Chap. III. AMEBIC A T> 



Wefterly,and having gone fixty Leagues he went a(horc,and ipent fome days in 



vain,to CoUrtthe Americans to a friendly correfpondency - which whi 1ft he was 



doing, he was recruited with fifty Men from Varia, Commanded by UdowicK 



Mercado : fo both agreed together to travel over the Mountains to the South Sea. 



The Governor J nana, whofe Jurifdi&ions abound in Gold, flying with mod 



part of his Treafure, was never heard of, onely they took fome of his Slaves, **»# s »"«- 



whofe Faces were ftrangely Carv'd with (harp Fiflubones, the Wounds 



fill'd with red and black Powder, which fo difcolour'd the Flefli that it could 



never be got out* After that they traveled through the Wildernefs five days 



together, being onely met by Come Indians carrying Mai^ who (ignirVd to them, 



that King feriguete liv'd along the Sea-(hore, and up into the Countrey the 



blind Totonoga . of both which they got an unvaluablc Treafure of Gold. Great Boot*. 



Amongft other Pieces of that rich Metal was one which weighed two pound. 



Taracura rais'd in this Expedition eighteen thoufand weight of Gold : and ^ 



little lefs did they takeout of the Territories belonging to the Princes Pana* 

 nome, Tabor, Cheru, and Scoria : The Prifoners fcrv'd them in ftead of Horfes, 

 they not being able to carry all the Gold themfclvcs, the meancft Soldier having 

 above three thoufand Pounds Sterling for his (hare. 



They were now got to Panda's Kingdom, not without leaving fad remarks JSg***** the s ** 

 of their avarice and cruelties. When Parity furrounding this Party thus loader! 

 with Gold, Charged fo fiercely, that at the firft Affault feventy of them were 

 (lain * thofe few that cfcap'd brought the tidings of their fad misfortune to 

 Peter ' Arias. Amongft thofe that efcaping returned, was Francifcus Velapuente, 

 whofe obfervations concerning catching Parrots and wild Fowl, we will 

 briefly relate, the digreflion being but fliort. 



The Indian where the Parrots are moft frequent climbs into a Tree, and j£**¥ *f*M* 

 chattering like them, with his Voice imitating their Notes, allures his fellow- 

 prater to draw near, and fufFer him to take them in his Hands. But more 

 belongs to the taking of wild Fowl, as Geefe, Ducks, Swans, and the like : 

 From the bottom of their (landing Pools and Lakes in that Countrey grow 

 Weeds, which fpreading upon the Water ripen, and rotting breed Water- 

 flies, Spiders, and Frogs, upon which the Fowls feed. Near thefe Pools in 

 the Gardens grow Cabbages as high as Trees, which often dropping into the 

 Water ferve the Birds both for Nefts and Food : but the skilful Fowler finds 

 it his bed way to take one of thefe Cabbages, and making it hollow in the 

 middle, claps it on his Head like a Helmet, then going into the Water up to 

 his Chin, and paffing foftly along irt fuch manner, that nothing is fcen but the 

 floating Cabbage, and coming near the Birds, he takes them one after another 

 by the Legs, and puts them into a Bag ty'd about his middle for that purpofc. 

 But What is more worthy obfervation is the American Bird Toucan Xocbitena- 

 chate, having a flefhy Bill, like a Mouth full of Teeth, which continually opens 

 and (huts to draw Breath, having no Noftrils . the Back, Neck, and Wings, 

 arc black the Breaft yellow like Gold, the Belly and end of the Tail of a 



Vermillion colour. 



This Bird Toucan feeds for the moft part on Pepper, which tarries not long Evacuate* Pepper. 

 with them, but muted almoft as foon as fwallowed : which Pepper thus eva- 

 cuated the Natives value above their common, becaufe the unpleafmg (harp 

 acidity, or biting quality is thereby much mitigated. 



But to return : Whilft the Expeditions under the Command of Peter Aria* 

 had fuch bad fuecefs, ^ri* himfclf and Vafcbus Kunne^ hapned to clafh : Huh- 



t ^ **< 



Strange Bird Ttncaiu 



