VASQUEZ DE CORONADO a.d. 



1540. 



The foresayd Francis Lopez de Gomara in his generall his- 

 torie of the West Indies, Chap. 215. writeth in maner 

 following of certaine great and strange beasts never 

 seene nor heard of in our knowen world of Asia, 

 Europe, and Africa : which somewhat resembling our 

 oxen, having high bunches on their backes like those 

 on the backes of Camels, are therefore called by him 

 Vacas corcobados, that is to say, Crooke-backed oxen, 

 being very deformed & terrible in shewe, and fierce 

 by nature : which notwithstanding for foode, apparell, 

 and other necessarie uses, are most serviceable and 

 beneficiall to the inhabitants of those countreys. He 

 reported also in the same chapter of certaine strange 

 sheepe as bigge as horses, and of dogs which use to 

 carie burthens of 50. pound weight upon their 

 backes. 



A LI the way betweene Cicuic and Quivira is a most 

 plaine soyle, without trees and stones, and hath but ^^^^^ ^^'^ 

 fewe and small townes. The men clothe and shooe them- ^^^^^, ^^^^ ^^^ 

 selves with lether ; and the women which are esteemed Captain Fro- 

 for their long lockes, cover their heads and secrets with blsher brought 

 the same. They have no bread of any kinde of graine, ^^^^ England 

 as they say : which I account a very great matter. -^^^ .^^ 

 Their chierest foode is flesh, and that oftentimes they 

 eate rawe, either of custome or for lacke of wood. 

 They eate the fatte as they take it out of the Oxe, 

 and drinke the blood hotte, and die not therewithal!, 

 though the ancient writers say that it killeth, as Em- 

 pedocles and others alBrmed, they drinke it also colde 

 dissolved in water. They seeth not the flesh for lacke 

 of pots, but rost it, or to say more properly, warme it 

 at a fire of Oxe-dung : when they eate, they chawe 

 their meate but little, and raven up much, and holding 

 the flesh with their teeth, they cut it with rasors of 

 stone, which seemeth to be great bestialitie : but such 

 is their maner of living and fashion. They goe to- 

 gether in companies, and moove from one place to 



167 



Incognita. 



