I refer the reader to the History of Brazil, vol. i. p. 607, for a farther account of the green stones of the Amazons.
[98] A man of large property being much provoked at some outrage which had been committed by one of these Valentoens, (who was a white man,) had said at his own home, that when he met the man he would horsewhip him. This was repeated to the outlaw, and shortly afterwards they met accidentally in one of the narrow-paths in the neighbourhood. The Valentam was well-armed with musket, sword, and knife; he requested the gentleman to stop, as he had something to say to him. The outlaw asked him for a pinch of snuff, and then offered his own box, from which a pinch was in like manner taken. He then mentioned the injurious words which had been repeated to him. The unfortunate offender directly imagined what would follow, and therefore set spurs to his horse, but the road was without any bend for some distance; the Valentam knelt down upon one knee, and fired with the effect which he wished for. He quietly walked on along the same road, telling the whole story of his meeting, at the first village through which he passed. This man was at last taken, tried, and hanged at Bahia, through the very great exertions of the brother of the person whom he had murdered. He could not be executed at Pernambuco because he was a white man. The transaction occurred at a short distance from Jaguaribe, about fifteen years ago.
[99] Labat speaks of a tree, of which the fruit is a perfect cure for the bite of the most dangerous snakes. He says that it comes from the isthmus of Darien; that the buccaniers were informed of its virtue by the Indians who accompanied them in their expeditions across the isthmus. He does not give the name of the tree; but says “sans nous embarasser du nom de l’arbre nous nous contentons d’appeller son fruit noix de serpent.” In his time there were three of these trees at Martinique, which were of the size of apricot trees in France. He says that he witnessed the success of the fruit. The account of the plant and its virtues is too long to be inserted here. It is to be found in the Nouveau Voyage aux isles de l’Amerique, tom. iii. p. 234 to 238.
In the same work, I find the following manner of cure from the bite of a snake, which will not however be very generally adopted. “Ceux qui ont assez de courage ou de charité pour s’exposer a faire cette cure se gargarisent bien la bouche avec de l’eau-de-vie; et après avoir scarifié la place, ils la succent de toute leur force, ils rejettent de tems en tems ce qu’ils ont dans la bouche, et se la nettoyent et gargarisent à chaque fois, observant de presser fortement avec les deux mains les environs de la partie blessée. On a vú de trés bons effets de cette cure, mais elle est trés-dangereuse pour celui qui la fait; car s’il a la moindre ecorchûre dans la bouche, ou qu’il avale tant soit peu de ce qu’il retire, il peut s’attendre à mourir en peu de momens, sans que toute la medecine le puisse sauver.” tom. i. p. 167.
[100] In the year 1630, the island contained three and twenty sugar works.—History of Brazil, vol. i. p. 476.
[101] History of Brazil, vol. i. p. 36.
[102] History of Brazil, vol. i. p. 476.
[103] History of Brazil, vol. i. p. 489.
[104] History of Brazil, vol. i. p. 540.
[105] History of Brazil, vol. ii. p. 143.