GUIANA. 548 
ing a nut, of which the kernel is used by the Indians 
as a slow poison; the curretta, or silk-grass plant, a 
species of aloe, the leaves of which contain a sapona- 
ceous pulp, used in washing, mixed with fine and 
strong white filaments, which when properly cleaned, 
ean scarcely be distinguished from threads of silk, and 
are employed in making nets, cords, &c.; the siliqua 
hirsuta, a slender creeping plant like the vine, bearing 
pods resembling the common pea, covered with fine 
stiff pointed hairs, which, — being applied to the 
skin, produce an intolerable sensation of itching ; 
troolies, or leaves of an enormous size, from 20 to 30 
_ % feet in length, and about 2 or 3 in breadth, growing 
from a short root close to the ground, and used as a 
thatch for houses, which they protect from the heaviest 
rains, and last for many years ; nibbees, a kind of lig- 
_ heous rope, without any foliage, growing to an im- 
mense length, and from 3 to 18 inches in circumfer- 
ence, sometimes entwining themselves together to the 
thickness of a ship’s cable, and at other times inter- 
Weaving themselves like nets, so as to intercept the 
game in their course, frequently climbing to the tops 
of the loftiest trees, and again dosdeadion to take root 
in the earth, often coiling themselves so closely around 
the trunks of the trees, as completely to check their 
growth, and so extremely tough as to be used by the 
natives for fastening the posts and thatch of their huts. 
The roots most deserving of notice, are the ipecacuan- 
ha, the ginger, and the Indian yam, which last is about 
eight inches in length, and six in circumference, of a red- 
a purple colour, and affords an agreeable farinaceous 
The native animals of Guiana are not yet fully ascer- 
tained ; and its unexplored forests contain, in all proba- 
bility, many animated beings, which are but very im- 
ectly known to the zoologist. Many of the domes- 
tic animals, the bull, the cow, the ass, the hog, the 
sheep, &c. have been imported from the old continent; 
and some of these; having escaped into the woods, have 
run wild and multiplied rapidly. Most of them, how- 
ever, have greatly Aiea both in size and in flesh, 
in consequence, it is conjectured, of the perpetual per- 
spiration to which they are exposed, and the coarseness 
of the grass on which they feed. “The sheep, particu- 
larly, are remarkably diminutive, and their wool con- 
verted inte straight hair. The hogs, on the contrary, are 
large and fat, and superior to those of Europe. The 
goats are large and beautiful animals, common in all 
of the country; often kept on the: plantations, 
where they breed quickly, and yield much milk, The 
poultry are as plentiful and excellent as in any part of 
the world. A smaller species of domestic hen with 
rumpled or inverted feathers, is reared by the natives 
in the inland parts of the country, and is considered as 
natural to Guiana. 
' . The beasts of prey, which abound in the forests of 
this. country, though numerous, are not remarkabl 
formidable to the human race. The most powerful is 
the tiger, of which there are several kinds ; the jaguar, 
which resembles the African species, and sometimes 
measures six fect from the nose to the root of the tail, 
is very strong and ferocious, frequently attacking the 
cows, horses, and young negroes on the plantations ; 
the couquar, or tiger, resembling a grey hound in 
shape, but larger in size, and equally fierce as the last 
mentioned ; and the tiger cat, a beautiful creature, not 
much larger than the domestic cat of Europe, but de- 
structive and untameable like the rest of its kind. 
This is a ferocious little creature, called the crabbo-dago, 
not much larger than a common cat, and supposed to Guiana. 
be the same with what Buffon calls seed tessa or grey- 
weasel, which is never glutted with blood, but murders 
whatever comes in its way, whether quadrupeds, fowls 
or reptiles, if it is able to vanquish them. There are 
various kinds of monkeys, but no apes in Guiana. The 
natives affirm, that the ouran-outang, five feet in height, Ouran-ou- 
is found in the woods, but no European has ever seen "S 
any of these animals in the country. Of the others; 
the most remarkable are, the quato, which has a naked 
face, a nose like that of a negro, deeply sunken eyes, 
large ears, and, excepting its long tail, bears a great re- 
semblance to the human form ; the howling baboon, Howling 
which is about the size of a small bull dog, has a long baboon. 
black beard, and is chiefly remarkable for assembling 
in large crowds, and uttering a most disagreeable howl 
or yell, which is continued for a long time, and which 
is said to be a sure sign of approaching rain ; and the 
saccawinkee, or schacomingky ; sometimes called the 
lion monkey, a small and delicate creature, ‘only about 1 jon mone 
five or six ounces in weight, which perches like a bird key... 
= the forefinger, and is frequently brought down’to 
plantations by the natives for sale, has a small head, 
round smooth ears, oval face covered with fine white 
hair, a tail much longer than its body, long bushy black 
hair, especially around its neck, like the main of a lion, 
is extremely susceptible of cold, and though frequently 
tamed, seldom lives longer than afew months, The 
coatimondi or Brasilian weasel, aw like a dog, often Coatimondi. 
as large as a fox, and resembling animal in cuns 
ning, is a great destroyer of the poultry ; and, equalling 
the monkies in the faculty of climbing trees; commits 
great ravages among bird nests. One-of the most ex- 
traordinary animals in Guiana is the great ant-bear, Ant-bear.- 
which often weighs from 150 to 200 lbs. and measures 
not less than eight feet from the snout to the tip of the 
tail, It has a small head, covered with hair as soft as 
velvet, and.a tail immensely large, flaty and covered 
with long. hair like that of a horse, and as strong as the 
bristles of a hog, with which, during-a shower, or when 
attacked, or wail asleep, he protects his whole body. 
His feet are armed with long claws, with which he can 
defend jhimself against any dog, and even — the 
tiger, and never quits his hold while he has life. He 
has a long slender tongue, resembling a worm, some- 
times almost two feet in length, and moistened with 
saliva of a sweetish taste, which he thrusts into the ants’ 
nests, who settle upon it in crowds, when he draws it 
into his mouth, renewing the o ion til} no more are 
to be found. There are found in Guiana the poreu- 
pine, the armadillo, the sloth, several kinds of opossum; 
wood-rats, and mee. 
There are two kinds of deer, the largest of which, Deer. 
called bajew, are about the size of an English buck, and 
feed in great numbers in the savannah ; the smaller 
species, called wirrebocerra, are remarkably nimble, 
have no horns, and make the most ‘delicate venison. 
The paccarara, or Indian coney, is common in all parts 
of Guiana, and greatly resembles the hare in shape and 
size y is very prolific, and easily taken; and its flesh, 
which is: week like that ofa rabbit, forms a principal 
part of the food. of the natives. There are several kinds Wild hogs. 
of wild hogs in the forests, particularly the pingos, or 
warree, resembling small English hogs, found in herds 
of 300 or more, running always in a line, and easily 
knocked on the head, A larger kind, called cras-pin- 
gos, are armed with strong tusks, and, when wounded 
or.obstructed in their course, become extremely fero- 
cions. But both these kinds are supposed tobe merely. 
