396 A VOYAGE TO Book VL 



the various kinds of fish, are two of an amphibious 

 nature; the cayinans or alligators, and the tortoise, 

 Avhich SM'arm on the shores and islands. Its tortoises, 

 for taste, are preferred to those of the sea. Another 

 remarkable fish here is the pexe-buey, or sea-cow, so 

 called from its resembling the land quadruped of that 

 name. This is one of the largest species known in 

 tlie river, being generally three or four yards in 

 length, and of a proportional thickness : the flesh is 

 very palateable, and, according to some, has pretty 

 much the taste of beef. It feeds on the herbage 

 growing along the shore, but the structure of its body 

 does not admit of its coming out of the water. The 

 female has dugs for suckling its young ; and what- 

 ever some may have said of any farther resemblance 

 to the terrestrial species of that name, it has neither 

 horns nor legs. It has indeed two fins, which serve 

 equally for swimming, and supporting itself on the 

 banks whilst feeding. The general method of the 

 Indians for fishing, is with inebriating herbs, like that 

 I have mentioned on the river Guayaquil. On some 

 occasions they make use of arrows dipped in poison, 

 of such an activity, that the sHghtest wound iin- 

 niediatcly kills the iish. This is also their method 

 of hunting; and in both they are so very expert and 

 active, that they are very seldom known to miss their 

 aim. This powerful venom is princlj)ally the juice o^ 

 a bejuco, near six finger."^ broad, and flat on both 

 sides, of a brownish colour, and growing in very damp 

 marshy places. In order to prepare the poison, they 

 cut it into pieces, which they bruise and boil in water. 

 On taking it oW the lire, they add to it a particular 

 inoredient which causes a coag-ulation. With this 

 they rub the point of their arrows; and when dry, 

 for M'ant of fresh unction, they moisten it with their 

 spittle: the (juality of it is so frigorific, that it im- 

 mediiUely repels all the blood to the heart, where the 

 vessels burst, being unable to contain such a torrent 



as 



