During the rainy Season there are generally standing Pools, in which yearly breed many Fishes, which are taken up by the Inhabitants when the Pools begin to dry.
Divers kinds of strange Beasts.
Moreover, this Island feeds abundance of four-footed Beasts, amongst which their wild Deer, Rabbets and Hares, differ little from the European. They have also wild Swine call’d Taiassou, who seem to have Navels on their Backs, which cast a sweet Musky smell; besides another sort of Swine, not inferior to the former, but of a stranger shape, being Mouth’d like a Hare, with two long Tusks in their upper Jaws, and two beneath; their Ears like a Mans; the foremost Feet white, and hoof’d like an Ass; the hindermost part of their Body like a Bear, and full of Bristles, half white and half black, three handfuls long: when they creep in their Holes their staring Bristles fall; they keep much amongst Brambles, feed on Apples and Roots; In the Winter Season they Stye themselves up in their Holes.
Here are also Pismire-eaters, call’d Tamandua, with a Boars Head, Dogs Ears, sharp Snout, Horses Hair, and Ox Feet.
The Tapiyre-ete differ little from wild Cows, onely they have shorter Legs and Tails, and wanting Horns, are Arm’d in stead thereof with Teeth; in their Heads are often found a Stone like the Bezoar Stone.
Several sorts of Armadillo’s here differ much in form each from the other.
The wild Cats Margaia are caught for their curious Skin.
The Foxes Janovare, and Leopards Sovassovaran, both curiously mark’d, are very ravenous.
Here is also a deform’d slow creeping Beast call’d Ai, whose Head is like a Mans, and cover’d with rough and grey Hair, on each Foot three Claws close together, and at least a Finger long, sharp Teeth, a smooth high black Nose, little drowsie Eyes, no Ears, a Tail small above and broad at the bottom, long Ash-colour’d Hair over all the Body; and being about the bigness of a Fox, it climbs slowly up the Trees, and comes not down before it hath eaten off all the Leaves; it feeds also on Earth, and sometimes sits on a high Bough without Meat twenty days together; it goes so softly, that it will hardly clear fifty Paces in twenty four hours.
On this Island are likewise all sorts of Apes and Monkies, amongst which is one most remarkable, call’d The Zimme Cayon, hairy all over, with a long white Beard, an old Mans Face, bald Ears, black Eyes and long Tail, which they wind about a Bough, and so hanging, swing themselves from one Tree to another; they are very fierce as well as subtile, for being wounded with an Arrow, they set upon their Enemy without the least fear; when they climb up the Trees, they carry their Mouths and Hands full of Stones to throw at Travellers; and if any one of them chance to be wounded, all the rest that are near come to help him, and stop the Wound with Leaves, and the like; the young ones hang upon the Backs of their Dams, who run very swift with them, and leap from one Tree to another.