6o 



AMERICA. 



Chap. Ill, 



The manner of^the Inha- 

 bitants in Paria, 



Sect. V. 

 Tk Expedition of Americus Vefputius. 



AMerkus Vejpufius a Florentine, Commanded four Ships, fitted out at King 

 Ferdi?iand's Charge, fct Sail the twentieth of May, Anno \ty7* and refrcfti- 

 ing at the Canaries, from thence he ftcer'd to faria>, where he fo much gain'd 

 upon the Inhabitants, that for Pins, Bells, Looking*glaiTes, and other Trifles, 

 they daily brought aboard in Barter great ftore of Gold, thebeftof Met- 

 chandife. 



Thefe People, both Men and Women go ftark naked, not fo much as co- 

 vering their (pudenda -, their Complexion fwarthy ; they {have off all their Hair, 

 onely fome Women leave a Tuft on their Heads. From their Paces, being 

 broad and flat, one may judge them to be deriv'd from Tartar? •, they much ex- 

 ceed the Europeans in Running and Swimming, ihfomuch that the Women of* 

 . tentimes without any Boats, or floating pieces of Timber, venture two or 

 three Leagues into the Sea ; they have fo great skill in Shooting, that they 

 exceed almoft all other Nations, having Arrows headed with fharp Fifli- 

 bones • they alfo ufe Lances and Clubs. The Women follow the Men in the 

 - Wars, andferve in ftead of Horfesto carry Ammunition and other Neceffa- 

 ries j to which Labor they are fo us'd, that they will bear on their Shoulders 

 forty, nay fifty Leagues together, fuch Luggage, as three Spaniards are fcarcc 

 Tb:ir4Uang=Cuftom s . a ble to lift from the Ground. They acknowledge no Commander or Supe- 

 rior either in Wars or Government • they keep up old Feuds, fighting with an 

 inveterate hatred againft their Neighbors, upon antient fcores and revenges, 

 ftill kept in.memory of their Relations {lain in former Battels - and alfo ftill 

 creating frefh animofitics upon their Loffes in later Engagements. Their 

 Language is fmooth and pleating, being fpoken with a kind of lifpirrg, and 

 abfolutely different from the neighboring Nations. When they eat they fit 

 upon the Ground, and fleeping lie in Hammocks, each end whereof being faft- 

 nedtoaPoft . underneath they kindle a Fire • over them they hang Fifli-nets 

 and Hooks, Fifli-baskets and Calabajhes. When they have occafion to eafe Na- 

 tuxe by evacuation, they retire into fome private Place ; but the Women think 

 it no immodefty to make Water, even in the prcfence of ftrange Men. They 

 obferve not fingle Matrimony ; for every Man takes as many Women as he 

 plcafes, under bonds of Wedlock fuch and fo Height, that he turns them off ac 

 his pleafure : and Women take the fame liberty in cafheering their Husbands 

 when not pleating them. They bring forth Children with little or no pain, 

 and wafli them in a River fo foon as born . which done they return to their 

 ufual work and bufinefs. When they are incensM againft their Husbands, they 

 revenge themfelves by poyfoning their Children. Their Houfcs arc built in 

 the fafliion of a Houfe-clock, with a Roof rais'd from the Wall upon four Pil- 

 lars like the Bell, and cover'd with Palm.Leaves . fome of which are fo big, 

 that they afford room for fix hundred Men : every feventh or eighth year they 

 remove, becauie (as they fay) the Air is oftentimes infe&ed by Mens Breaths, 

 by their long continuance in one place. Their Riches confift in Feathers of 

 divers colours, Strings of Fifh-bones inteflningled with green and white 

 Beads, with which they adorn their Heads, Arms, Legs, Ears, and Checks : 

 Gold and Pearls they make little account of 5 and as to Trade and Commerce 



with 





