| TACANA. | KECHUA. | |
|---|---|---|
| Man, | reanci, | runa. |
| Water, | jene, | una. |
| Hand, | ma, | maqui. |
| Foot, | quatri, | chaqui. |
| House, | etai, | uta (Aymara). |
| Stone, | tumu, | rumi. |
| Star, | emata, | matti. |
| Lightning, | ilapa, | illapa. |
| Year, | mara, | mara. |
| Three, | quimisha, | quimsa. |
| Four, | puschi, | pusi (Aymara). |
| Five, | pischica, | pichka. |
The numerals above “two” have clearly been borrowed from the Kechua-Aymara.
There are also a large number of verbal coincidences between the Tacana and the Pano groups, but not enough to allow us to suppose an original unity.
The Samucus (Zamucas) embraced a number of sub-tribes dwelling on the northern border of the Chaco, between 18° and 20° south latitude, and about the river Oxuquis. They did not resemble the Chaco stocks, as they were not vagrant hunters, but dwelt in fixed villages, and pursued an agricultural life.[476] Their language was singularly sweet in sound, and was called by D’Orbigny “the Italian of the forest.” They included the following members:
SAMUCU LINGUISTIC STOCK.
- Careras.
- Cayporotades.
- Coroinos.
- Cuculados.
- Guaranocas.
- Ibirayas.
- Morotocos.
- Potureros.
- Satienos.
- Tapios.
- Ugaronos.
Among these the Morotocos are said to have offered the rare spectacle of a primitive gynocracy. The women ruled the tribe, and obliged the men to perform the drudgery of house-work. The latter were by no means weaklings, but tall and robust, and daring tiger-hunters. The married women refused to have more than two children, and did others come they were strangled.
On the river Mamore, between 13° and 14° of south latitude, were the numerous villages of the Canichanas or Canisianas. They were unusually dark in complexion and ugly of features; nor did this unprepossessing exterior belie their habits or temperament. They were morose, quarrelsome, tricky and brutal cannibals, preferring theft to agriculture, and prone to drunkenness; but ingenious and not deficient in warlike arts, constructing strong fortifications around their villages, from which they would sally forth to harass and plunder their peaceable neighbors. By a singular anomaly, this unpromising tribe became willing converts to the teachings of the Jesuits, and of their own accord gathered into large villages in order to secure the presence of a missionary.[477] Their language has no known affinities. It is musical, with strong consonantal sounds, and like some of the northern tongues, makes a distinction between animate and inanimate objects, or those so considered.[478]
Between 13° and 14° of south latitude, on the west bank of the Rio Mamore, were the Cayubabas or Cayuvavas, speaking a language without known affinities, though containing words from a number of contiguous tongues.[479] The men are tall and robust, with regular features and a pleasant expression. The missionaries found no difficulty in bringing them into the fold, but they obstinately retained some of their curious ancient superstitions, as, for instance, that a man should do no kind of work while his wife had her monthly illness; and should she die, he would undertake no enterprise of importance so long as he remained a widower.[480]
Brief notices will suffice of the various other tribes, many of them now extinct, who centered around the missions of the Chiquitos and Moxos early in this century.