Page:Essays ethnological and linguistic.djvu/161

Rh guage of the other islands also, even so far North as the Lucayas from the names still found there which have their natural meaning in Arrawak. Thus Luku, or Loko in Arrawak signifies people, and would be the word applied to themselves by the natives in answer to the enquiries of the Spaniards. Many words of Arrawak also still seem to remain as provincialisms in Cuba, of which I propose to give an appendix, naming only at present bohis for a house, and coco which I understood to be for white, besides several names of places. I fear I am trespassing already too largely on the attention of the Society and will therefore dismiss this part of my subject with only one farther notice of them. I am not aware that I saw any one of the Arrawak tribe; but as I have intimated an opinion that the Mayas were from the South Eastern part of Asia and the Caribs from Africa, I would wish those who feel interested in these enquiries and have the means and the leisure to pursue them, to examine whether there be any affinities of language or otherwise between them and the Australians. I recommend this point for enquiry as Mr. Brett in his work "Indian Missions in Guiana" p. 98 mentions a peculiarity in their marriage institutions which appears to me similar to what we read of among some of the Australians. He says "their tribe exhibits in its customs traces of an organization which was probably much more perfect in former times than it is at present. They are divided into families, each of which has a distinct name as the Siwidi, Karuafudi, Onisidi, &c. Unlike our families, these all descend in the female line, and no individual of either sex is allowed to marry another of the same family name. Thus a woman of the Siwidi family bears the same name as her mother, but neither her father nor her husband can be of that family. Her children and the children of her daughters will also be called Siwidi, but both her sons and daughters are prohibited from an alliance with any individual bearing the same name, though they may marry into the family of their father, if they choose. These customs are strictly observed, and any breach of them would be considered as wicked." As Mr. Brett observes, this custom indicates an earlier organization, and we may suppose an early civilization of which they now possess no other remains. Still they are represented as evincing a greater aptitude for civilized life than other tribes in their neighbourhood and appear to have had higher attainments in that respect when first visited by the Spaniards, as they are described as using bucklers beyond what the others possessed and being more of an agricultural people. I have