A Voage to 



Neither ai'6 they more dainty in their Food, than in their 

 Apparel ; a little Maize, or Indian Corn, lame Potatoes, 

 Fruit, Fifli, and Game, being moftly Monkeys, fatif- 

 fies them. Thofe People, at firft Sight, appear wretched; 

 but they are, in Reality, happier than the Europeans; be- 

 ing unacquainted with the Curiofities and fuperfluous Con- 

 veniencies fo much fought after in Europe, they are fatisfyM 

 without thinking of thenir They live in a Tranquillity 

 which is not difturb'd by Taxes, or the Inequality of Con- 

 ditions : The Earth, of its own Accord, furnifhes them 

 with all Things neceffary for Life ; Wood and Leaves, 

 Cotton and the Skins of Beafts, to cover themfelves and lie 

 on : They covet not that Magnificence of Lodgings, 

 Houfhold-ftuff, and Equipage, which only ftir up Ambi- 

 tion, and for fome Time cherifti Vanity, without making 

 a Man ever the more happy. What is ft ill more remark- 

 able, is, that they are fenfible of their Happinefs, when 

 they fee us feek for Plate with fo much Fatigue. The 

 only Thing they are to be pity'd for, is, their living in Ig- 

 norance : They are Chriftians it is true, but hovy are they 

 inftrudted in their Religion, having only a Chaplain of 

 Lagoa, who comes to fay Mafs to them on the principal 

 Feftivals of the Year ? However, they pay Tythe to the 

 Church, which is the only Thing exacted from them. 



In other refpe&s, they enjoy a good Climate, and a very 

 wholfome Air : They feldom have any other Diftemper be- 

 fides that they call Mai de Biche, which is a Pain in the 

 Head, attended with a Tenefmus, or continual Defire of 

 going to Stool without doing any thing , and they have a 

 very fimple Medicine for it, which they look upon as a 

 Specifick, which is, to apply to the Fundament a little 

 Lemon, or elfe a Plaifter of Gun-powder diffolv'd in 

 Water. 



They have alfo many Medicines of the Simples of the 

 Country, to cure other Diftempers that miy feize them, 

 Saffafras, the Wood fo well known for its good Scent, 

 and for its Vertue againft Venereal Diftempers, is fo com- 

 mon 



