Beasts peculiar to Hispaniola.
The Animals peculiar to this Island are 1. A little Beast call’d Hutias, not much unlike our Coneys. 2. Chemi, almost of the same form, but a little bigger. 3. Mohui, A Beast somewhat less than the Hutias. 4. A Beast call’d Coxi.
The Fly Cuyero.
Likewise amongst other strange sorts of Creatures here, the Cuyero is very observable, being about an Inch big, and having four Wings, of which two are larger than the other: when they flie they shine after such a manner, that in the Night they make a Room as light as day, insomuch that some have made use of them in stead of Candles to Read by.
The Fish Manate.
No less wonderful is the Fish Manate, whose shape hath been describ’d elsewhere: It breeds for the most part in the Sea, yet sometimes swimming up the Rivers, comes ashore and eats Grass. The Casique Caramatexi kept one in the Lake Guaynato, which was so tame, that when call’d by the Name Maton, it us’d to come out of the Water, and go directly to the Casique’s House, where being fed, it return’d to the Lake, accompanied with Men and Boys, who with their Singing seem’d to delight the Fish, which sometimes carried ten Children on its Back over the Water; but at last a Spaniard striking at it with a Pike, it would never come forth again when it espy’d a Cloth’d Man: It liv’d twenty six years in the fore-mention’d Lake, till by accident the River Hayboaic over-flowing into the said Lake, the Fish return’d to the Sea.
The Fish Abacatuaia.
Besides this great Fish, here is also a sort of small Fish, call’d Abacatuaia, with a little Mouth, black Eyes encompass’d with Silver-colour’d Circles, four black Fins, two long ones under its Belly, one on the Back, and one on each side of the Head, the Tail slit and cover’d with a glittering Skin: It is as big as a Flounder, and not ill Meat, but thick and round.
The Insect Nigua.
When the Spaniards first setled on Hispaniola, they were exceedingly tormented with a sort of leaping Insects call’d Nigua, which us’d to eat through their Skin into the Flesh in such a nature, that many of them lost their Arms and Legs; but at last they found out a Remedy against this Evil, viz. the searing the Wounds with hot Irons.