si (_Carabeese_,
_Carabisce_) mustered one thousand fighting men. It would now be
difficult to raise one hundred. But the diminution of their numbers and
importance began earlier still. Beyond the proper Carabisi area, there
are numerous Carabisi names of rivers, islands, and other geographical
objects. Hence, their area has decreased.

Omnivorous enough to devour greedily tigers, dogs, rats, frogs, insects,
and other sorts of food, unpopular elsewhere, they are distinguished by
their ornaments as well. The under-lip is the part which they perforate,
and wherein they wear their usual pins; besides which they fasten a
large lump of arnotto to the hair of the front of the head.

In ordinary cases the hammock in which the death took place, serves as a
coffin, the body is buried, and a funeral procession made once or twice
round the grave; but the bodies of persons of importance are watched and
washed by the nearest female relations, and when nothing but the
skeleton remains, the bones are cleaned, painted, packed in a basket and
preserved. When, however, there is a change of habitation they are
_burned_; after which the ashes are collected, and kept.

Here we have interment and cremation in one and the same tribe; a
circumstance which should guard us against exaggerating their value as
characteristic and distinguishing customs.

Again. The _Macusi_ is closely akin to the Carabisi; yet the Macusi
buries his dead in a sitting posture without coffins, and with but few
ceremonies. Now the sitting posture is common to the Peruvians, the
Oregon Indians, and numerous tribes of Brazil; indeed, Morton considers
it to be one of the most remarkable characteristics of the Red Man of
America in general.

The Arawak custom is peculiar. When a man of note dies his relations
plant a field of cassava; just as the Nicobar Islanders plant a
cocoa-nut tree. Then they lament loudly. But when twelve moons are over,
and the cassava is ripe, they re-assemble, feast, dance, and lash each
other cruelly, and severely with whips. The whips are then _hung up_ on
the spot where the person died. Six moons later a second meeting takes
place--and, this time, the whips are _buried_.

The _Waika_ are a small tribe of the _Accaways_; the _Zapara_ of the
_Macusis_. Besides these, the following Guiana Indians are Carib.

The _Arecuna_; of which the _Soerikong_ are a section.

The _Waiyamara_.

The _Guinau_.

The _Maiongkong_.

The _Woyawai_.

T