Their Priests, call’d Peeaios, are in great esteem amongst them, because they pretend that they Converse with the Spirits Wattipa and Yarakin, which the Guianians exceedingly fear, apprehending themselves often beaten black and blue by them.
The Peeaios also profess themselves to be Chirurgeons and Doctors, but if they cure not their Patients, they go in danger of their Lives, unless they speedily get away.
They burn their dead Bodies, together with those things the Deceased affected most in his Life-time. A Prince or Governor also hath his Slaves put to death at the time when he is burn’d, that they may serve him in the other World.
Their Bread-Corn.
The Cassavi-Root press’d, boyl’d with Pepper, dry’d and bak’d on hot Stones, serves the Natives for Bread.
Each Grain that is Sown here produces in Harvest above fifteen hundred.
Their Corn makes wholsom and well tasted Beer, call’d Passiaw, and of their stamp’d Cassavi they make the Liquor Parranow.
In hollow Trees, and Caves under Ground, they find abundance of Honey; and their Vines afford them excellent Grapes twice a year.
No Plant is ever seen here without either Leaf, Blossom, or Fruit, except the European Apple-Tree, which never changes its nature, but blossoms and bears Fruit at the same time of the year as in Europe.
The wild Hogs Pokkiero, whose Navels grow on their Backs; and the Pangio, not unlike our Swine, afford the Inhabitants excellent Food.