lio 



CruekjP on 



i he conquer \i 



Remark able 

 Mourning 

 for the Dead, 



Ilmimns dif- 

 fer amongft 

 tkemlelve*. 



Hcrruophro- 

 ditcs. 



Their manner 

 of taking 

 Crocodiles. 



As alfo their 

 Peer. . 



AMERICA. Chap. ill. 



Bodies as if without Joynts . at length being wearied they leap out of the Circle, 

 and inform the King of the number and condition of the Enemies Army. Thofc 

 whom they take Prifoners they flay alive,and drying their Skins at the Krc,tic them 

 to long Poles, and carry them home as Trophies of their Victory, and afterwards 

 fet them up in fome Field or fpacious place, putting both Men and Women to 

 watch them \ then comes the Pried with a woodden Image, and utters Execrations 

 againft the flain Enemies \ at a corner of the Fields kneel three Men, one of which 

 ftriking with great force on a Stone, gives as many Blows as the Prieft pronounces 

 Curfes, whilflTthc other two (hake their Calabajhes fill'd with Stones,and Sing many 

 ftrange' Songs : No fooner is this ended, but the Women whole Husbands are (lain 

 in the Battel, walking to the King, cover their Faces with their Hands, make many 

 ftrange Geftures,and defire liberty to take what revenge they can,and licence alfo to 

 Marry at the limited time . all which the King permitting, they return thus com- 

 forted home crying. Not long after they go to the place where their Husbands lie 

 buried, where they crop their Hair up to their Ears, and throw it on the Grave, as 

 alfo the Arms and Drinking-Cups which the Deceafed us'din their lifetime ; after 

 which they may not Marry before their Hair be grown again to their Shoulders. 

 The fame Cuftom is alfo obferv'd when their King is buried • but then alfo all his 

 Subjects Faft and Howl three days together, ftick his Grave full of Arrows, and 

 burn his Houfe and all his Goods. 



The Floridans differ amongft themfelves very much, for thofe that inhabit the 

 Province Tanuca, which borders upon New Spain, are valiant and cruel People, 

 Offering their Prifoners to their Idols,and eating them. The Men pluck up the Hair 

 of their Beards by the Root, make holes through their Nofc and Ears, and Marry 

 not till their fortieth Year. 



Next to thefc follow the Realms of Aranaris and Albardaofamhabitcd by a Peo- 

 ple, which exceed all others in fubtihy. 



The Natives ofjaquaqa run fafter than a Deer, and tire not though thfcy travel 



a whole day. 



The beft Swimmers are found in Jlpachia, Autbia, and Sotneria, where the Wo- 

 men Swim through deep and great Rivers with their Children in their Arms. Here 

 alfo are many Hermophrodites, which carry all the Luggage when an Army is 



upon a March. 



We find mention'd alfo two other Provinces of note, vi*,. Colas (which lies near 

 the Point call'd Cape Florida) and Tegifta,ot Florida properly fo call'd, being that long 

 <Peninfula, which pointing upon the Me Cuba, by the Cape Los Martyres, ftretcheth it 

 fclf North and South about a hundred Leagues in length, but not above thirty in 

 breadth where it is largeft. In this Province is the flrjo it lo Spirito Santo. The Soyl, 

 though it produces Indian Wheat twice a year, yet it is never Dung'd, but when 

 the Corn (which is planted in March and June) is in, they burn the Weeds . the 

 Allies of which fcrves them in ftead of Soil. The King divides the Corn accor. 

 ding to every Mans Family. In the Winter they dwell four Moneths in the 

 Woods, where they build fmall Huts of Palm-boughs, feed on Venifon, fmoak'd 

 Fiffi, and Crocodiles, which have pure white Flefh, and are caught after this man- 

 ner : On the Shore of the Rivers they build little Houfes full of round Holes, in 

 which they place a Watch, who is to give notice to ten or twelve Affociates, co- 

 vered all over with Boughs full of little {harp Prickles, which they thruft into the 

 Crocodiles Throat, who with open Mouth comes running at them, and fo throw- 

 ing him on his Back, ftick his Belly full of Arrows, and kill him with Clubs. But 



with more fubtilty and art they take their Deer, *ifr They hide themfelves under 



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