Cannibal Encounters: Europeans and Island Caribs, 1492–1763

Preface

Preface FIRST, AWORD about the title of this book, Cannibal Encounters. It is meant as a modest tribute to Peter Hulme's superlative Colonial Encounters: Europe and the Native Caribbean, 1492-1797. Some five years after beginning research for my book, the initial shock of reading Hulme's brilliant analysis of some of my issues and themes soon gave way to thanks. Although I am grateful for the work of many scholars, I am most in debt to Professor Hulme. There is a good deal of narrative history in this book, especially in Chapters Two, Three, and Four. That calls for an explanation because contemporary historiography is uneasy about chronological narration and because some readers may question the extent of "story telling" in the book. My response is that the analysis of Euro-Carib relations cannot be separated from anarrativesimply becausethe "story" of these relations has not been told or told adequately. A narrative becomes imperative when none is available to the reader to help evaluate the interpretive sections. When a project like this one has germinated over a ten-year period, it accrues many debts. During the summers of 1981, 1982, and 1989, grants from the American Council of Learned Societies, the AmericanPhilosophical Society, and the National Endowment for the Humanities (N.E.H.) permitted archival research in London, Paris, and Aix-en-Provence. An N.E.H. Summer Seminar for College Teachers at my alma mater, the University of Connecticut, helped to refreshen my knowledge of the Colonial American period and made possible anearly and useful critique of part of the manuscript by Dr. Karen Kupperman. Although I have not always found it possible to follow her sage advice, I owe her many thanks. Grants from the John Carter Brown Library and from the University of Alabama in Huntsville made possible extensive reading in the printed primary sources at the Newberry, Beinecke, and John Carter Brown libraries . Thanks to all the scholar-friends, too many to name, who wrote letters of reference to granting institutions. Special thanks to Norman Fiering and the staff of the John Carter Brown Library for innumerable helpful services. Dr. Fiering was the first to recommend theJohns Hopkins University Press as the proper publishing outlet for the manuscript. Susan Danforth offered valuable advice and timely assistance concerning the illustrations. It should be obvious that this book would not have come into existence without the support of these institutions and people. xv xvi PREFACE A number of scholarshaveread allor part of the manuscript, but none so closely, trenchantly, and irreverently as my good friend James Pritchard. This superb critic will recallthe 10 percent of his suggestions Iwas not able to incorporate instead of the 90percent I did! Although acquainted only by letters and telephone calls, the anthropologist Robert Myers assisted greatly in reformulating and strengthening the Introduction. He not only suggested readings but, when alerted to how woefully deficient my university library is, sent me copies of difficult-to-obtain materials! Other readers who have earned my sincere gratitude are Olive Dickason, my colleague John Pottenger, and anonymous reviewers for theJohns Hopkins University Press. Their comments and suggestions were all useful; even those I did not accept promoted rethinking of the issues addressed. Robert Forster , a fine scholar and, more importantly, a wonderful man, provided criticism, advice, and help during the last stages of this project. Needless to say, all remaining errors of commission, omission, and interpretation are the author's alone. I owe thanks to many people at the University of Alabama in Huntsville , especially Dr. Carolyn White and a graduatestudent, Nick Douglas, for bibliographical assistance. My former chairman, John White, made available the office staff, especially Beverly Robinson, for a variety of tasks. Many people at the library did their best under difficult circumstances to assist me. Finally, I want to thank my Spanish teacher and buen amigoy Dr. Manuel Cachan. He reminded me by example of the difference a superb teacher can make. It has been a pleasure to work with the competent, gracious, and patient people at the Johns Hopkins University Press, and most especially with my editor, Jacqueline Wehmueller. Finally, my gratitudeand love go out to my family. My children, Amanda , Andrew, and Alexander, have invariably taken their summer "vacation " excursions to locations adjacent to major research libraries. The dedication of this book to my wife, Mary, is quite literally a token of my appreciation for her support of this endeavor and for her love. [3.15.27.232] Project...