The Waimoores are a strong People that inhabit the large Tract of Land between Bahia and Isleos, and having well timber’d Bodies, can keep pace with a Horse running full speed. Five or six of them often set upon a Sugar-Mill, though a hundred Men be at work in the same: They are all over bedaub’d with Dirt, because they lie like Beasts on the Ground: They wear long Hair, and have no certain Abodes.
The Tomonimenos.
The Tomonimenos, living about Spirito Santo, are more civilis’d; they make Walls of Stone about their Huts; and these Walls are full of Holes, through which they shoot Arrows at those that Invade them; their Bodies are Painted red and black, and cover’d with Feathers. The Portuguese taking sixteen thousand of them Prisoners at once, kill’d most of them, and destroy’d the Countrey all along the River Paraiva.
The Waitaquazes.
At the South and North Point of Cape Frio dwell the Waitaquazes, bigger and stronger than the Waimoores; and they also sleep like Hogs on the Ground about a Fire, hold all People for their Enemies, and their Flesh for the greatest Dainty. The Women Arm’d with Bowes and Arrows stand by their Husbands in Battel.
The Wainasses.
The Description of the Plant Vruca.
On Isla Grande reside the Wainasses, a little People, which have very long Bellies, go stark naked, shave the Crown of their Heads, and let the other part of their Hair hang down long on their Shoulders. The Women, which are of gross Bodies, colour themselves Red with Vruca, which is a wild Plant, but much us’d amongst them: the Kernels are inclos’d in Husks full of red Fibres. These Kernels are not onely mix’d with the other Ingredients of the Chocaletta Drink, but also us’d to Dye of a red Colour: The Wood of this Plant is very white, and the Bark grey, like the Hazle; the Leaves being of a deep Green, resemble a Heart; at the end of the Boughs grow several Blossoms, each as big as a Rose, consisting of five Leaves, partly red and partly white, in the middle whereof are yellowish Threds with purple Points, which give little or no smell: after the Flower follows the Fruit, two Fingers long; when it begins to be ripe it grows still redder and redder, each Cod containing thirty or forty round Kernels, which being touch’d leave a red tincture upon the Fingers; the Cod when ripe opens of it self, and shews the Kernels speckled white, which dry’d, pounded, and mix’d with Piss, Dye so strong a Red, that Linnen dipt into the same will never receive any other Colour. This Root also boyl’d in Broth, makes it not onely red, but gives it a pleasant taste.
The Topinaques.
The Topinaques, which dwell about St. Vincent, are a strong and gross People, go stark naked both Men and Women: when they kill any of their Enemies they Paint themselves with the Fruit Janipano, put a great Plume of Feathers on their Head, and two Sticks in their Mouths, Dancing with strange motions of the Body, inclining sometimes towards the right, and sometimes towards the left side, for three day together; during which time they drink a filthy kind of Liquor. The Women, who have well proportion’d Bodies, onely covering their Heads with a Cap, about which they tie a bread of Hair, to which a square Basket being fastned, hangs below their Backs when they travel.