176 



APPENDIX. 



No. 24 (a). 



Extract from the Voyage of Lionel Wafer in 1686, describing the 

 Island of Santa Maria, under the mistaken name of Mocha. 



" The island afforded both water and fresh provision for our men. 

 The land is very low and flat, and upon the sea coast sandy ; but the 

 middle ground is good mould, and produces maize, wheat, and barley, 

 with variety of fruits, &c. Here were several houses belonging to the 

 Spanish Indians, which were very well stored with dunghill fowl. 

 They have here also several horses : but that which is most worthy of 

 note, is a sort of sheep they have, which the inhabitants call * carnero 

 de tierra.' This creature is about four feet and a half high at the back, 

 and a very stately beast. These sheep are so tame that we frequently 

 used to bridle one of them, upon whose back two of the lustiest men 

 would ride at once round the island, to drive the rest to the fold. 

 His ordinary pace is either an amble or a good hand-gallop ; nor 

 does he care for going any other pace during the time his rider 

 is upon his back. His mouth is like that of a hare ; and the hare-lip 

 above opens as well as the main-lips, when he bites the grass, which 

 he does very near. His head is much like an antelope, but they had 

 no horns when we were there ; yet we found very large horns much 

 twisted, in the form of a snail-shell, which we suppose they had shed ; 

 there lay many of them scattered upon the sandy bays. His ears 

 resemble those of an ass, his neck is small, and resembling a camel's. 

 He carries his head bending and very stately, Hke a swan ; is full- 

 chested, like a horse, and has his loins much like a weU-shaped grey- 

 hound. His buttocks resemble those of a full-grown deer, and he has 

 much such a tail. He is cloven-footed, lil^e a sheep, but on the inside 

 of each foot has a large claw, bigger than one's finger, but sharp, 

 and resembling those of an eagle. These claws stand about two 

 inches above the division of the hoof ; and they serve him in climb- 

 ing rocks, holding fast by whatever they bear against. His flesh eats 

 as like mutton as can be : he bears wool twelve or fourteen inches 

 long upon the belly ; but it is shorter on the back, shaggy, and a 

 little incHning to curl. It is an innocent and very serviceable beast, 

 fit for any drudgery. Of these we killed forty- three ; out of the maw 

 of one of which I took thirteen bezoar stones, of which some were 

 ragged, and of several forms ; some long, resembling coral ; some 



