The Natives of this Island of Maragnan, driven out of the pleasant Countrey Cayete by the Portuguese, are a sort of the Toupinambas, who Setled here about a hundred and fifty years ago. The time of their first coming hither us’d formerly to be solemniz’d with the great Feast call’d Caoven; but because a Woman boldly set upon a Commander in his Cups, there arose a great Tumult amongst them, and ever since the Island hath been divided, one Party calling the other Tobaiares, that is, We are Enemies: They are so inveterate against one another, that who e’re they take Prisoners they unmercifully devour: Both are of a middle Stature, have flat Noses, which the Midwives make at the Birth of the Child, they are generally a strong People, and many of them living a hundred years, without being grey, bald, or sick; they live temperate, and under a wholsom Climate: Some of their Women bear Children (as they say) till they are eighty years of age, which being born white, turn to be of a Tawny colour, by being anointed with Suet call’d Roucon, and Oyl; otherwise they are well proportion’d. The Men pluck out all the Hair of their Foreheads, but suffer it to hang pretty long over their Ears, and behind. The Women let their Hair hang down to their Middle, and wear woodden Ear-rings, but the Men hang green Beads in their Lips, and thrust little Bones through their Noses. They go all stark naked, their Legs are colour’d black with the Juice of the Herb Junipap, and upon the other parts of their Body appear Figures of several Representations. Those that will manifest their Valor, and be accounted hardy, gash their Bodies all over with Wounds, which they heal in such a manner, that the Scars may more plainly appear. They never come to their usual Feasts, but dress’d up in various colour’d Feathers; upon the Crown of their Heads they wear Caps stuck with Plumes, which they call Acangoap, or Coronets, call’d Acangerar; about their Necks, the Necklaces Aiouacava; over their Shoulders, the Mantles Assoyave; their Garters they call Tabacoura, at which they hang hollow Nutshells full of little Stones, which gingle and rattle as they go, and about their Arms Armlets call’d Mapouyh-couaychovare; all which are curiously checker’d with various colour’d Feathers.
The Maragnans live not much up in the Countrey, but rather on the Sea-Coast, because of their Fishing, removing every sixth year, calling the Village where they Settle, by the former Name.
They take every Man as many Wives as he pleaseth, but the Women must stick each to one Man, unless she be Divorc’d from him, which often happens upon small occasions.
Their Cotton Hammocks call’d Yu, on which they sleep, hang between two Stakes, in which they lie.
Singular Friends and Relations Feast one another daily; but they are cruel and revengeful against their neighboring Enemies, whom, when they take any of them, they fatten, kill, and eat. The least affront done them, or injurious word spoken to them, or against their Predecessors, makes them take up Arms, which consist of Bowes and Arrows, which they call Ouyrapar and Oune.
Here the French have built the Fort St. Lovis on an Island, from whence Westward may be seen the Cape Tapouytapere, which at High-water seems like an Island, and lies four Leagues from thence; at Low-water they can walk over the Sands from the same to the Main Land.
This fruitful Countrey hath twenty populous Villages.
Westward lies Comma, which gives Denomination to the chief Village, the River, and the rest of that Countrey, wherein are sixteen more handsom Villages, better built, and more populous than Maragnan or Tapouytapere.
Concerning the building of the fore-mention’d Fort on Maragnan, it hapned as followeth:
The occasion of building the Fort Maragnan.