362 A VOYAGE TO Book VI. 



breeds of mules; and these three articles constitute 

 the advantageous traffic which this government car- 

 ries on with the jurisdiction of its province and the 

 other parts of Peru. 



Lv the countries of Jaen de Bracamoros, Quixos, 

 and Macas, are seen great numbers of those wild ani- 

 mals, a description of which has been given in treat- 

 ing of ''^ther cour.tries of a like climate. But these, 

 besides tigers, arc infested with bastard lions, bears, 

 dantas or grand bestias (an animal of the bigness of 

 a bullock, and very swift, its colour generally while, 

 and its í^kin very much valued f-ir making buff lea- 

 ther : in tlie middle of its liead is a horn bending 

 inward). These three kinds of wild beasts are un- 

 known in the other countries ; and that they are 

 known here, is owing to the proximity to the Cordil- 

 leras, where they breed, as in a cold climate adapted 

 to their nature : whence they sometimes come down 

 into the neighbouring countries ; but without this 

 circumstance of ¡Ning so near the mountains, they 

 would never be seen. Among the reptiles in the 

 country is the maca, a snake which the Indians di- 

 síinguiíh by the nan^e of curi-mulhnvo, having a 

 ehining spotted skin like that of tlie tiger, curi in the 

 Indian language signifying gold ; it is wholly cover- 

 ed with scales, and makes a fri^ghtful appearance, its 

 head being our of all propor'.ion to the body, and 

 has two rows of teeth, and fangs like those of a large 

 dog. The wild Indians, asan ostentatious mark of 

 their intrepidity, and to give them a more terrible 

 appearance, fjaiiit on their targets iigures of this 

 snake, the bile of which is incurable ; and wherever 

 it has seized, it never lets go its hold ; v.'hich the In- 

 dians would also intimate by their device. 



CHAP. 



