The Women wear long Chains of Snail-shells, which hang down over their Shoulders; their Faces are Painted with divers colour’d Rings, surrounded with Specks; their Necks and Arms they adorn with Necklaces and Armlets of little Bones: They carry their Husbands Provisions in time of War.
Their Army they order by blowing on the Horn Inubia; others play on Mens Bones kill’d a little before: for going by Water they use Boats made of the Barks of Trees, each whereof being able to carry fifty Men, go exceeding swift: The strongest Men always march before, and as many as they take, whether Men, Women, or Children, they are all kill’d and roasted in their Boucans.
Their manner of Fighting.
Their Villages consist of Houses of eighty, ninety, or a hundred Paces long; those that lie near the Enemy are fenc’d with Walls and Pallisado’s against any Attempt. Their Field-Battels are very terrible; for as soon as they get sight of one another, they howl like Wolves; which Tone they raise as they approach nearer and nearer, and with their Horns and Pipes make also a mighty sound; then shaking their former Enemies Teeth (which they wear about their Necks) at one another, they cry, That they shall immediately fall into each others hands for Food: whereupon they throw their Darts at one another, which are adorn’d with all sorts of Feathers, and if any one be wounded, he pulls out the Dart, and bites the same like a mad Dog; next falling to their Clubs, they knock one anothers Brains out: which manner of Fighting lasts commonly some hours before the one or other Party leave the Field. All their Prisoners they fatten, and eat them at a Merry-meeting; at which when they have Danc’d seven hours together, three Men lead the Prisoner, ty’d with a Rope made of the Bark of a Tree call’d Juira, through their Village, whilest the Prisoner looking to and again, saith in a scornful manner thus unto them, You, do ye hear? I have eaten your Fathers: and to others, I have roasted your Brother; your Nephew also tasted very well; my Death will be sufficiently reveng’d: Having carry’d him about for some time, they put the Rope so strait about his Middle, that he can neither stir one way nor other; then they give him Stones in his Hands, and lay others at his Feet, saying, Now take Revenge for your Death before you die: then he immediately throws at those who are nearest him; and when Stones are wanting, he throws with Earth: at last comes the Executioner, adorn’d with Feathers, with a black Club in his Hand, and asks, Have not you at several times eaten of our Relations? to which the Prisoner undauntedly answers, Pa che tan tan, ajouca, atoupave, that is, Yes, I am he that have eaten several of your People, and laying his Hands upon his Head, cries out, O how valiantly did I behave my self therein! The Executioner replies, And therefore shall you be kill’d by me, and serve for Food for these Spectators: Then the Prisoner answers again, What care I, since I know my Death will be reveng’d: which said, his Brains are dash’d out, and falling on the Ground, he is carry’d away by his Wife (for the Conqueror commonly betroths his Sister or Daughter to the Prisoner,) who seemingly bemoans the Body, of which she hath the first Cut when it is Dress’d; then the old Women put the Corps into scalding Water, in which they let it lie till the Skin comes off; then the Owner of the Prisoner quartering the Body, distributes it amongst the Guests; the pieces laid on their Gridirons call’d Boucans, are turn’d by the old Women, who lick up the Dripping, desiring the By-standers to bring more such Food, and with the Blood anoint the Childrens Faces; the Meat being broyl’d every one takes a piece, and eats it up to the Bones, which are kept as Trophies.
Brasilians molested by an evil Spirit.
The Brasilians do not onely thus plague one another, but they are likewise tormented by an evil Spirit, which they call Aygnan and Caagerrel, if credit may be given to John Leerius a Burgundian, who relates, that he hath often seen them sweat out of fear; and striking their Hands upon their Thighs, cry out, Mair autourassap, acequerey, Aygnan atoupave, that is, O my Fool, my Companion, I fear the Devil above all Evils.
Diseases peculiar to Brasile.
Amongst several Diseases to which Brasile is subject, there is one call’d Pians, as malignant as the French POX, proceeding from libinousness, the whole Body being full of Carbuncles, each about the bigness of a Man’s Thumb.
Strangers in Brasile are also much troubled with a Giddiness, occasion’d by the extream Cold in the Night; as also with sore Eyes, which they get by going abroad before Sun-rising, or after Sun-setting.
The Palsie is also very common there, taking People so suddenly, that falling down stiff on the Ground, they are often in danger of losing their Breath.