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THE CHIEF CUSERU.
state o f these countries, where the vanquished nations have b e c o m e gradually extinct, leaving n o other signs o f their existence than a few words o f their language, mixed with that o f t h e c o n q u e r o r s . I n t h e north, b e y o n d the cataracts, the preponderant nations were at first the Caribs and the C a b r e s ; towards the south, o n the U p p e r O r i n o c o , the G u a y p u n a v e s ; and o n the R i o N e g r o , the Marepizanos and t h e Manitivitanos. T h e l o n g resistance which t h e Cabres, united under a valiant chief, had made to the Caribs, b e c a m e fatal t o the latter subsequently t o the year 1720. T h e y at first vanquished their enemies near the mouth of the R i o C a u r a ; a n d a great n u m b e r o f Caribs perished in a precipitate flight, b e t w e e n the rapids o f T o r n o and the Isla del Infierno. T h e prisoners were d e v o u r e d ; and, b y o n e o f those refinements o f c u n n i n g and cruelty which are c o m m o n t o t h e savage nations o f both N o r t h and South A m e r i c a , the Cabres spared the life o f o n e Carib, w h o m they forced to c l i m b up a free to witness this barbarous spectacle, and carry back the tidings to the vanquished. T h o triumph o f T o p , the chief o f the Cabres, was but o f short duration. T h e Caribs returned in such great n u m b e r s that o n l y a feeble; remnant o f the C a b r e s was left o n the banks of the C u c h i v e r o . C o c u y and C u s e r u w e r e carrying o n a war o f extermination o n the U p p e r O r i n o c o when Solano arrived at the m o u t h o f the Guaviare. T h e former bad embraced the cause o f the P o r t u g u e s e ; the latter was a friend o f the Jesuits, and gave them warning whenever the Manitivitanos were m a r c h i n g against the christian establishments o f A t u r e s and Carichana. C u s e r u b e c a m e a christian only a few days before his death ; but in battle he had for s o m e t i m e worn o n his left hip a crucifix, given him by the missionaries, and which ho believed rendered him invulnerable. "We were told an anecdote that paints the violence o f his character. He had married the daughter o f an Indian chief o f the R i o T e n d . In a paroxysm o f rage against his fatherin-law, he declared to his wife that he was g o i n g to fight against him. She reminded him o f the courage and singular strength o f her f a t h e r ; when C u s e r u , w i t h o u t u t t e r i n g a single w o r d , t o o k a poisoned arrow, a n d plunged it into her b o s o m . T h e arrival o f a small b o d y o f Spaniards in