Chap: VII. A M E%^I C A. 4 8i 



puts his Tongue in at the Holes. Both the Gnacu and Miri have a thick Skin, and a 

 broad black Streak from their Breafts on each fide up half way their Bodies, and 

 through the black runs alfo a white Streak. No Beaft in the World is hardier than 

 this, for though it fafts twelve days, and is afterwards flay'd alive, yet it will live , 

 feveral hours after* 



The Lakes in (Brafile are for the molt part overgrown with Weeds juft like a 

 Field, yet are exceeding full of Fifli and Fowl. Where the Sea runs into the Lakes, 

 great multitudes of Crabs are feen crawling along the Ground, and the Oyfters 

 hang in Clutters on the Boughs of a Plant call'd Manyle or Mangues, which grow n* plant 

 with their Roots either near or in the Water, in fuch a manner, that new Bodies Mm,k% 

 ftill flioot from the old Roots, which prevents eafie accefs to the chief Plant, on 

 whofe uppermoft Leaves after Sun-rifing flicks very white Salt, which in the 

 Night, or in a cloudy Day turns to a brackifli Dew. Moreover, thoft places where 

 Brafile rifes with Hills and Mountains, are likewife very fruitful, except the barren 

 topsoffome, which feem to kifs the Skyes 5 and though the fruitful Mountains 

 flourifh in the time of the rainy Months, yet many of the Trees which grow on 

 them die in Summer, and their Allies being burnt by the Inhabitants, are us'd in 

 ftead of Dung. Some Woods extend themfelvcs three hundred Leagues in length, 

 and are full of Trees, fo tall, that an Arrow fhot upwards falls fhort of the top of 

 them, and a Boat may be made out of the Body, which can carry a hundred and 

 fifty Men. On the great Boughs of thefe mighty Trees grow other excrefcent 

 Shrubs after the manner of Mifleltoe, which proceed from the Kernels fwallow'd 

 and muted upon them by the Birds that light there. In fome places alfo grow 

 alfo Sweet*wood Trees, which afford either excellent Gums or Wood to Dye with ; 

 amongft which the chief is the Ibiripitanga, which yields the Srajik Wood, that 

 gives Denomination o£Brafile to this vaft Tract of Land. The Tree Ibripita?iga is ^^1™ 

 tall and fpreading, hath fad colour'd Bark full of {hort Thorns ; the Leaves are ^'/''"»j«- 

 green, and differ in form but little from the Box-Tree Leaf ; the Boughs flioot 

 forth other letter, full of yellow and fweet-fmelling Flowers, which falling off 

 are fucceedcd by aflat long Cod, of a dark grey colour, full of little red Pulfe ; 

 the upper part of the Tree is not good to Dye with, but onely the lower part of 

 the Body, which becaufe the Tree grows far up in the Countrey, is not tranfport- 

 able without much trouble. But the Tatai-iba grows in the Woods along the Shore 5 ti* ; Tr« 

 the Bark being of an Afli*colour, invefts a yellow Wood ; the Leaves are fliarp and 

 notch'd, the Fruit not unlike Mulberries, pale, juicy, and full of white Seed ; the 

 Wood boyl'd Dyes a pure Yellow. It is obfervable not onely of this Tree, but 

 generally of the Trees of this Countrey, that they neither flourifh, nor died their 

 Leaves all over at once, nor do feveral Trees of the fame kind, and growing here 

 germinate or fade together ; for whileft one is fulleft of Blofloms, the other is 

 without Leaves ; and whileft the fame Tree flieds its Leaves on one fide, the other 

 fide is newly Budded. 



The European Plants and Herbs with fofc Roots, being once Planted in Brajile^ 

 come to be hard and lignifi'd. There is alfo great difference, according to the 

 Ground in which they are Planted 5 for fuch Plants and Trees as in the Plains are 

 but fmalland tender, grow ten times higher if Planted in the Woods. 



All forts of Indian Pulfe grow higher than the tailed Trees, like high Arbors, 

 under which both Men and Beafts may flielter themfelves from the Sun or Rain, 



Wc find not upon Record or Tradition, that 'Braftle was ever troubled with an 

 Earthquake, which is thereafbn that it hath neither Silver nor Gold*Mines, becaufe 

 fulphurous Fires arc found under Ground, which are a caufe of the production of 



Y y 3 Gold 









