34 FOSSIL MEN. 



touch their children. That done, the men caused the 



women to withdraw themselves backe, then they every 



one sate down on the ground round about us, as if we 



would have shewen and rehearsed some cornedie or 



other shew : then presently came the women againe, 



every one bringing a fouresquare matte in manner of 



carpets, and spreading them abroad on the ground in 



that place, they caused us to sit upon them. That 



done, the Lord and King of the country was brought 



upon nine or ten men's shoulders (whom in their 



tongue they call Agouhanna, sitting upon a great 



stagges skinne, and they laide him downe upon the 



foresaid mats neere to the capitaine, every one beck- 



ning unto us that hee was their lord. This Agou- 



hanna was a man about fiftie yeeres old : he was no 



whit better apparelled then any of the rest, onely ex- 



cepted that he had a certain thing around his head 



made of the skinnes of hedgehogs * like a red wreath. 



He was full of the palsie and his members shronke 



together. After he had with certain signes saluted 



our captaine and all his companie, and by manifest 



tokens bid all welcome, he shewed his legges and 



armes to our capitaine, and with signes desired him to 



touch them, and so he did, rubbing them with his own 



hands : then did Agouhanna take the wreath or 



crowne he had about his head, and gave it unto our 



capitaine, that done they brought before him diverse 



diseased men, some blinde, some criple, some lame 



and impotent, and some so old that the haire of their 



* Porcupines. 



