red from their fright they brought their sick to
be cured by them, and even forbore from eating themselves that they
might supply the Spaniards with food.

So great is the want of food in all the country from the isle of
Mal-hado to this district of the Maliconas, that the natives are often
three days without eating; on which account it is the custom of mothers
to suckle their children till twelve years of age, and they never have
any intercourse with their husbands till two years after delivery. When
a married pair do not agree, it is customary for them to part and form
new connections, but this is never done when they have children. When
the men fall out among themselves they only use their fists or cudgels,
never employing their bows and arrows in private broils; and on these
occasions the women only venture to interpose to part them. These
Indians are very brave, and are as vigilant against their enemies as the
best soldiers in Europe. They dig ditches, throw up entrenchments, make
loop-holes, lay ambushes, and use various stratagems with great art and
patience, usually killing each other by surprise in the night. They are
very cruel, are always ready on any alarm, and are watchful of
opportunities to take revenge and to gain advantage over any want of
foresight in their enemies. When actually engaged in battle, they have a
strange manner of skipping about from side to side, to prevent their
enemies from taking aim, and they shoot their arrows in a stooping
posture, to prevent being observed. Their languages are exceedingly
various, changing almost at each town.

Coming to another town, the Indians brought their children to touch the
hands of the Spaniards, giving them meal made of a fruit like carobs,
which was eaten along with a certain kind of earth, and was very sweet
and agreeable. Departing from thence, after passing a great river the
water of which reached to their breasts, they came to a town of an
hundred houses, whence the people came out to meet them with great
shouts, clapping their hands on their thighs, and making a kind of music
by means of hollow gourds with stones in them. These Indians received
them with great kindness, carrying them to their houses without
suffering their feet to touch the ground, and great numbers flocked to
them to be blessed. Next day they continued their journey, and were well
received by the next Indians, who supplied them with plenty of venison,
and brought their sick to be