Cannibalism

Preguntamos á las mugeres, que eran cativas en esta isla, que qué gente era esta: respondieron que eran Caribes. Después que entendieron que nosotros aborrecíamos tal gente por su mal uso de comer carne de hombres, holgaban mucho, y si de nuevo traían alguna muger ó hombre de los Caribes, secretamente decían que eran Caribes, que allí donde estaban todos en nuestro poder mostraban temor dellos como gente sojuzgada, y de allí conocimos cuáles eran Caribes de las mugeres é cuáles no, porque las Caribes traían en las piernas en cada una dos argollas tejidas de algodón, la una junto con la rodilla, la otra junto con los tobillos; de manera que les hacen las pantorrillas grandes, é de los sobredichos logares muy ceñidas, que esto me parece que tienen ellos por cosa gentil, ansí que por esta diferencia conocemos los unos de los otros.

We asked the women who were captives on this island what people these were. They answered that they were Caribs. Once they understood that we hated such people for their evil custom of eating human flesh, they were very glad. If our men brought in a new woman or man of the Caribs, they would secretly tell us that these were Caribs. Even there, where everyone was in our power, they showed fear of them, like a conquered people. That was how we learned which of the women were Caribs and which were not. The Carib women wore two woven cotton bands on each leg, one just below the knee and the other just above the ankle. This makes their calves bulge, and the legs are pinched tight at those places. It seems to me they think this is beautiful. So by this difference we tell the one from the other.

Dicen también estas mugeres que estos usan de una crueldad que parece cosa increíble; que los hijos que en ellas han se los comen, que solamente crian los que han en sus mugeres naturales. Los hombres que pueden haber, los que son vivos llévanselos á sus casas para hacer carnicería dellos, y los que han muertos luego se los comen. Dicen que la carne del hombre es tan buena que no hay tal cosa en el mundo; y bien parece porque los huesos que en estas casas hallamos todo lo que se puede roer todo lo tenían roido, que no había en ellos sino lo que por su mucha dureza no se podia comer. Allí se halló en una casa cociendo en una olla un pescuezo de un hombre.

These women also say that the Caribs practice a cruelty that seems beyond belief. They eat the children they have by the captive women, and raise only the children they have by the women of their own people. The men they can capture they take home alive to butcher, and those who are dead they eat at once. They say that there is nothing in the world as good as human flesh. It certainly looks that way, because on the bones we found in these houses, everything that could be gnawed had been gnawed away. Nothing was left on them but what was too hard to eat. In one house a man’s neck was found cooking in a pot.

Wie wir nun hart bey ihre wonung kamen, war es ein dörfflin, das hatte sieben hütten, und nanten es Uwattibi. Wir fuhren auff ein ufer landes, welchs auff dem Meer ligt, da harte bey waren ihre weiber in iren wurtzel gewechs, welches sie Mandioka heyssen. In demselbigen wurtzel gewechs giengen viel irer weiber und rissen wurtzeln auß, den muste ich zu ruffen in irer spraach: A Junesche been ermi vramme. Das ist: Ich ewer essenspeise komme.

When we came close to their dwellings, I saw it was a small village of seven huts. They called it Uwattibi. We landed on a stretch of shore by the sea. Close by, their women were in their fields of the root they call mandioka. Many of the women were walking among the plants, pulling up roots. I had to call out to them in their language, A junesche been ermi vramme. That means, "I, your food, am coming."

Wie wir nun an landt kamen, lieffen sie alle auß den hütten (welchs auff einem berge lag) jung und alt, mich zubesehen. Und die männer giengen mit iren bogen und pfeilen nach iren hütten, und befülhen mich iren weibern, dieselbigen namen mich zwischen sich, und giengen etliche vor mir, und etliche hinter mir her, Sungen und tantzten an einem singen, die gesenge so sie den eigenen leuten pflegen zu singen, wann sie die wollen essen.

When we came ashore, they all ran out of the huts, which stood on a hill, young and old, to look at me. The men went off to their huts with their bows and arrows and left me to their women. The women took me between them, some walking in front of me and some behind. They sang and danced all together, singing the songs they sing to their own captives when they mean to eat them.

andan como alarabes con sus tiendas y harrias de perros aparejados con lomillos y en xalmas y sincha quando se les tuerçe la carga aullan llamando quien los aderese comen esta gente la carne cruda y beben la sagre no comen carne humana es gente amoroso y no cruel tienen fiel amistad son muy entendidos por señas

They travel like Arabs, with their tents and their trains of dogs, which are fitted with pads, packsaddles, and girths. When a dog's load slips to one side, it howls, calling for someone to set it straight. These people eat their meat raw and drink the blood. They do not eat human flesh. They are a friendly people, not cruel, and loyal in friendship. They are very good at making themselves understood by signs.

But so soone as they landed, eche of them brake his oare, thinking by that meanes to prevent us in carying awaye their boates for want of oares. And desperately retorning upon our men, resisted them manfullye in their landing, so long as theyr arrows and dartes lasted; and, after gathering up those arrows which our men shot at them, yea, and plucking our arrowes out of their bodies, encountred afresh againe, and maintained their cause, until both weapons and life utterly failed them. And when they founde they were mortally wounded, being ignorant what mercy meaneth, with deadly furie they cast themselves headlong from off the rocks into the sea, least perhaps their enemies shoulde receive glory or praye of their dead carcasses; for they supposed us be like to be canibales, or eaters of mans flesh. In this conflict one of our men was dangerouslie hurt in the bellie with one of their arrowes, and of them were slayne five or sixe.

But as soon as they landed, each of them broke his oar, thinking by that means to prevent us from carrying away their boats for want of oars. And, desperately turning back upon our men, they resisted them manfully in their landing, as long as their arrows and darts lasted. After gathering up the arrows which our men shot at them, yes, and plucking our arrows out of their bodies, they fought afresh, and maintained their cause until both weapons and life utterly failed them. And when they found they were mortally wounded, being ignorant of what mercy means, with deadly fury they threw themselves headlong off the rocks into the sea, lest perhaps their enemies should receive glory or prey from their dead bodies. For they supposed us likely to be cannibals, or eaters of man's flesh. In this fight one of our men was dangerously hurt in the belly with one of their arrows, and of them five or six were slain.