Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	part_n	soul_n	20,019	5	5.7069	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57484	The history of the Caribby-islands, viz, Barbados, St Christophers, St Vincents, Martinico, Dominico, Barbouthos, Monserrat, Mevis, Antego, &c in all XXVIII in two books : the first containing the natural, the second, the moral history of those islands : illustrated with several pieces of sculpture representing the most considerable rarities therein described : with a Caribbian vocabulary / rendred into English by John Davies ...; Histoire naturelle et morale des iles Antilles de l'Amerique. English	Rochefort, César de, b. 1605.; Davies, John, 1625-1693.; Breton, Raymond, 1609-1679.	1666 (1666)	Wing R1740; ESTC R16877	340,702	386

the Manioc and to strain the Ouïcou Mouchache Flesh that may be eaten Tekeric Roast-meat Aribelet Acherouti Sauce Taomali or Taumali A dish of hash'd meat Natara A Feast Natoni Laupali Eletoak Poison Tiboukoulou M. Tibaukoura W. Merchandise Eberitina A Merchant Baouanemoukou A Piraga or great vessel of the Savages Canaoüa A little vessel of the Savages which we call Canow Couliala A Ship Kanabire this probably is derived from the French word Navire A Cord Ibitarrou A Cable Kaboya 't is a word no doubt fram'd by them since their acquaintance with strangers as are also some of the ensuing An Anchor Tichibani and Ankouroute A Knife Couchique Scissers Chirachi Much Mouche a word of the corrupt Language Ten Chonnoucabo raim that is all the fingers of both hands Twenty Chonnougouci raim that is all the fingers of both hands and all the toes of both feet they cannot number any farther Behold thy bed Bouekra Behold thy meat En yerebaili Behold thy drink En batoni Gramercy or well Tao Yes Anhan Nay Ouä To morrow Alouka Good morrow Mabouë Farewel Huican VI. ORNAMENTS and ARMES TOyes and trifles in generall Cacones A Crown Tiamataboni A Ring Toukabouri A Chain or Necklace Eneka My Chain Yenekali A Bracelet Nournari Pendants for the ears Narikaela A Girdle Jeconti Niranvary Spanish Leather Tichepoulou A Comb brought out of Europe Baïna A Comb of Reeds Boulera A Handkercher Naïnraglé A Looking-glass Chibouchi A Sword Echoubara An Arquebuss or Musket Rakabouchou A Pistol Rakabouchou raeu properly a little Musket Great Guns Kaloon A Pike Halberd Ranicha The point of it Lichibau M. Laboulougou W. The middle Lirana The end Tiona A bow Oullaba M. Chimala W. these two words signifie also a tree The string of the bow Ibitarrou Arrows Alouani Bouleouä Hippé The Club which the Savages use instead of a sword Bouttou VII LIVING CREATURES A Dog Anly A Bitch Ouelle anly properly the female of the dog A swine Bouirokou sometimes they also call that creature Concoin An Ape or Monkey Alouata A Tortoise or Turtle Catallou and in the corrupt Language Tortillé The great Lizard Ouayamaka the same which other Indians call Iganas The little Lizard or Catch-flye Oulleouma A mouse Karattoni A Cat Mechou The Soldier a kind of Snail so called Makeré A Pismire Hagué A Spider Koulaëlé A Serpent Héhué A Snake Couloubera from the Spanish A Scorpion Akourou A Fish Authe and in the corrupt Language Pisket The shell of a Fish they name the fish and then add ora as much as to say the shell or covering of the fish Thus Ouataboui-ora is that which we have elsewhere called a Lambis A Mesquito a kind of flye Aëtera Another kind of small flyes commonly called Maringoins and known under that name Malu Kalabala It seems their feet are white A Flye Hueré-hueré The glittering flye Cogouyou not differing much from the Cocuyos of the other Indians A bird Tonoulou A Turkey-cock Ouekelli-pikaka A Turkey-hen Ouelle-pikaka An ordinary hen Kayou A Duck Kanarou A Goose Iriria A Parrat Koulehuec A Pigeon Ouakoukoua A Turtle Oulleou A Partridge Ouallami A Feather Toubanna this signifies also a leaf A wing or arm Tarreuna A beak or mouth Tiouma A foot or claw Tougouti VIII TREES and PLANTS A Tree Huëhuë A Plant Ninanteli A Flower Illehué Fruit or seed Tun. A leaf Toubanna this signifies also a feather A Branch Touribouri A Thorn a Cyon Huëhuëyou properly the hair of the tree or Huëhuëakou as if one would say the eies of the tree A Forrest Arabou Figs Bakoukou Orenges and Lemons or Citrons they call as we do because these fruits were brought thither out of Europe The Cassia-tree Malimali Cotton Manoulou The Cotton-tree Manoulouakecha The wild-Vine Ouliem Raquette a fruit so named by the French Batta A great kind of Thistle Akoulerou Tobacco Youli A Melon Battia Pease or Beans Manconti A Cane or Reed in general Maboulou Tikasket The Sugar-cane Kaniche The juice of the Canes or the wine thereof Kanichira Sugar Choucre a corrupt word An herb Kalao A root that may be eaten Torolé IX THINGS ELEMENTARY and IN ANIMATE THe Heavens Oubekou A white cloud Allirou A black cloud Ouällion Misty weather Kemerei A Star Ouäloukouma The Sun Huyeyou M. Kachi W. The Moon Nonum M. which word signifies also the earth Kati W. A day Lihuycouli Light Lalloukoné Lightsome Laguenani Night Ariabou Darkness Bourreli It is day Haloukaali It is night Boureokaali The air Naouaraglé The wind Bebeité it sometimes also signifies the air Fire Ouattou Ashes Ballissi Rain Konoboui Hail Ice Snow are things they are not acquainted withall Winter is also unknown to them Summer Liromouli Cold Lamoyenli Heat Loubacha Fair weather Ieromonmééli They call it also by the name of Summer It is fair weather Hueoumeti It is foul weather Yehumeti Thunder Oualou ouyoulou The noise of Thunder Trtrguetenni A tempest Youallou Bointara Ourogan which is the most common name The Rain-bow Alamoulou or Youlouca as if they would say God's plume of feathers A Mountain Ouëbo A Valley Taralironne An ascent Tagreguin A plain Liromonobou Water a River Tona A Pond Taonaba A Spring or Fountain Taboulikani A Well Chiekati A Brook Tipouliri The Sea Balanna M. Balaoua W. The earth Nonum M. that signifies also the Moon Mona W. Excrement Itika Sand Saccao A way Ema A Stone Tebou A Rock Emerali A Island Oubao The Continent Balouë Wood Huëhuë it signifies also a tree Iron Crabou Gold and silver Boulâta Brass Tialapirou Latten Kaouanam A hole Toullepen it signifies also a window A Haven Beya not much differing from the word Bay X. Things relating to RELIGION THe Soul is expressed by the same word which signifies the heart See before in the Section of the Parts of Man's Body A Spirit Akambouë M. Opoyem W. These names are general thence it comes that they are sometimes applyed to the Spirit of Man But they are particularly attributed to good Spirits at least those whom the Caribbians account such and allow the place of Gods A Good Spirit which they hold to be a Divinity and whereof every one of them hath one peculiar to himself for his God is also called Icheiri which is the term of the men and Chemun which is that of the women and whereof the plural is Chemignum So that those words are answerable to God and Gods My good Spirit or my God Icheirikou M. Nechemerakou W. The evil Spirit or Devil both men and women call him Maboya as all the French pronounce the word but the Caribbians pronounce it as if it were written with a p Mapoya They also attribute the name of Maboya to certain Mushrooms and some other Plants of ill scent The Devil or evil Spirit is here let us get away from him Maboya kayeu eu kaima Loari They are wont to say so when they smell any ill scent The Offerings they make to the false Gods or Devils Anakri Invocations Prayers Ceremonies Adorations are

multiply'd so exceedingly that now they are more common there then in any part of Europe Besides these Foreign kinds of Cattle there were before in these Islands certain sorts of four-footed beasts such as are the Opassum the Javaris the Tatau the Agouty and the Musk-Rat whereof we shall here give the several descriptions OPASSUM THe Opassum is the same creature which the Brasilians call Carigueya about the bigness of a Cat it hath a sharp Snout the neather Jaw being shorter then the upper as a Pigs the Ears long broad and strait and the Tail long Hairless towards the extremity and turning downwards the Hair on the Back is black intermix'd with grey and under the Belly and about the Throat it is yellowish it hath very sharp Claws and thence doth easily climb up Trees he feeds on Birds and loves a Hen as well as the Fox does but for want of prey he can make a shift to live on fruits What is particular in this Creature is that by a remarkable difference it hath a purse or bag of its own skin folded together under its Belly in which it carries its young ones which it leaves upon the ground when it pleases by opening that natural purse when he would leave that place he opens it again and the young ones get in and so he carries them with him where-ever he goes The Female su●kles them without setting them on the ground for her Teats lye within that purse which on the inside hath a much softer skin then that which appears without The Female commonly brings six young ones but the Male who hath such another natural purse under his Belly carries them in his turn to ease the Female but cannot suckle them These creatures are common in Virginia and New-Spain Nature having not thought fit to bestow on the Whale the convenience of such a bag gave her the invention of hiding her young ones in her Throat as Philostratus affirms And the Weasil is so fond of her young ones that out of a fear they might be taken from her she also takes them into her mouth and removes them from one place to another JAVARIS THere is also in some of these Islands as at Tabago a kind of wild Swine which are to be seen in like manner in Brasil and Nicaragua they are in most things like the wild Boars in our Forests but have very little fat they have short Ears almost no Tail and their Navels are on their Backs some of them are all black others have certain white spots their grunting is also more hideous then that of tame Swine they are called Javaris This Venison is of a taste good enough but very hardly taken in regard the Boar having a kind of vent or hole on the Back by which he refreshes his Lungs is in a manner indefatigable and if he beforc'd to stop and be pursued by the Dogs he is arm'd with such sharp and cutting defensives that he tears to pieces all those that shall set upon him TATOUS THe Tatous or Hedge-Hogs which also are to be seen in Tabago are arm'd with a hard skaly coat wherewith they cover and secure themselves as with armour They have a Head and Snout like a Pig and with the latter they turn up the ground they have also in every Paw five very sharp Claws which they use the more readily to thrust away the earth and discover the roots wherewith they are fatten'd in the night time Some affirm that their flesh is a very delicate meat and that there is a small bone in their Tails which helps Deafness It hath been confirm'd by experience that it helps the Noise or Humming and cures the pain of the Ear being thrust into it in a little Cotton some of these are as big as Foxes but those which are in Tabago are much less When these creatures are pursu'd and when they take their rest which they commonly do in the day time they close together like a bowl and so dextrously get in their feet head and ears under their hard scales that all parts of their body are by that natural armour secur'd against all the attempts of both Hunts-men and Dogs and if they are neer some precipice they roll themselves down without fear of receiving any hurt thereby Linscot relates that in the East-Indies in the river of Goa there was a Sea-monster taken which was cover'd all over with scales as hard as any Iron and when it was touch'd it clos'd together as it were into a ball AGOUTY THe Agouty is of a dark colour inclining to black having a rough light hair and a little tail without any hair it hath two teeth in the upper jaw and as many in the neather It holds its meat in the two fore-pawes like a Squirrel the cry of it is as if it distinctly pronounc'd the word Coüye 'T is hunted with Dogs and its flesh though tasting somewhat rank is by many preferr'd before that of Conies When it is hunted it gets into hollow Trees out of which it is forc'd by smoak made after it hath cry'd strangely if it be taken young it is easily tamed and when he is angred the hair on his back stands up and he strikes the ground with his hind-feet as Conies do He is much about the same bigness but his ears are short and round and his teeth as sharp as a Rasour MUSK-RAT THe Musk-Rats have commonly their abode in Holes or Berries in the ground like Conies and they are much about their bigness but as to their figure it differs not from that of the great Rats which are to be seen elsewhere save that most of them have the hair of their belly white like Dormice and that of the rest of their bodies black or tawny there comes from them a scent sweet as Musk which causes a certain dejection of spirit and makes such a strong perfume about their holes that it is very easie to find them out The Continent of America hath many kinds of four-footed Beasts which are not to be found in any of the Islands CHAP. XIII Of the Reptiles found in these Islands WE come now to treat of the Reptiles which being naturally enemies to cold must needs exceedingly multiply in these hot Countries Besides the vast Woods and the Rocks of these Islands very much advance their production in regard they afford them secure retreats Several kinds of Serpents and Snakes THere are indeed very few venemous Beasts in the Caribbies though there be many Serpents and Snakes of several colours and figures There are some nine or ten foot long and as big as a mans arm or thigh Nay there hath been heretofore kill'd one of these Snakes which had in her belly a whole Hen feathers and all and above a dozen egges the Hen having been surpriz'd as she was sitting Another was found that had devour'd a Cat whence a guess may be made at their bigness But how prodigious soever they are as to their bulk yet

the Caribbians who mutually destroy'd one the other till at last after many fights the Apalachites joyning with that party which carried on their Interest the other was forced to quit the Provinces of Amana and Matica and to find out a more setled habitation elsewhere The victorious Caribbians having by the assistance of the Apalachites rid themselves of those who were the disturbers of their Peace fortified their Frontiers and placed up and down on the avenues the most valiant and most generous of their Forces to deprive the Banish'd of all hope of ever returning That done they contracted a most strict Alliance with the Apalachites submitting themselves to their Laws embracing their Religion and so making themselves one people with them and that incorporation continues to this day yet not so but that those Caribbians do still retain their ancient name as we have already observ'd in the beginning of this Chapter as also many words which are common between them and the Inhabitants of the Caribbies Of this kind are among an infinite number of others the terms of Cakonnes to express the little curiosities which are preserv'd for their rarity that of Bouttou to signifie a Club of a weighty kind of wood that of Taumali to express a certain picquancy or delightfulness of taste that of Banaré to signifie a familiar Friend that of Etoutou to denote an Enemy They also call a Bow Allouba Arrows Allouani a great Pond Taonaba the evil Spirit Mabouya and the Soul of a Man Akamboué which are the proper terms which the Caribbian Inhabitants of the Islands make use of at the present to signifie the same things As concerning the Caribbians forc'd out of their Country by those of their own Nation and driven out of the limits of their ancient Habitation and all the places they had Conquer'd having straggled up and down a while neer the River which derives its source from the great Lake and endeavour'd to no purpose to enter into some Accommodation with the Inhabitants of either side of it they at last resolv'd to make their way through their Country either by fair means or foul and so to get into some place where they might perpetuate themselves and make a secure establishment of what was left of them With this resolution they made a shift to get to the Sea-side where having met with a people which took compassion on their misery they winter'd among them and pass'd over that disconsolate Season in much want And while they spent their time in continual regrets for their loss of a Country so pleasant and fertile as that which they had liv'd in and considered that they should never enjoy themselves in that whereto their misfortune had cast them as Exiles there arrived where they were at the beginning of the Spring two little Vessels which came from the Islands called the Lucayos and had been driven by the Winds into the Road neer which our Caribbians had pass'd over the Winter There were in those two Vessels which they call Canows or Piragos about thirteen or fourteen persons Inhabitants of Cigateo one of the Lucayan Islands who being got ashore related to the natural Inhabitants of the Country how they had been forc'd thither by a Tempest and among other things they told wonders of the Islands where they liv'd adding that there were yet divers others beyond them towards the Aequator which lay desart and were not inhabited and those such as were accounted better then the others whereof they had given them an account That for their parts all they desired of the Inhabitants of the Country was only some Provisions and a little fresh Water to enable them to get home to their own Country from which they conceiv'd themselves to be distant not above four or five days Sailing The Caribbians who were studying where to find out some new habitation and extreamly troubled that they had no setled place where they might no longer be expos'd to the inconveniences of a wandring kind of life having heard so much of these Islands and that they were not far from the Lucayas resolv'd to make their advantage of the opportunity of those Guides whom they had met with by so extraordinary a good fortune to follow them when they should depart thence and after their arrival at home to plant themselves in some of those desart Islands whereof they had given so advantagious an account They doubted not but that the execution of this enterprize would put a period to all their miseries But there was yet a great obstacle lay in their way which at firsst they knew not how to overcome to wit the want of Vessels to cross the Sea and bring them to the places whereof they desir'd to possess themselves The first Proposals were to fell down Trees and to make them hollow with fire as other Nations did nay that among whom they then were But that expedient requir'd a long time to compass it while in the interim those whom they hoped to have for their Conductors would be gone Whereupon they thought it the surest way to find out Vessels ready made To that end they resolv'd in the night time to seize on all those which the Nations of the neighbouring Creeks and and such as liv'd neer the Rivers which fall thereabouts into the Sea had ready in their Ports and in condition fit for the Sea The day being come for the departure of the Lucayans who were to be their Guides our Caribbians who had furnish'd themselves before-hand with all necessary provisions met together the most secretly they could along the River-sides and neer the Ports and having possess'd themselves of all the Canows or Vessels they met with joyn'd with the Lucayans with whom without taking any leave of their Hosts they set Sail for the Lucayas The Wind having prov'd favourable to these Fugitives they got in a few days to Cigateo where they were very civilly entertain'd by the Inhabitants who having supply'd them with all necessary refreshments conducted them to the most remote of their Islands and thence gave them a Convoy to bring them to the next of the desart Islands whereof they had given them a relation which they call'd Ayay but it is now call'd Santa Cruz In their passage they sail'd by the Island of Boriquen now call'd Porto-Rico which was inhabited by a very powerful Nation It was then in the said Island of Ayay that our Caribbians laid the first foundations of their Colony and where enjoying an undisturbed Peace which made them forget all precedent misfortunes they multipli'd so that within a few years they were forc'd to spread themselves into all the other Islands now known by the name of the Caribbbies And some Ages after having possess'd themselves of all the inhabitable Islands they transported themselves into the Continent of the Meridional part of America where they have at this day many great and numerous Colonies wherein they are so well setled that though the Yaos the

precedent appellation all the He-Cousins are also called Brothers and all the She-Cousins Sisters 29. But between He-Cousin and She-Cousin the former calls the latter Youëilleri that is to say properly My Female or my betrothed for naturally among them the She-Cousins become Wiyes to the He-Cousins 30. The Months they call Lunes that is Moons and the Years ●oussinieres that is the Seven Stars 31. We shall now give a taste of the naturalness and elegance of their Language setting down the signification of their words without expressing the words themselves so to avoid the setting of them down twice as reserving that for our Vocabulary 32. To signifie that a thing is lost or broken they commonly say it is dead 33. They call a Capuchin Friar Father Aïoupa and the word Aïoupa signifies in their Language a Covering or a Penthouse as if they said It is a man by whom one may be cover'd by reason of his great Capouche By the same name they also ironically call an Ape or Monkey by reason of his long Beard 34. A Christian a Man of the Sea because the Christians came to them in Ships 35. A Lieutenant the track of a Captain or that which appears after him 36. My Son in Law he who makes me little Children 37. My younger Brother my half 38. My Wife my heart 39. A Boy A little Male 40. A Girl A little Female 41. The Spaniards and English Deformed Enemies Etoutou noubi because they are cloath'd in opposition to their Enemies who are naked whom they call simply Etoutou that is to say Enemies 42. A Fool Him who sees nothing or who hath no light 43. The Eye-lid The Covering of the Eye 44. The Eye-brows The Hair of the Eye 45. The Ball of the Eye The Kernel of the Eye 46. The Lips The Borders of the Mouth 47. The Chin The prop of the Teeth 48. The Neck The prop of the Head 49. The Arm and a Wing are express'd by the same word 50. The Pulse The Soul of the Hand The Germans make such another composition when they call the Glove the Shooe of the Hand 51. The Fingers The little ones or Children of the Hand 52. The Thumb The Father of the Fingers or that which is opposite to them Of that kind is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Greeks 53. A Joint A thing added they call also by that name a piece set on a Garment 54. The Bladder The Urine Vessel 55. The Ham That which draws the Leg. 56. The Sole of the Foot The inside of the Foot 57. The Toes The little ones or children of the Foot 58. The number Ten All the Fingers of both hands 59. Twenty The Fingers of the Hands and Toes of the Feet 60. A Pocket-pistol A little Arquebusse 61. A Candlestick That which holds somthing 62. Thorns The hair of the Tree or the eyes of the Tree 63. The Rainbow Gods Plume of Feathers 64. The noise of Thunder Trerguetenni 65. This Language hath also in its abundance and its naturalness some imperfections which are particular thereto yet are they such as that some of them do not so much deserve blame as commendation 66. The Caribbians in their natural Language have very few words of injury or abuse and what they say that is most offensive in their Railleries is Thou art not good or thou hast as much wit as a Tortoise 67. They have not so much as the names of several Vices but the Christians have sufficiently supplied them therewith Some have admir'd that in the Language of Canada there is no word answerable to Sin but they might have observ'd withal that there is not any whereby to express Virtue 68. They have no words to express Winter Ice Hail Snow for they know not what they are 69. They are not able to express what does not fall under the Senses save that they have certain names for some both good and evil Spirits but that excepted they have no word to signifie Spiritual things as Understanding Memory Will as for the Soul they express it by the word Heart 70. Nor have they the names of Virtues Sciences Arts Trades nor those of most of our Arms and Tools save only what they have learn'd since their Commerce with the Christians 71. They can name but four Colours whereto they make all the rest to relate to wit White Black Yellow and Red. 72. They cannot express any number above Twenty their expression of that is pleasant being oblig'd as we said elswhere to shew all the Fingers of their Hands and Toes of their Feet 73. When they would signifie a great Number which goes beyond their Arithmetick they have no other way then to shew the hair of their Heads or the sand of the Sea or they repeat several times the word Mouche which signifies Much as when they say in their Gibberish Moy mouche mouche Lunes to shew that they are very ancient 74. In fine They have neither Comparatives nor Superlatives but for want thereof when they would compare things together and prefer one before all the rest they express their sentiment by a demonstration which is natural and pleasant enough Thus when they would represent what they think of the Europaean Nations which they are acquainted withall they say of the Spaniards and the English that they are not good at all of the Dutch that they have as much goodness as a mans hand or as far as the elbow and of the French that they are as both the arms which they stretch out to shew the greatness thereof This last Nation they have a greater affection for than for any other especially those of it who have gone along with them to their wars for they give those part of their booty And as often as they return from their wars though the French had not gone along with them yet do they send them part of the spoil CHAP. XI Of the Dispositions of the Caribbians and their Manners THE Caribbians are naturally of a pensive and melancholy temperament fishing sloth and the temperature of the air contributing much to the continuance of that humour but having found by experience that that uncomfortable constitution was prejudicial to their health and that the mind ore-press'd dries up the bones they for the most part do so great violence to their natural inclination that they appear chearful pleasant and divertive in their conversation especially when they have got a little wine in their heads Nay they have brought themselves to such a pass that as the Brasilians they can hardly endure the company of such as are melancholy and those who have conversed much with them have alwaies found them very facetious and loth to let slip any occasion of laughing without making their advantage of it nay sometimes they have burst out into laughter at what the most inclin'd thereto among us would hardly have smil'd Their discourses among themselves are commonly concerning their hunting their fishing their gardening or some

are their Gods ●nd they call them in general Akamboue which is the word used ●y the men and Opoyem which is that of the Women True ●t is the word Akambouè signifies simply a Spirit and thence ●t comes that it is also called the spirit of man but this appel●ation they never attribute to the evil spirits These good spirits which are their Gods are more particularly express'd by ●he men under the word Icheiri and by the women under ●hat of Chemiin which we cannot render otherwise than by that of God and Chemiignum the Gods And every one speaking particularly of his God says Icheirikou which is the word of the men and Nechemerakou which is that of the women But both men and women call the evil spirit which is their Devil Mapoya or Maboya as all the French pronounce it but the Caribbians in that word pronounce the B according to the German pronunciation They believe that there is a great number of these good Spirits or Gods and every one imagines that there is one of them particularly design'd for his conduct They say therefore that these Gods have their abode in Heaven but they know not what they do there and of themselves they never propose to themselves the making of any acknowledgment of them as Creators of the world and the things contained therein But only when it is said to them that the God we adore is he who hath made Heaven and Earth and that it is he who causeth the Earth to bring forth things for our nourishment they answer True thy God hath made the Heaven and the Earth of France or some other Country which they name and causes thy Wheat to grow there But our Gods have made our Country and cause our Manioc to grow It is affirmed by some that they call their false Gods des Rioches but that word is not of their Language but is derived from the Spanish The French affirm the same thing after the Spaniards and if the Caribbians make use of it they do it not among themselves but only among Strangers So that from what hath been said it is apparent that though these Barbarians have a natural sentiment of some Divinity or some superior Power yet it is intermixt with so many extravagances and involv'd in so great darkness that it cannot be said those poor people have any knowledge of God For the Divinities they acknowledge and to whom they render a certain homage are so many Devils by whom they are seduc'd and kept in the chains of a damnable slavery though they make a certain distinction between them and the evil Spirits They have neither Temples nor Altars particularly dedicated to these pretended Divinities which they acknowledge and so they do not sacrifice to them any thing that hath had life but they only make them offerings of Cassava and of the first of their Fruits and when they think they have been healed by them of some disease they make a kind of wine or a feast in honour of them and by way of acknowledgment and as it were to express their gratitude they offer them some Cassava and Ouïcou all these offerings are called by them Anacri Their Houses being made after on oval figure and the roof reaching to the ground they set at one end of the Hut their Offerings in Vessels according to the nature of the thing upon one or more Matoutous or little Tables made of Bull-rushes and the leaves of the tree called the Latanier Every one may make his Offerings to his God in his own House or Cot but when it is done in order to invocation there must be one of the Boyez present All these Offerings are not accompany'd with any adoration or Prayers and they consist only in the bare presentation of those gifts They also invocate their false Gods when they desire their presence but that is to be done by the interposition of the Boyez that is to say their Priests or to say better their Magicians and this they do especially upon four occasions 1. To demand revenge on some body who hath done them any mischief and to bring some punishment upon him 2. To be healed of some disease wherewith they are troubled and to know what will be the issue thereof And when they are recovered they make Wines as they are called in the Islands that is Assemblies of rejoycing and congratulation and debauches in honour of them as it were by way of acknowledgment of their favour And their Magicians do also perform the office of Physitians among them by an association of Magick and Medicine never doing any cure or applying any remedies but what are accompany'd by some act of superstition 3. They consult them also to know the event of their wars 4. Lastly they invocate those spirits by the means of their Boyez to obtain of them that they would drive away Maboya or the evil Spirit But they never invocate Maboya himself as some have imagined Every Boyé hath his particular God or rather his familiar Devil which he invocates by the singing of certain words accompanied with the smoke of Tobacco which they cause to be burnt before that Devil as a perfume which is very delightful to him and the scent whereof is able to make him appear When the Boyez invocate their familiar Devil it is alwaies done in the night-time and great care must be taken that there be no light neer nor any fire in the place where they exercise their abominations for these spirits of darkness perfectly abhor all light And when several Boyez invocate their Gods at the same time as they speak those Gods or rather Devils rail one at another and quarrel attributing to one another the causes of every ones evil and they seem to fight These Demons shelter themselves sometimes in the bones of dead men taken out of their graves and wrapt in Cotton and thereby give Oracles saying it is the soul of the deceased person They make use of them to bewitch their Enemies and to that end the Sorcerers wrap up those bones together with something that belongs to their Enemy These Devils do also sometimes enter into the bodies of Women and speak by them When the Boyé or Magician hath by his Charms obliged his familar Spirit to appear he bids him appear under different shapes and those who are about the place where he exercises his damnable superstitions say that he clearly answers the questions made to him that he foretels the event of a war or disease and after the Boyé is retired that the Devil stirs the Vessels and makes a noise with his jaws as if he were eating and drinking the presents prepared for him but the next day they find he hath not meddled with any thing These profane offerings which have been defiled by these unhappy Spirits are accounted so holy by the Magicians and the poor people whom they have abused that only the most ancient and most considerable persons among them have