126 NATURAL HISTORY OF AQUATIC ANIMALS. 



when the paine is felt, in such quantities as may lye vpon a peny with a draught of good white 

 wine. For being thus taken Ihree or foure mornings it acquicteeth the griefe, as diuers haue told 

 me which haue proved it true, and I my selfe by testiinouie of sight doe wituesse that I have seen 

 thus stone sought of divers for this effect." 1 



Du Tertre, whose narrative we have already several times quoted, gives an account of the 

 mode of capture, which has all the tokens of accuracy. He writes : 



"Three or four men go in a small canoe (which is a small boat, all of one piece, made of a single 

 tree in the form of a canoe). The oarsman is at the back of the canoe and dips the blade of his 

 paddle right and left in the water in such a way that he not only governs the course of the canoe 

 but makes it advance as swiftly as if it were propelled by a light wind or under reef. The Vareur 

 (who lances the beast) stands on a small plank at the bow of the canoe holding the lance in hie 

 hand (that is to say, a sort of spear, at the end of which a harpoon or javelin of iron is fastened). 

 The third man, in the middle of the canoe, arranges the line, which is attached in order to be paid 

 out when the animal is struck. 



"All keep a profound silence, for the hearing of this animal is so acute that the least noise 

 of water against the canoe is sufficient to cause it to take flight and frustrate the hopes of the 

 fishers. There is much enjoyment in watching them, for the harpooner is fearful lest the animal 

 escape him, and continually imagines that the oarsman is not employing half his force, although 

 he does all that he is able with this arms and never turns his eyes from the harpoon, with the point 

 of which the harpooner points out the course he must follow to reach the animal, which lies asleep. 



" When the canoe is three or four paces away the harpoouer strikes a blow with all his force 

 and drives the harpoon at least half a foot into the flesh of the animal. The staff falls into the water, 

 but the harpoon remains attached to the animal, which is already half caught. When the animal 

 feels itself thus rudely struck it collects all its forces and employs them for its safety. It plunges 

 like a horse let loose, beats the billows as a negro beats the air, and makes the sea foam as it 

 passes. It thinks to escape its enemy, but drags him everywhere after it so that one might take 

 the harpooner for a Neptune led in triumph by this marine monster. Finally, after having dragged 

 its misfortune after it, and having lost a great part of its blood, its power fails, its breath gives out, 

 and being reduced to distress, it is constrained to stop short in order to take a little rest ; but it 

 no sooner stops than the harpooner draws in the line and strikes it a second blow with a harpoon 

 better aimed and more forcibly thrown than the first. At this second blow the animal makes a 

 few more feeble efforts, but is soon reduced to extremities, and the fishermen readily drag it to the 

 shore of the nearest island, where they place it in their canoe, if the latter is of sufficient size." 2 



Barbot, after quoting the account of the fishery by Acufia, in the quaint translation which 1 

 shall quote on a following page, adds some valuable notes on the commercial transactions which 

 are carried on in connection with salted Manatee meat. He says: 



"The ManatVs flesh used at Cayenne is brought ready salted from the river of the Amazons ; 

 several of the principal inhabitants sending the barks and brigantines thither with men and salt 

 to buy it of the Indians for beads, knives, white hats of a low price, some linen, toys, and iron 

 tools. When those vessels are enter'd the river of the Amazons, the Indians, who always follow 

 the Manati fishery, go aboard, take the salt, and with it run up the river in canoes or Piragua* to 

 catch the ManatVs; which they cut in pieces, and salt as taken, returning with that salt fish to the 

 brigantines; which go not up, because the Portuguese who dwell to the eastward, at Para, and 

 other places of Brazil, claim the sovereignty of the north side of that river, and give no quarter 



'Purchas his Pilgrimes, iii, 1025, pp. 987, 988. 



Du TKBTRK : Histoiro dea Antilles, ii, 1667, pp. 200, 201. 



