Manners and Customs of the People.
The Men of this Countrey wear Cotton Cloaks, and anointing their Bodies with Gum, stick the same full of Feathers.
When they go to Wars, or to a general Feast, then they shave their Hair off above their Ears, pull out their Beards, and black their Teeth with a certain Herb.
Their Princes and Grandees take as many Wives as they please, and give to those of their Guests whom they intend most to oblige, their choice of the fairest of them to lie with.
Whoring is accounted no shame, except amongst Marry’d Women, who generally live very Chaste, unless their Husbands consent to their Adultery.
The Women also Hunt, Fish, Shoot, and Swim, and are diligent in Tilling their Lands, and other Houshold Affairs. Most of them have sore Eyes, occasion’d not so much (as some wrongfully suppose) by their drinking of the Water out of the Stream Cumana, but proceeding rather from their unwholsom Food, as Spiders, and the like.
Amongst the several sorts of Trees that grow here, there are some that yield a white well scented Gum, or delicious Juice like Milk, and produce a Fruit not unlike a Mulberry, which may be boyl’d to an excellent Syrrup; the Wood also strikes Fire: There are others, whose Timber is good for Shipping.
The Soil also produces Cassia-Fistula, Roses, and other strong smelling Flowers and Herbs.
Beasts.
For Beasts, besides Lyons, Tygers, and wild Hogs, there are several strange kinds here, as the Cappa, which is bigger than an Ass, having shaggy and black Hair; it runs away from Mankind, but devours whatsoever else it meets with.