FERNANDO ALARCHON ad. 



1540. 

 that I should go thither, shewing me the same with 

 their handes, and telHng mee that there was meate to 

 eate. But I would not goe thither, seeing the place was Good forecast. 

 apt for some ambush, but followed on my voyage, within 

 a while after issued out from thence above a thousand 

 armed men with their bowes and arrowes, and after that 

 many women and children shewed themselves, toward 

 whom I would not goe, but because the Sunne was 

 almost set, I rode in the middest of the river. These 

 Indians came decked after sundry fashions, some came 

 with a painting that covered their face all over, some 

 had their faces halfe covered, but all besmouched with Indians he- 

 cole, and every one as it liked him best. Others carried ^^^^outchedwlth 

 visards before them of the same colour which had the 

 shape of faces. They weare on their heads a piece of 

 a Deeres skinne two spannes broad set after the maner 

 of a helmet, and upon it certaine small sticks with some 

 sortes of fethers. Their weapons were bowes and 

 arrowes of hard wood, and two or three sorts of maces 

 of wood hardened in the fire. This is a mightie people, 

 well feitured, and without any grossenesse. They have 

 holes bored in their nostrels whereat certaine pendents 

 hang : and others weare shelles, and their eares are full 

 of holes, whereon they hang bones and shelles. All of 

 them both great and small weare a girdle about their 

 waste made of diverse colours, and in the middle is 

 fastened a round bunch of feathers, which hangeth 

 downe behind like a tayle. Likewise on the brawne of 

 their armes they weare a streit string, which they wind 

 so often about that it becommeth as broad as ones hand. 

 They weare certaine pieces of Deeres bones fastened to 

 their armes, wherewith they strike off the sweate, and 

 at the other certaine small pipes of canes. They carry Pipes and 

 also certaine little long bagges about an hand broade tyed ^1^^^^ ofTa- 

 to their left arme, which serve them also in stead of 

 brasers for their bowes, full of the powder of a certaine 

 herbe, whereof they make a certaine beverage. They 

 have their bodies traced with coles, their haire cut before, 



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