C a p. X VIII T^Caribby^ Hands. 



SEA-DEVILS- 



ON theCoaftsof thefe Illands there is fometimes taken by 

 the f ifhers a Monfrer which is ranked among the kinds of 

 Sea-Devils 0 by reaibn of its hideous figure : ft is about four 

 foot long, and proportionally big : it hath on the back a great 

 bunch full of prickles like thofe of a Hedg-Hog : The (kin of 

 it is hard, uneven and rugged, like that of the Sea-dog, and of 

 a black colour : The head of it is flat, and on the upper part 

 hath many little rifings, among which may be feen two little ve- 

 ry black eyes : The mouth which is extreamly wide, is arnfd 

 with feveral very {harp teeth, two whereof are crooked and 

 bent in like thofe of a wild Boar : it hath four fins, and a tail 

 broad enough, which is forked at the extremity : But what got 

 it the name of Sea-Devil^ is, that above the eyes there are two 

 little black horns, (harp enough, which turn towards his back 

 like thofe of a Ram : Befides that this Monfrer is as ugly as any 

 thing can be irnagin'd, the meat of it, which isfoft and full of 

 firings, is afciblute poyfon 5 for it caufes ftrange vomitings 

 and fuch fwoonings as would be follow'd by death if they be 

 notfoon prevented by the taking of adofe of good Mithridate^ 

 or fome other Antidote. This dangerous creature is fought af- 

 ter only by the curious, Who are glad to have any thing thair 

 comes from it to adorn their defers: Andfoit comes to pafs 

 that this Devil, who never brought men any profit while it 

 lived, gives a little fatisfadtion to their eyes after his death. 



There is another kind of Sea-Devil 3 no lefs hideous then the 

 precedent, though of another figure : The largeft of this kind 

 are not much above a foot in length from the head to the tail : 

 They are almoft as much in bredth 5 but when they pleafe 

 they i well themfelves up, fo as that theyfeem to be round as 

 a bowl : Their wide mouths are arm'd with many little but ve- 

 ry fliarp teeth, andinfteadof a tongue they have only a little 

 bone which is extreamly hard : Their eyes are very fparkling, 

 and fo fmall, and deep fet in the head, that the ball thereof 

 can hardly be difcerned : They have between the eyes a little 

 horn which turns up , and before it a pretty big ftring that 

 hath at the end of it a little button : Befides their tail, which is 

 like the broad end of an Oar, they have two plumes, one on 

 the back which ftands as it were upright, and the other under 

 the belly : Tfiey have alfo two fins , one of each fide over 

 againftthe midftof the belly, havirag at the extremities fome- 

 what like little paws, each whereof is divided into eight claws, 

 which are armea with fliarp nails : their {kin is rough,and prick- 

 ly all over, like that of the Requiem^ iavc only under the belly : 

 It is of a dark red colour and marked with black fpots: the meat 

 of them is not to be eaten : They may be eafily flayed, and the 



P {kin 



