Great Water^Snake ojf Brazil* 79 
within their reach, be it Man or Beaft.‘ 4 ».i 699 . 
They draw their Prey to them with their 
Tails : for when they fee any thing on the 
Banks of the River or Lake where they 
lurk, they fwing about *heir Tails 10 or 
12 Foot over the Bank ; and whatever 
Bands within their Sweep is fnatcht with 
great Violence into the River, and drown- 
ed by thepi. Nay kis reported very cre- 
dibly that if they fee only a fliade of any 
Animal at all on the Water , they will 
flourifli their Tails to bring in the Man or i 
Beall whole lhade they fee , and are often- 
times too fuccefsful in it. Wherefore Men 
that have Bufinefs near any place where 
thefe Water-Monfters are fufpefted to lurk, 
are always provided with a Gun, which 
they often fire, and that fcares them away, 
or keeps them quiet. They are faid to 
have great Heads , and ftrong Teeth a- 
bout 6 Inches long. I was told by an lri(h 
Man who lived here, that his Wives Fa- 
ther was very near being taken by one of 
them about the time of my firft Arrival 
here, when his Father was with him up in 
the Country ; for the Beaft flourifht his 
Tail for him, hut came not nigh enough 
by a yard or two ; however it feared him 
fufficiently. 
The Amphibious Creatures here which 
I faid are called by the Portuguefe Cuchor^% 
de or Water-dogs, are laid to be as 
big 
