Chap. III. 



AMERICA 



6\ 



with other People, they know not what belongs to it. Their greateft Friend- 

 fliip confifts in proftiruting their Daughters or Wives to one another. Their 

 Dead they bury in moift Grounds, and put with thefii both Meat and Drink 

 into the Graves : When any Perfon grows very weak by lingring Sickneft, 

 they carry the Difeafed into a neighboring Wood, where they lay him in a Silk 

 Hammock, tied between two Trees j then dancing the whole day about him, 

 at night they fet Bread and Water enough by him to lad four days,and then de- 

 parting look no more after him, who thus neglected feldomcfcape : but if Co 

 it happen that one recover, all his Relations for the future honour him as a 

 god. When any one falls into a Fever, his Friends immediately bathe him in 

 cold Water, and afterwards fet him before a great Fire, then drive him before 

 them till he falls down almoft breathlcfs, and at laft put him to Bed. They 

 neither Let blood in the Arms not Feet, but in their Sides and Calves of their 

 Legs. Sometime they fad four days together, which they fuppofe a great 

 means to preferve their Health. Their Bread confifts of a fort of Fruit call'd 

 Jucba, Cbambi, or Igname. Laftly, no Lyon devours his Prey with more voraci* 

 ous cagernefs, than they their taken Enemies. , 



Vefputitts being fully informed concerning the Situation of Taria, weighed 

 Anchor, and on thefixth day after entred a convenient Harbor, where going 

 afhoreJie found twenty Houfes built in the middle of a Lake on great Ports :* , A V£nr ^ngcVahgc 

 every Houfe had a Draw-bridge, over which they pais d from one to the other. 

 So foon as the Inhabitants fet eye on the Spaniards, they immediately drew up 

 their Bridges : yet fome of them in twelve little Canoos came towards the Spa- 

 nijh Ships, but amaz'dto fee their Looms fo big, durft pot, though hal'd with 

 figns, to come aboard, but hafted away to a high Mountain ; yet feem'd to fig- 

 nifie that they would return, as indeed they did, bringing fixteen Maids along 

 with them, of which they put four into a Spa?iifi Boat, themfelvcs in the inte- 

 rim rowing between the Ships from one to another, fliewing all tokens of 

 friendfhip, when on a fuddeh a Company of old Women came running to the strange Fi°ht. 

 Shore, and tearing the Hair from their Heads, made a terrible nojle and excla* 

 mation, expreffing the greateft forrow they could poflible : whereupon the 

 four Indian Maids fuddenly leap'd overboard, and the Men fhot abundance of 

 Arrows out of their Boats at the Ships ; nay, fome of them fwimming under 

 Water, endeavor'd to fink the Cock-boats which were made faft behind their 

 Ships. Upon this fudden Onfet the Spaniards making life of their Guns, quick- 

 ly leiTen'd the number of the AiTailants, infomuch that they fled to the Shore j 

 yet five of them being overtaken, were carry'd Prifoners aboard. 



Fefputius obferving thefe their mifdemeaning Carriages , judg'd ic no way 

 convenient to ftay any longer among fuch barbarous and deceitful Salvages: 

 but having weighed Anchor,* and Sail'd eighty Leagues along the Coaft, he 

 ran into another convenient Haven, whofe Shore fwarm'd with People, which 

 on a fudden running away, hid themfelvcs in a neighboring Wood. 



Here the Spaniards Landing were amazed, when in their Huts they faw p J^"" 00 ft d rangcIy ^ rc ' 

 Snakes and Serpents roafting before a Fire, whereof one had Wings, and ano- 

 ther whofe Mouth was tied together with a Rope, ftared with open eyes in a 

 frightful manner. 



Here they left feveral Trifles to entice the fled Natives to correfpond with 

 them. And this their Defign prov'd fuccefsful- for the next day the Americans 

 came aboard without the leaft fear, and offer'd to flicw their hofpitable kind- 

 nefsto the Spaniards, if they pleas'd to travel three days Journey with them up 



into 



