The Fish Manati.
A King of this Countrey in former times us’d to feed the Fish Manati with Bread, in the Lake Guainabo, where it would appear at its being call’d Matto, Matto, which signifies Noble-minded, and oftentimes carry eight or ten Boys on its Back from one side of the Lake to the other; but being shot by a Spaniard with an Arrow, never appear’d again.
There is likewise a black Beast in this Countrey call’d Cascu, resembling in some things a Hog; it hath a hard Skin, little Eyes, open Ears, cloven Feet, short Nose, and makes such a terrible noise, that it affrights those which hear it.
No less strange and wonderful is the Fox-Ape, which hath two Bellies one under another; in the lowermost of which it carries its Young, which are never brought into the World till they are able to shift for their own Food. It hath the Body of a Fox, Feet like a Man’s Hands, and Ears like a Batt.
It will not be amiss before we conclude with this Province, to give you a Relation of the Discourse which hapned Anno 1527. between the Spanish Commander Francisco de Monteio and the Nicaraguan Casique Alquinotex, who being a hundred and ten years old, told him, “That before the Spaniards arrival there, great numbers of his Soldiers perish’d after a strange manner; for after having vomited abundance of Worms, they fell down dead on a sudden: those that escap’d the Contagion differing amongst themselves, made two Parties, which twice Engaging with one another, each of them lost above a hundred and fifty thousand Men. Yet both these Plagues were no ways to be compar’d to the Slaughter which the Spaniards had made amongst them.”
About the same time an Italian, call’d Hieronymo Bonzo, Lodging with a Nicaraguan Noble-man that understood the Spanish Tongue, was thus set upon by him: What do not (Oh Christ) the Christians do! they no sooner get their Foot into an Indian’s Hut, but they commandingly call for Maiz, Honey, Winter-Clothes, Gold, Silver, and a Woman to cool their lustful desires: Certainly there is nothing more vicious on Earth. To which Bonzo gave him this Answer: The wicked Spaniards commit oftentimes unseemly things. The Indian again suddenly retorted, saying, Where are any such Men to be found as good Spaniards? I have never known any but wicked Villains. To which Bonzo said, Why have you made place for them on Nicaragua? Which was thus reply’d to by the Noble-man: “All People round about took Oath on the first News of the Christians arrival, to hazard all, and fight to the last Man, before they would be under the insupportable Yoke, with which they had heard other Countreys were oppress’d with by them. To which purpose they made ready Bowes, Arrows, Lances, Stones, Clubs, and other Weapons of War: But when it came to the trial, the Spanish Horse, of which they had never seen the like, struck such a terror into the Indians, that they fled, and sent two Agents to Monteio to desire Peace; but their Design was onely to gain time, that they might gather new Forces, to venture a second Encounter; which prov’d as fatal to them as the first. Then desiring Peace once more, they gather’d all that were able to bear Arms, and swore one to another not to stir a Foot; and withal made a Law, That whosoever did shrink should be kill’d immediately: But the Women being inform’d hereof, begg’d that they might rather suffer under the Spanish Yoke, than be torn in pieces by their Dogs, or kill’d by their Bullets and Swords, alledging, that they were not able to resist the Spaniards; and entreated them, that if they were resolv’d to go on with their first Design, they would first send their Wives and Children to the other World, that so they might not fall into the hands of the merciless and bloody Christians: Whereupon most Voices judg’d it convenient to make use of the Opportunity, and to submit to Monteio. But his cruel dealings made some to contradict that Determination, for which they paid dearly; for not onely they, but their little Infants, were put to the most cruel Deaths imaginable; which made many of them also to lay violent hands on themselves.”
Sect. V.
Costarica.
Bounds and Nature of the Countrey.
Costarica borders on the East with Veragua; on the South and East, with the Sea; and on the North, with Nicaragua. The Countrey it self is barren and mountainous; whose Inhabitants were valiant enough to Encounter with the Spanish Forces, being unwilling to lose their former Priviledges.
This Coast was discover’d full by Christopher Columbus, who Anno 1502. Sailing up the Rivers Belen and Veragua with Barques, took much Gold out of the Mynes Urira, but chiefly from between the Roots of Trees which were grown together.