irst and most
courageous of the troop, had ate as much as he could: when this dog had
left off, all the rest fell in to take their share, till nothing was
left. What ought we to infer from this notable action, performed by wild
animals, but this: that even beasts themselves are not destitute of
knowledge, and that they give us documents how to honour such as have
deserved well; even since these irrational animals did reverence and
respect him that exposed his life to the greatest danger against the
common enemy?

The governor of Tortuga, Monsieur Ogeron, finding that the wild dogs
killed so many of the wild boars, that the hunters of that island had
much ado to find any; fearing lest that common substance of the island
should fail, sent for a great quantity of poison from France to destroy
the wild mastiffs: this was done, A.D. 1668, by commanding horses to be
killed, and empoisoned, and laid open at certain places where the wild
dogs used to resort. This being continued for six months, there were
killed an incredible number; and yet all this could not exterminate and
destroy the race, or scarce diminish them; their number appearing almost
as large as before. These wild dogs are easily tamed among men, even as
tame as ordinary house dogs. The hunters of those parts, whenever they
find a wild bitch with whelps, commonly take away the puppies, and bring
them home; which being grown up, they hunt much better than other dogs.

But here the curious reader may perhaps inquire how so many wild dogs
came here. The occasion was, the Spaniards having possessed these isles,
found them peopled with Indians, a barbarous people, sensual and
brutish, hating all labour, and only inclined to killing, and making war
against their neighbours; not out of ambition, but only because they
agreed not with themselves in some common terms of language; and
perceiving the dominion of the Spaniards laid great restrictions upon
their lazy and brutish customs, they conceived an irreconcilable hatred
against them; but especially because they saw them take possession of
their kingdoms and dominions. Hereupon, they made against them all the
resistance they could, opposing everywhere their designs to the utmost:
and the Spaniards finding themselves cruelly hated by the Indians, and
nowhere secure from their treacheries, resolved to extirpate and ruin
them, since they could neither tame them by civility, nor conquer them
with the sword. But the Indians,