Untitled - Smithsonian Institution

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THOMAS] INDIAN LANGUAGES OF MEXICO AND CENTEAL AMERICA 87
The Sierra de Tilaran, as marked on the map of Costa Rica, extends
along the extreme northwestern border of the district of Alajuela,
while the volcano of Puas (or Poas) is on the extreme eastern border,
where it joins the district of Heredia. That the Sierra de Tilaran
formed the extreme southern boundary of the Guatusan territory is
certain. In fact, one portion of it is named the Cerro de los
Guatusos. It seems, therefore, that the range to which Fernandez
refers is that which extends east and west across Heredia and the
southeastern portion of Alajuela; but what stream is referred to by
the name "Barva" is uncertain (possibly it should be ''Brava,"
though tliis
hand)
does not solve the difficulty with the limited data at
The statement made by Peralta in the excerpt from his pen on
page 83 agrees with his conclusion, as stated above. The assertion
that "to the east of the Sarapiqui, and from the mouths of the San
Juan on the Atlantic to the mouth of the river Matina, was the
important province of Suerre, belonging to the Guetars," is open to
question, however, as there is no means of comparing the languages.
Nevertheless, the writer has followed Peralta in the accompanying
map.
VOTO
(Synonym: Boto)
According to all the evidence remaining on record, this tribe occu-
pied the country south, of the Rio San Juan from the river San Carlos
to the Sarapiqui, their territory extending southward to, and proba-
bly across, the district of Heredia and the southern part of Alajuela.
The writer has failed to find the data on which Peralta and
others base the conclusion that the people of this tribe were con-
nected with the Gvietare. Carl Sapper (1: 31) speaks of them as a
distinct tribe, although not alluding to their ethnic relations. As no
vocabulary, not even a few words of their language, has been pre-
served, so far as known, its affinities can be only guessed at or inferred
from other data. Is it not possible that they were the Rama, part of
whom Bell mistook for the Guatuso. (See p. 80.) If his statement was
based on some tradition, the supposition may not be wholly gratui-
tous; otherwise it is. On the whole it is considered best for the present
to follow here the Costa Rican authorities, who are on the ground
and familiar with the history of their country so far as recorded;
hence the Voto are assigned to the Guetare territory, although not
referred to on the map.
Suerre (?)
It is doubtful whether the territory included under this name
should be considered a separate linguistic area. In the extract