Personal Narrative Of Travels To The Equinoctial Regions Of America During The Years 1799-1804 - Volume 2 - By Alexander Von Humboldt And Aime Bonpland.
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But I Was Informed Of This Fact Only After My Return;
Our Indian Pilots Did Not Mention It When We
Landed at the strait.
These tombs no doubt have given rise to a fable of the Ottomacs,
according to which
The granitic and solitary rocks of Baraguan, the
forms of which are very singular, are regarded as the grandfathers,
the ancient chiefs of the tribe. The custom of separating the flesh
from the bones, very anciently practised by the Massagetes, is still
known among several hordes of the Orinoco. It is even asserted, and
with some probability, that the Guaraons plunge their dead bodies
under water enveloped in nets; and that the small caribe-fishes, of
which we saw everywhere an innumerable quantity, devour in a few days
the muscular flesh, and thus prepare the skeleton. It may be supposed
that this operation can be practised only in places where crocodiles
are not common. Some tribes, for instance the Tamanacs, are accustomed
to lay waste the fields of a deceased relative, and cut down the trees
which he has planted. They say that the sight of objects which
belonged to their relation makes them melancholy. They like better to
efface than to preserve remembrances. These effects of Indian
sensibility are very detrimental to agriculture, and the monks oppose
with energy these superstitious practices, to which the natives
converted to Christianity still adhere in the missions.
The tombs of the Indians of the Orinoco have not been very closely
examined, because they do not contain valuable articles like those of
Peru; and even on the spot no faith is now lent to the chimerical
ideas, which were heretofore formed of the wealth of the ancient
inhabitants of El Dorado.
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