ty6 nieuhoff's brazil* 



humours from the affe^led part. Vomiting they procure by means of the leaves kar^ 

 naiba, which being twilled together, they force down the patient's throat. When all 

 thefe pretended remedies prove ineffectual, they proceed to no others ; but after fome 

 confultations, quite defpairing of his recovery, knock him on the head with their 

 clubs, looking upon it more glorious to be thus bravely delivered from their mifery, 

 than to exped death till their lafl: gafp. They exercife as much barbarity upon the 

 dead carcafles of their friends as of their enemies ; upon the firft out of love, againfl 

 the laft out of revenge ; for they tear them to pieces with their teeth, and eat the fleih 

 like a dainty bit. 



The Brazilian women are extremely fruitful, have very eafy labours, and rarely 

 mifcarry : for no fooner is a woman delivered, but up Ihe gets to the next river,, and 

 without any fiirther help wafhes herfelf there : in the meanwhile the hufband keeps the 

 bed for the firft twenty-four hours, and is made as much of as if he had been lately 

 brought to bed. The mothers lament the death of their infants with howling and 

 crying for three or four days. 



They receive their friends after a long journey with open arms and tears, and beat- 

 ing their foreheads againft their breafts, in remembrance of the misfortunes they have 

 undergone during their abfence. Though the Brazilians were always fuppofed to be 

 defcended from the race of men-eaters, yet by their converfation with us and other 

 nations, many of them have laid afide their barbarity, and are become as affable and 

 civilized as moft of the European nations. 



The Tapoyers inhabit the inland country of Brazil to the weft of thefe countries 

 in the poffeflion of the Portuguefe and Dutch, betwixt Rio Grande and the river Siara, 

 as far as Rio St. Francifco. They are divided into feveral nations, diftinguifhed both by 

 their language and names : for the Tapoyers bordering upon the utmoft confines of 

 Pemambuko, are called Kariri, under their king Cerioukejou ; the next to them the 

 Karirivafu, whofe king was Karopoto j then the Kariryou, and fo farther the Tararyou ; 

 the laft of which were beft known unto us ; Janduy or John Duwy being their king ; 

 though fome of them lived under the jurifdidion of one Karakara. Divers were go- 

 verned by other kings, viz. Prityaba, Arigpaygn, Wahafewajug, Tfering, and Dremenge. 

 Thofe under king John Duwy inhabit to the weft beyond Rio Grande, but change their 

 habitations pretty often : about November, December, and January, when the fruit 

 Kajou begins to ripen, they come towards the fea-fide, becaufe little of it is to be met 

 with in the inland countries. The Tapoyers are very tall and ftrong of body, ex- 

 ceeding both the Brazilians and Dutch both in ftrength and tallnefs by the head and 

 flioulders. They are of a dark brown colour, black hair, which hangs all over their 

 ihoulders, they only {having it on the forehead as far as to the ears. Some are fhaved 

 according to the European fafhion ; the reft of their bodies they keep without hair, 

 even without eye-brows. Their kings and great men are diftinguifhed from the vulgar 

 by the hair of their heads and their nails ; the firft, their kings, were fhaved in the 

 fhape of a crown, and have very long nails on their thumbs ; but the king's relations 

 or other officers of note, wear long nails on all their fingers, except their thumbs ; 

 for long nails is accounted a peculiar ornament among them. The Tapoyers are very 

 ftrong ; prince Maurice being one time in a humour to try their ftrength and fkill 

 in fighting with a wild bull, caufed one to be brought within his ward court, which 

 was furrounded with palifadoes, in order to engage two Tapoyers appointed for that 

 purpofe. There was a great concourfe of people to fee this fpedtacle, when on a fudden 

 two Tapoyers (the reft with their wives being only fpeCtators) came in ftark naked, 

 without any other arms but their bows and arrows. The bull faw them no fooner 



1 1 enter. 



