i8o 



THE OUARINE 



but it is fweerifli, and requires a great deal of 

 fait in drefling. The fat is very good, and 

 as yellow as that of a capon. We lived upon 

 thefe animals during all the time we remained 

 there, becaufe we could procure no other food, 

 and the hunters fupplied us daily with a<; many 

 as we could eat. I went to fee this fpecies of 

 hunting, and was furprifed at the fagacity of 

 thefe animals, not only in dilUnguifhing par- 

 ticularly thofe who make war againfl them, 

 but, when attacked, in defending themfelves, 

 and providing for th'ir own fatety. When 

 we rip.projched, they all afle.nbled together, 

 uttered loud and frightful cries, and threw at 

 us dried branches which they broke off from 

 the trees. Some of them voided their excre- 

 ments in 'heir hinds, and threw them at our 

 heads. I likewife remirkeJ that rhey never 

 abandoned one another ; that they leapt frorri 

 tree to tree with incredible agilirv ; and that 

 they flun . themjeives headlong from branch 

 to brancli, without ever faliing to the ground j 

 becaufe, before reaching tiie earth, they always 

 cauglii hold Ota branch ei her witli tlieir hands 

 or tail ; lo that, if not fbot dead at once, they 

 could not be laid hold of; for, even when 

 mortally wounded, they remain fixed to the 

 trees where tliey often die, and fall not till] 

 they are corrupted. Mure than four days af- 

 ter death, ' have feen the n firmly fixed to thej 

 trees j aud fificen or fixteen of them are fre- 



' quentljrj 



