de unos lomillos de un palmo o dos de alto." The ball was "como las de viento nuestras mas no cuanto al salto, que era mayor que seis de las de viento." (Las Casas, _Historia Apologetica_, caps. 46, 204.) Perhaps the ball was of India rubber.

[22] "Gue ou Gui, signal de vocativo, mas so empregado pelos homems." Dias _Diccionario da Lingua Tupy chamada Lingua Geral dos Indigenas do Brazil_, p. 60 (Lipsia, 1858).

[23] _De Rebus Oceanicis_, p. 303.

[24] _Hist. de las Indias_, lib. xvii. cap. 4, Las Casas denies the story, and says Oviedo told it in order to prejudice people against the natives (_Hist. Gen. de las Indias_, lib. iii. cap. xxiv). It is, however, probably true.

[25] _Historia Apologetica_, cap. 198.

[26] He compares the signification of _ita_ in Haytian to _ita_ in Latin, and translates the former _ita_ by _no se_; this is plainly an error of the transcriber for _yo se_ (_Hist. Apologetica_, cap. 241).

[27] _Kuba_ in Arawack is the sign of past time and is used as a prefix to nouns, as well as a suffix to verbs. _Kubakanan_ ancestors, those passed away, those who lived in past times.

[28] "Toda la mas de la gente de que estaba poblaba aquella isla [Cuba] era passada y natural desta ysla Espanola, puesto que la mas antigua y natural de aquella ysla era como la de los Lucayos de quien ablamos en el primero y segundo libro ser como los seres que parecia no haber pecado nuestro padre Adan en ellos, gente simplicissima, bonissima, careciente de todos vicios, y beatissima. Esta era la natural y native de aquella ysla, y llamabanse en su lengua, Ciboneyes, la penultima silaba luenga; y los desta por grado o por fuerza se apodearon de aquella ysla y gente della, y los tenian como sirvientes suyos." (Las Casas _Hist. Gen. de las Indias_, MSS. lib. iii, cap. 21). Elsewhere (cap. 23) he says this occurred "mayormente" after the Spaniards had settled in Haiti.

[29] "Lucayos o por mejor decir Yucayos" says Las Casas, (_Hist. Gen._ lib. ii. cap. 44) and after him Herrera. But the correction which was based apparently on some supposed connection of the word with _yuca_, the Haitian name of an esculent plant, is superfluous, and Las Casas himself never employs it, nor a single other writer.

[30] Las Casas. _Hist. Gen. de las Indias_, lib. iv. cap. 48, MSS. Bees were native to Yucatan long before the discovery, but not to the north temperate zone.

[31] "Varia enim esse idiomata in varils Cubae provinelis perpenderunt." (Pet. Martyr, _De Rebus Oceanicis_, v. 42). Las Casas says that a sailor told Columbus that he saw one Indian cacique in a long white tunic who refused to speak, but stalked silently away. (_Hist. de las Indias_, lib. I. cap. 95). Martyr says there were several. Peschel suggests they were tall white flamingoes, that scared the adventurous tar out of his wits. (_Geschichte des Zeitalters der Entdeckungen_, p. 253). At any rate the story gives no foundation at all for Peter Martyr's philogical[TN-15] opinion.

[32] Pet. Martyr, _De Insulis Nuper Inventis_, p. 335. "Traia consigo Grisalva un Indio per lengua de los que de aquella tierra habian llevado consigo a la ysla de Cuba Francisco Hernandez.[TN-16] Las Casas _Hist. Gen. de las Indias_, lib. III, cap. 108, MSS. See also the chaplain's account in Terneaux Compans, _Recueil de Pieces rel. a la Conquête de Mexique_, p. 56.

[33] Bernal Dias says the vicinity of cape San Antonio was inhabited by the "Guanataneys que son unos Indias como salvages." He expressly adds that their clothing differed from that of the Mayas, and that the Cuban natives with him could not understand the Maya language. _Historia Verdadera_, cap. II.

[34] "Presso capite, fronte lata" (Nicolaus Syllacius, _De Insulis nuper Inventis_, p. 86. Reprint, New York, 1859. This is the extremely rare account of Columbus' second voyage). Six not very perfect skulls were obtained in 1860, by Col. F. S. Heneken, from a cavern 15 miles south-west from Porto Plata. They are all more or less distorted in a discoidal manner, one by pressure over the frontal sinus, reducing the calvaria to a disk. (J. Barnard Davis, _Thesaurus Craniorum_, p. 236, London, 1867. Mr. Davis erroneously calls them Carib skulls).

[35] The provinces of Cuba are laid down on the _Mapa de la Isla de Cuba segun la division de los Naturales_, por D. Jose Maria de la Torre y de la Torre, in the _Memorias de la Sociedad Patriotica de la Habana_, 1841. See also Felipe Poey, _Geografia de la Isla de Cuba_, Habana, 1853. _Apendice sobre la Geografia Antigua._ Las Casas gives the five provinces of Hayti by the names of their chiefs, Guarinox, Guacanagari, Behechio, Caonabo and Higuey. For their relative position see the map in Charlevoix's _Histoire de l'Isle San Domingue_, Paris, 1740, and in Baumgarten's _Geschichte von Amerika_, B. II.

[36] This was Caonabo. Oviedo, and following him Charlevoix, say he was a Carib, but Las Casas, who having lived twenty years in Haiti immediately after the discovery, is infinitely the best authority, says: "Era de nacion Lucayo, natural de las islas de los Lucayos, que se pasó de ellas aca." (_Historia Apologetica_, cap. 179, MSS[TN-17]).

[37] I put the figures very low. Peter Martyr, whose estimates are the lowest of any writer, says there were more than 200,000 natives on Haiti alone. (_De Rebus Oceanicis_, p. 295.)

[38] More than 40,000 were brought to Haiti to enjoy the benefits of Christian instruction, says Herrera, with what might pass as a ghastly sarcasm. (_Historia General de las Indias_, Dec. I, lib. VIII. cap. 3).

[39] _Brevissima Relacion de la Destruccion de las Indias Occidentales par los Castellanos_, Sevilla, 1552.

[40] Ramon de de[TN-18] la Sagra, _Historia de la Isla de Cuba_, Tom. II, p. 381.

[41] Ibid, p. 394.

[42] Ibid, p. 396.

[43] Ibid, p. 414.

[44] Ibid, p. 385. These references to De la Sagra's work are all to the original documents in his Appendix.

[45] Las Casas knew Pane personally, and gives his name correctly (not _Roman_, as all the printed authorities have it). He described him as "hombre simple y de buena intencion;" "fuese Catalan de nacion y no habla del todo bien nuestra lengua Castellana." Ramon came to Haiti four or five years before Las Casas, and the latter speaks of him in a disparaging tone. "Este Fray Ramon escudrino lo que pudó, segun lo que alcanzo de las lenguas que fueron tres, las que habia en esta ysia: pero no supo sino la una de una chica provincia, que arriba dejimos llamarse Macaria de abajo, y aquella no perfectamente.[TN-19] (_Historia Apologetica, MSS._[TN-20] cap. 120, see also cap. 162). This statement is not quite true, as according to Las Casas' own admission Pane dwelt two years in the province of Guarinoex, where the _lengua universal_ was spoken, and _there_ collected these traditions.

[46] Pane's account was first published in the _Historie del Frenando[TN-21] Colombo_, Venetia, 1571, from which it has recently been translated and published with notes by Brasseur de Bourbourg, Paris, 1864. The version of Zuane de Strozi is in the Appendix to Harrisse's _Bibliotheca Primordia Americana_, p. 474.

[47] _The myths of the New World_, (New York, 1868).

[48] See the work last quoted, p. 156, for a number of similar myths of the trinity of the storm.

[49] I take these as they are related in Bretts, _Indian Tribes of Guiana_, Part ii, chap. x.

[50] The most trustworthy author is Las Casas. As his works are still in manuscript, I give his words. "Tres lenguas habia en esta ysla distintas que la una a la otra no se entendia. La una era de la gente que llamabamos Macorix de abajo y la otra de los vecinos del Macorix de arriba. La otra lengua fue la universal de toda la tierra, y esta era mas elegante y mas copiosa de vocablos, y mas dulce al sonido. En esto la de Xaragua en todo llevaba ventaja, y era mui mas prima." (_Historia Apologetica_, cap. 197). "Es aqui de saber que un gran pedajo de esta costa (that of the northern part of Haiti), bien mas de veinte y cinco o treinta leguas y quince buenas y aun veinte de ancho hasta las sierras que haren desta parte del norte la gran Vega inclusive, era poblado de una gente que se llamaron Mazoriges, y otras Ciguayos, y tenian diversas lenguas de la universal de todas las islas." (_Historia General_, lib. I, cap. 77). "Llamaban Ciguayos porque trayan todos los cabellos mui luengos como en Nueva Castilla las mujeres," (id. cap. 77). The cacique of the Ciguayos was named Mayomanex or Mayobanex, (id. lib. I, cap. 120). They went almost naked, and had no arms, "eran Gallinas almenos para con los uños, como no tuviesen armas," (id. cap. 120.)

[51] Pigafetta, _Reise um die Welt_, so. 21, 26, 247, (Gotha, 1802; a translation of the Italian original in the library at Milan).

Transcriber's Note

The following misspellings and typographical errors were maintained.

Page Error
TN-1 2 Mr. Shultz should read Schultz
TN-2 2 dipthongs should read diphthongs
TN-3 7 Second preterite should read Second preterite:
TN-4 9 Lact's should read Laet's
TN-5 11 preceived should read perceived
TN-6 11 VI, c, 8 should read VI, c. 8
TN-7 12 lib. I, cap 96 should read lib. I, cap. 96
TN-8 12 S. V.) should read S. V.).
TN-9 13 Navarrete, Viages. should read Navarrete, Viages,
TN-10 13 Apol. cap, should read Apol. cap.
TN-11 14 chieftians should read chieftains
TN-12 fn. 3 quelquee should read quelques
TN-13 fn. 10 p 4 should read p. 4
TN-14 fn. 13 Indias Occid should read Indias Occid.
TN-15 fn. 31 philogical should read philological
TN-16 fn. 32 Hernandez. should read Hernandez."
TN-17 fn. 36 MSS should read MSS.
TN-18 fn. 40 Ramon de de should read Ramon de
TN-19 fn. 45 perfectamente. should read perfectamente."
TN-20 fn. 45 <i>MSS.</i> should read MSS.
TN-21 fn. 46 Frenando should read Fernando

Other inconsistencies:

The relative position of , and ) is not consistent.