JOUFFROY, Gabriel, French missionary, born in Calais in 1631; died in St. Vincent, W. I., in 1685. He became a Jesuit, and was attached, in 1658, to the missions of Cuba, moving some years later to St. Vincent, where he remained till his death. He is considered the apostle of the Caribs, who had made the island their refuge. He did much to bring them to civilization, and deserves praise for his exertions in rescuing from a savage life many white men, for the most part English, whom the Caribs had kidnapped when they were children. and who had forgotten their own language, and scorned all entreaties of the missionaries to lead a more becoming life. It is said that Father Jouffroy converted thousands of them, thus greatly helping to weaken the forces of the Caribs, and otherwise contributing to the advancement of civilization. He left several manuscripts, which were published after his death, and are the most exact descriptions of the habits of an extinct race. They include "Voyage qui contiens une relation exacte de l'origlue, mceurs, coutumes, guerres et voyages des Caraibes, sauvages des iles Antilles de l'Amerique" (2 vols., Paris, 1696); "Dictionnaire Caraibe Francais" (1697); and "Manice d'apprendre la langue des Caraibes, suivie d'un traite sur la prononclation de ces peuples" (1697).