Cap. XII. The Caribby-I Hands. 



of Mufk when it is newly gather'd. And thence is it called 

 Mwb^grain^ and it keeps that fcent a long time, provided it. be 

 kept in a dry place, and in feme veflel where it may take 

 no air. 



In like manner, feveral other Herbs, feveral Shrubs , nay 

 moft of thofe Lienes^ or Withies which creep among the buQies, 

 and fatten for their Support on the Trees growing in the Canb- 

 bies, bear flowers as fair and delightful to the eye, as they are 

 fweet and acceptable to the noftril : infomuch that many 

 times as a man erodes through the Fields, he may come to 

 places where the Air is perfumed ail about. nb 



CHAP. XII. 



Of five kinds of four-footed BeaUs found in 

 thefe Ijlands. 



BEfore the Spaniards and Vortnguez had planted Colonies 

 in America^ there were not in thofe parts any Horfes, 

 Kine, Oxen, Sheep, Goats, Swine, or Dogs. Eur for 

 the better convenience of their Navigations , and fupply of 

 •their Ships in cafe of neceffity, they left lome of thele crea- 

 tures id feveral parts of that new-found World, where they 

 have fince multiply'd fo exceedingly, that now they are more 

 common there then in any part of Europe. 



Befides thefe Foreign kinds of Cattie, there were before in 

 thefe Iflands certain forts of four-footed beafts, fuch as are the 

 Opajfum^ tkejawarfai the Tatau, the Agouty^ and the Mmk-Rat^ 

 whereof we (hall here give the feveral defcriptions. 



OPASSVNL 



THeOpajfumis&t: fame creature which the Brafilians call 

 Carigueya 0 ab tt) oignefs of a Cat : it hath a hharp 

 Snout, the nearer j being ftiorter then the upper, as a Pigs., 

 the Ears 1 0 , t>ioad, and (trait, and the Tail long, Hairle(s 

 towar d the extremity , and turning downwards: the Hair 

 on tne Backisblack intermix'd with grey, and under the Bel- 

 ly, and about the Throat it is yellowtfh : it hath very (harp 

 C'aws, and thence doth eafily climb up Trees : he -feed's on 

 Birds, and loves a Hen as well as the Fox does 5 but for want 

 of prey he can make a fhift to live on fruits. 

 • Whatls particular in this Creature, is, that by a remarkable 

 difference it hath a purfeor bag of its own (kin, folded toge- 

 ther under its Belly, in which it carries its young ones,, which 



