Juan Ardenois relates, That the Coyons play at certain Games with the Natives for Money, and spend what they win in publick Houses.
Joseph de Acosta tells us, That one of these kind of Creatures being sent to a Tavern for Wine, would not part with his Money before his Pot was fill’d, which he defended from the Boys that offer’d to take it from him, by throwing Stones at them; and though it lov’d Wine very well, yet brought it always home without tasting.
It is no less wonderful what Peter Martyr relates of one of these Creatures, viz. That observing one ready to fire a Gun at him, before he could discharge, it leap’d from the Tree and snatch’d up a Child, which he held as a Buckler before him.
The Sagovin.
The Sagovin resembles a Lyon in the fore-part of the Body, with shaggy Hair; they are exceeding dainty and tender, yet so stubborn and sullen, that they take pet at the least affront, and often pine themselves away and die with hunger.
The Boyete, and other sorts of Serpents.
The Serpent Boy-ete, two Fathoms long, without Legs, having a bright speckled Skin and four sharp Teeth, wounds also mortally with its Tail; but is the less dangerous, because at the end of the Tail grows a Bladder, which moving rattles as if there were Pease in it, which gives notice to the Traveller, though unwary, by which means he makes his escape.
The other Serpents call’d Jouboy, Tara-gouyboy, and Tarehuboy, serve the Natives for a great Delicacy; as also the great Toads or Frogs, call’d Tourourou.
They have also a sort of Flies call’d Ton, which exceedingly molest them, against which their chiefest Medicine is Palm-tree Oyl, and the Roucou, with which they colour their Skins.