Sect. XII.
The Journey of Rodulphus Baron, with the Description of the Customs and Manners of the Tapuyans.
Rodulphus Baron, to make a Discovery of the Countrey, upon the Encouragement of Grave Maurice, who allow’d him to that purpose a yearly Revenue, undertook a remarkable Journey, accompany’d with three Tapuyans; who going out of the Village Caneri without any store of Provisions, left the Mountains Cupaeva on the right-hand, and went seventy Leagues into the Countrey, without meeting with any People, onely he found one Mountain of Fossile Glass; from whence he went Southward to the Villages of the Waripebares and Caripati, who having courteously Entertain’d him, appointed certain Persons to accompany him from one Village to another, with Orders to Complement Grave Maurice, who sent them home with several Gifts.
The Waripebares and Caripati inhabit fourteen Villages on the Mountains which Bound Brasile Westward, live by Hunting and Fishing, eat wild Honey and all manner of Fruit, and maintain continual Wars against a mighty People which inhabit the Western Plains.
The Customs and Manners of the Tapuyans.
As for the Tapuyans, they range up and down between the Rivers Grande, Quoauguho, Ocioro, Upameoma, and Voiroguo, without having any setled Abodes; they are a strong People, stern of Countenance, and black Hair’d: In stead of Circumcising their Children, they cut them, which is done after this manner: The Priests stand on a row, Dancing and Singing, whilest one of them swings the Child round about his Head before all the Multitude, and then runs away with it; at last returning, sets it in his Lap, whilest another Priest cutting a Hole in the Ears and Lips thereof, puts little Bones into the same, and the Mother cries and howls after a terrible manner. At these Ceremonies, which end with Dancing and Singing, their King is always present.
The Virgins are kept by their Parents till the Mothers perceive them to have their Monethly Courses, which they immediately reveal to the Priests, who acquaint the King therewith, before whom the Maid, being Painted red, is brought; whom having smoak’d with Tobacco, he throws an Arrow at a Garland, which she wears on her Head, and if he chances to hit it, he gives her his Benediction, by licking certain parts of her Body, from which she hopes to receive long Life.
So soon as a Woman is gotten with Child by her Husband, she lies no more with him, but he is permitted to enjoy his other Wives, whose number is either more or less, according to every ones pleasure. The Women after Delivery eat their After-birth.
Adultery is free for Men, but if Women be taken in the Act, they are immediately put to Death.
After they have done Soweing and Planting, the King calls all his People and Subjects together, and appears to them hung round with Garlands; and all of them have their Bodies Painted and stuck full of divers colour’d Feathers.