154 • The Hiftory of Book I. 



From the violent poyfonof that dangerous and monftrous Ser- 

 pent, which in their Language they call Boicimmnga 3 and the 

 Spaniards Cafcavel. 



. The laft Letters wereceiv'd from Martimco afliire us, that 

 fome confiderable families lately come from Brazil with their 

 Negroes to live in that Iiland, acquainted the Inhabitants with 

 feveral Herbs and Roots growing in the Caribbies, as well as 

 Braflj which are excellent to allay the venom of all kinds of 

 Serpents and poyfon'd Arrows. 



The forementioned remedies may alfo be ufed againft the 

 Venom of the Becune 0 and all the other dangerous fifties. They 

 mav alfo be fuccefsfully employ 'd to prevent the pernicious ef- 

 fects of the juice of Manyoc^the ManchtniUa-tree^ and the fring- 

 ing of Wafpes, Scorpions, and all other venemous Infects. 



SEA-FOAM. 



' I Hofe who go a fiihing, or to wafti themfelves' in the Sea, 

 _I_ do /bmetimes meet with a certain foam which the wind 

 blows to and fro like a little bladder, of a purple colour, of a 

 different figure, and beautiful to the eye , but what part fo- 

 ever of the body it fhall flick to,it immediately caufes in it a very 

 grievous pain, extreamly fharp and burning .* The readied: re- 

 medy that can be apyly'd to alleviate that flinging pain, is, to 

 anoint the place affe&ed with the oyl of the Acajou-nut^ 

 mixt with a little good Aqua-vita* ■> for one heat takes away 

 the other, 



RATS. m 



A /flee and Rats were creatures heretofore unknown to the 

 X^i Caribbians $ but now fince the coming in of fo many 

 Ships to thofc Iflands, and the calling away of divers of them 

 in the very Roads, where they afterwards rot, they have got 

 to land, and are fo multiply'd, that in fome places they do abun- 

 dance of mifchief among the Potatoes, Peafe, Beans, arifi par- 

 ticularly that kind of Wheat which is called Turkey-wheat : 

 Nay did not the Snakes deftroy them, and fearch for them in 

 their holes under ground, in the clefts of rocks, nay even in 

 the coverings of houfes, which confift of Palm -leaves, or Su- 

 gar-canes, it would no doubt be a very hard matter to fecure 

 Provifions from them. Now indeed there are Cats in thefe 

 iflands, which give them no quarte r 5 nay, Dogs are taught to 

 hunt them, and it is no fmalfdiverfion to fee how fubtle they 

 are to find them out, and expert in the hunting and killing 

 of them. 



Nor is this inconvenience particular to the Caribbies } hay 

 it is much worfe in Peru- for Garcilajfo^ in his Royal Commen- 



tary 3 



