nieuhoff's brazA. 875 



before, they by degrees re-peopled the world. They know not what God is, nay, 

 they have no word expreffing the fame, unlefs it be Tuba, which fignifies as much as 

 fomething moll excellent above the reft; thus they call the thunder Tubakununga, 

 i.e. a noife made by the Supreme Excellency, for Akununga implies as much as a 

 noife. They are unacquainted with heaven or hell, though tbey have a tradition among 

 them, that the fouls do not die with the bodies, but that they are either tranfplanted 

 into devils or fpirits, or elfe enjoy a great deal of pleafure with dancing and fmging in 

 fome pleafant fields, which they fay are behind the mountains. Thiefe fields are en- 

 joyed by all the brave men and women, who have killed and eaten many of their 

 enemies; but fuch as have been idle, and never did any thing of moment, are tor- 

 tured by the devil, unto whom they give many names, viz. Anhanga, Jurupari, Ku- 

 rupari, Taguaiba, Temoti, Taubimama. They have, ho'wever, fome fort of priefts 

 among them, whofe bufinefs is to facrifice, and to foretel things to come ; thefe are 

 efpecially confulted when they are to undertake a war or journey ; they call them Paye 

 and Pey. They dread fpirits to the higheil degree ; they call them Kurjpira, Taguai, 

 Macachara, Aiilianga, Jurapari, and Marangigona, though under different fignifications.: 

 for kuripira implies as much as the god of the mind or heart ; macachara, the god or 

 patron of travellers ; jurupari and anhanga fignify the devil ; marangigona implies a:s 

 much as the manes or remainders of the foul after death, which are fo much dreaded 

 by the Brazilians, that fome of them, upon an imaginary apparition of them, have 

 been ft ruck with fudden death. They do not perform any worftiip or ceremony to 

 thofe fpirits, except that fome pretend to appeafe their wrath by certain prefents they 

 faften to certain ftakes fixed in the ground for that purpofe. Some of the Brazilians 

 acknowledge the thunder for the Supreme Being, others the Lelfer Bear in the firma- 

 ment, others fome other ftars. The Potiguaras, a nation among the Brazilians, are 

 accounted fuch forcerers, that they bewitch their enemies even to death : they call this 

 manner of witchcraft Anbamombikoab. The Brazilians that lived among the Portu- 

 guefe and Dutch, did in fome meafure follow the Chriftian doftrine, but fo coldly, 

 that few, when they come to an advanced age, ftiew much zeal for it ; becaufe the 

 fundamental articles of our faith are not eafily imprinted in them, unlefs in their tender 

 years, and when they are remote from their parents. However, feveral of the Dutch 

 minifters, viz. Mr. Doreflaer, and after him Mr. Thomas Kemp, have had good fuccefs 

 in converting many of the Brazilians in the Aldeas or villages where they preached, the 

 laft of thefe two being well verfed in the Brazilian tongue. Neither were Dionyfius 

 Bifcareta, an honeft old Caftilian, and Johannes Apricius, lefs remifs in performing 

 their duty to inftru6t thefe infidels. There were likewife three Dutch fchool-mafters 

 among them, who taught their young people to read and to write, but thefe were 

 forced to leave their aldeas or villages during the laft inteftine commotions raifed by 

 the Portuguefe. 



Many diftempers which are common in Europe are unknown in Brazil : they ufe 

 nothing but fimple remedies, and laugh at our compofitions. They are very dextrous 

 in applying their remedies, efpecially their antidotes : they draw blood by fu(?tion with 

 horn-cups, by fcarification, or opening a vein ; inftead of a lancet they ufe the tooth 

 of a lamprey, called by them Kakaon, without which nobody ftirs abroad. So foon 

 as any one of their acquaintance is fallen ill, they all meet, each offering his remedy, 

 which he has found good by his own experience : then they begin to cut and flice 

 the moft mufculous parts of the body, either with the thorns of the tree Karnaibai, or 

 with filhes teeth, till they have drawn as much blood as they think fit, and for that 

 purpofe fuck the wounds with their mouths, by which means they pretend to drawalhill 



5 T 2 humours 



