leagues in
length, the beauty whereof is so pleasing to the eye, that, together
with the great variety of their natural productions, they captivate the
senses of the beholder. For here at once they not only with diversity of
objects recreate the sight, but with many of the same do also please the
smell, and with most contribute delights to the taste; also they flatter
and excite the appetite, especially with the multitudes of oranges and
lemons here growing, both sweet and sour, and those that participate of
both tastes, and are only pleasantly tartish. Besides here abundantly
grow several sorts of fruit, such are citrons, toronjas, and limas; in
English not improperly called crab lemons.

Beside the fruit which this island produces, whose plenty, as is said,
surpasses all the islands of America; it abounds also with all sorts of
quadrupeds, as horses, bulls, cows, wild boars, and others, very useful
to mankind, not only for food, but for cultivating the ground, and the
management of commerce.

Here are vast numbers of wild dogs: these destroy yearly many cattle;
for no sooner hath a cow calved, or a mare foaled, but these wild
mastiffs devour the young, if they find not resistance from keepers and
domestic dogs. They run up and down the woods and fields, commonly
fifty, threescore, or more, together; being withal so fierce, that they
will often assault an entire herd of wild boars, not ceasing to worry
them till they have fetched down two or three. One day a French
buccaneer showed me a strange action of this kind: being in the fields
a-hunting together, we heard a great noise of dogs which has surrounded
a wild boar: having tame dogs with us, we left them to the custody of
our servants, being desirous to see the sport. Hence my companion and I
climbed up two several trees, both for security and prospect. The wild
boar, all alone, stood against a tree, defending himself with his tusks
from a great number of dogs that enclosed him; killed with his teeth,
and wounded several of them. This bloody fight continued about an hour;
the wild boar, meanwhile, attempting many times to escape. At last
flying, one dog, leaping upon his back, fastened on his throat. The rest
of the dogs, perceiving the courage of their companion, fastened
likewise on the boar, and presently killed him. This done, all of them,
the first only excepted, laid themselves down upon the ground about the
prey, and there peaceably continued, till he, the f