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Article REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. ← Page 2 of 9 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of New Publications.
conversation concerning themselves , as well as the peculiar qualifications oi their husbands , and the situation of their female slaves , Avhom they propose the acceptance of to the gentlemen they converse with at so much per week , according to their own estimation . Sometimes placing half a dozen of them , in a row , the lady says , " Sir , this is a callebasee , that is a maid , and this is not "—thus are they not only unreserved in their conversation , but also profuse in their encomiums upon such gentlemen as have the honour of their
instructive company , ancl whose person or figure meets with their approbation . ' The aborigines , or Guiana Indians , are particularly . described in a distili £ t chapter , from which we shall copy two or three passages . ¦ ' All the Guiana Indians believe in God as the supreme author of every goodand never inclined to do them any injury ; but they Avorship the devil ,
, whom they cve \\ Yaiuaboo , to prevent his afflifting them with evil , and to whom they ascribe pain , disease , wounds , and death ; and where an Indian dies , in order to avert future fatality , the whole family , soon after , leave the spot as a place of residence . ' The Guiana Indians are a perfectly free people , that is , they have no division of land , and are without any government , excepting that in most
families the oldest acts as captain , priest , and physician , to whom they pay a reverential obedience : these men are called - pen or pagayers , and , as in some civilized nations , live better than ail others . ' Polygamy is admitted among them , ami every Indian is allowed to take as many wives as be can provide for , though be generally takes but one , of Avhom he is extremely jealous , and whom he knocks on the head the moment he receives a decided proof of her incontinency . These Indians never beat
their children on any account whatever , nor give them any education , except in hunting , fishing , running-, and swimming ; yet rbey never use abusive language to each other , nor steal ; and a lie is totally unknown amongthem . To which I may add , that no people can be more grateful when treated with civility , of which I shall in future relate a remarkable instance : but I must not forget that , on the other hand , they are extremely revenge , fulespecially when , as thej supposethey are injured without just provocation .
, , ' The only vices Avith which to my knowledge tliey are acquainted , if such amongst them they may be called , are excessive drinking , when opportunity offers , and an unaccountable indolence : an Indian ' s only occupation , Avhen he is not bunting or fishing , being to lounge in his hammock , picking his teeth , plucking the hairs from his beard , examining bis face in a bit of broken looking glass , & c .
Our traveller gives an amusing description of a Surinam planter . ' A p lanter in Surinam , when lie lives on his estate , ( which is but seldom , as they mostly prefer the society of Paramaribo ) gets out of liis hammock with the rising sun , t / c . about six o ' clock in the morning , when he makes his appearance under the p iav . za of his house ; where bis coffee is ready waiting-for him , which lie generally takes with his pipe , instead of toast and butter ; and there he is attended by half a dozen of the finest young slaves , both male and
female , of the plantation , to serve liim ; at tin ' s saiiSum-saitSorum lie is next accosted by his overseer , Avho regularly every morning attends at his levee , and having made his bow at several yards distance , with the most profound respect informs his greatness what work was done the day before ; what negroes deserted , died , fell sick , recovered , were bought or born ; and , above all things , which of them neglected their work , affected sickness , or bad been drunk or absent , & c . the prisoners are generally present , being secured
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Review Of New Publications.
conversation concerning themselves , as well as the peculiar qualifications oi their husbands , and the situation of their female slaves , Avhom they propose the acceptance of to the gentlemen they converse with at so much per week , according to their own estimation . Sometimes placing half a dozen of them , in a row , the lady says , " Sir , this is a callebasee , that is a maid , and this is not "—thus are they not only unreserved in their conversation , but also profuse in their encomiums upon such gentlemen as have the honour of their
instructive company , ancl whose person or figure meets with their approbation . ' The aborigines , or Guiana Indians , are particularly . described in a distili £ t chapter , from which we shall copy two or three passages . ¦ ' All the Guiana Indians believe in God as the supreme author of every goodand never inclined to do them any injury ; but they Avorship the devil ,
, whom they cve \\ Yaiuaboo , to prevent his afflifting them with evil , and to whom they ascribe pain , disease , wounds , and death ; and where an Indian dies , in order to avert future fatality , the whole family , soon after , leave the spot as a place of residence . ' The Guiana Indians are a perfectly free people , that is , they have no division of land , and are without any government , excepting that in most
families the oldest acts as captain , priest , and physician , to whom they pay a reverential obedience : these men are called - pen or pagayers , and , as in some civilized nations , live better than ail others . ' Polygamy is admitted among them , ami every Indian is allowed to take as many wives as be can provide for , though be generally takes but one , of Avhom he is extremely jealous , and whom he knocks on the head the moment he receives a decided proof of her incontinency . These Indians never beat
their children on any account whatever , nor give them any education , except in hunting , fishing , running-, and swimming ; yet rbey never use abusive language to each other , nor steal ; and a lie is totally unknown amongthem . To which I may add , that no people can be more grateful when treated with civility , of which I shall in future relate a remarkable instance : but I must not forget that , on the other hand , they are extremely revenge , fulespecially when , as thej supposethey are injured without just provocation .
, , ' The only vices Avith which to my knowledge tliey are acquainted , if such amongst them they may be called , are excessive drinking , when opportunity offers , and an unaccountable indolence : an Indian ' s only occupation , Avhen he is not bunting or fishing , being to lounge in his hammock , picking his teeth , plucking the hairs from his beard , examining bis face in a bit of broken looking glass , & c .
Our traveller gives an amusing description of a Surinam planter . ' A p lanter in Surinam , when lie lives on his estate , ( which is but seldom , as they mostly prefer the society of Paramaribo ) gets out of liis hammock with the rising sun , t / c . about six o ' clock in the morning , when he makes his appearance under the p iav . za of his house ; where bis coffee is ready waiting-for him , which lie generally takes with his pipe , instead of toast and butter ; and there he is attended by half a dozen of the finest young slaves , both male and
female , of the plantation , to serve liim ; at tin ' s saiiSum-saitSorum lie is next accosted by his overseer , Avho regularly every morning attends at his levee , and having made his bow at several yards distance , with the most profound respect informs his greatness what work was done the day before ; what negroes deserted , died , fell sick , recovered , were bought or born ; and , above all things , which of them neglected their work , affected sickness , or bad been drunk or absent , & c . the prisoners are generally present , being secured