Kalinago (Caribs)

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.

La costumbre desta gente de Caribes es bestial: son tres islas, esta se llama Turuqueira, la otra que primero vimos se llama Ceyre, la tercera se llama Ayay; estos todos son conformidad como si fuesen de un linage, los cuales no se hacen mal: unos é otros hacen guerra á todas las otras islas comarcanas, los cuales van por mar 150 leguas á saltear con muchas canoas que tienen, que son unas fustas pequeñas de un solo madero. Sus armas son frechas en lugar de hierros: porque no poseen ningún hierro, ponen unas puntas fechas de huesos de tortugas los unos, otros de otra isla ponen unas espinas de un pez fechas dentadas, que ansí lo son naturalmente, á manera de sierras bien recias, que para gente desarmada, como son todos, es cosa que les puede matar é hacer harto daño; pero para gente de nuestra nación no son armas para mucho temer.

The way of life of these Carib people is bestial. They live on three islands. This one is called Turuqueira, the one we saw first is called Ceyre, and the third is called Ayay. They are all of one mind, as if they were one family, and they do no harm to each other. Together they make war on all the other islands around them. They travel 150 leagues by sea to raid, in the many canoes they have, which are small boats made from a single tree trunk. Their weapons are arrows. Since they have no iron, some of them tip their arrows with points made of turtle bone. People from another island use the spines of a fish, which are naturally toothed like very strong saws. To unarmed people, as all of these are, such arrows can kill and do great harm. But for people of our nation they are not weapons to fear much.

Et dicono, questo Cacique hauere affermato di hauer parlato con Giocauuaghama, il qual gli haueua detto, che qualunque dopò la sua morte fosse restato viuo haurebbe goduto poco tempo il loro Dominio; percioche nel lor paese verrebbe vna gente vestita, la quale hauea a dominarli, & vcciderli, & che si morrebbono della fame. Ma eglino pensarono prima, che questi douessero essere i Canibali: i quali considerando poi che non faceuano altro che pigliare, & fuggire, credettero, che altra gente hauesse ad esser quella, che il Cimi diceua. La onde hora credono, questi esser l'Ammiraglio, & la gente, che mena seco.

They say that this cacique claimed he had spoken with Giocauuaghama. Giocauuaghama told him that whoever was still alive after his death would not enjoy their rule for long. A clothed people would come to their land who would rule them and kill them, and they would die of hunger. At first they thought these must be the Cannibals. But then they considered that the Cannibals only seized people and ran away. So they decided that the cemí must have meant some other people. And so now they believe these are the Admiral [Columbus] and the people he brings with him.

They were woont to make warre vpon all nations, and especiallie on the Canibals, so as none durst without a good strength trade by those riuers, but of late they are at peace with their neighbors, all holding the Spaniards for a common enimie. When their commanders die, they vse great lamentation, and when they thinke the flesh of their bodies is putrified, and fallen from the bones, then they take vp the carcase againe, and hang it in the Casiquies house that died, and decke his skull with feathers of all colours, and hang all his gold plates about the bones of his armes, thighes, and legges.

They used to make war on all nations, and especially on the Canibals, so that no one dared to trade along those rivers without a strong force. But lately they have been at peace with their neighbors, all of them holding the Spaniards as a common enemy. When their leaders die, they mourn them greatly. When they think the flesh of the body has rotted and fallen from the bones, they take up the remains again and hang them in the house of the dead cacique. They deck his skull with feathers of all colors, and hang all his gold plates about the bones of his arms, thighs, and legs.