CHAPTER II. Of the Danta, ••and Cappa.
THe Danta,* 1.1 or Capa, or Tapiroussu, or Doueanar, resembles the Mule, ha∣ving such ears, a Calves lips; the up∣per-lips hangs a handfull over the lower, which he lifts up, when angred, in the rest like other beast, but a Calf most; he hath no harme. The hoof helps heart-pain, the skin makes an impenetrable target. It hath two stomacks, one receives the food, the other is found, none knows how, stuft with wood, and twigs. The use of this stomack is not knowen. Nature uses not to make any thing needlesse. The hunter must wound him afore he takes water, for there he bites dogs to death. Men have been taught breathing a vein from him, for he, his blood is rank, and he even swells, lets himself blood on the inside of the thighs with a splinter of a reed, as the Sea-horse doth. He is reddish-haired, and that hanging down, and resembles a Cow in bulk, and shape. But that he is not horned,* 1.2 and hath a short neck, and long daugling ears, by his dry, and slender legs, whole hoof, a man may take him to be of the breed of the Cow, or Asse, yet differs much from both, having a very short tail, (though in America many beasts are bred, without tails) and hath much keener teeth, yet none need feare him, he trusting more in flight, then fight. The wilds shoot them, or catch them in pits, or grins, and have handsome devices to hunt them. They value him highly for his skin, which they cut round, and lay a sunning to make targets as big as a reasonable tun, which they use in warre, as being hardly to be pear∣ced. I brought two of those shiels carefully into France; but returning, the famine was so sore, that all provisions being spent, we must eat apes, and parrets, and we were fain to fry those two targets, and other skins in the ship, to eat. The flesh tasts like beef, especially the feet well boyled.* 1.3 These Dantes are in many parts of the continent. The Cappa is bigger then the Asse,* 1.4 black, shaggy, fierce, fatall to dogs, snapping them, as a Wolf a Lamb. The hoof is whole, like a French shoe, and sharp in the spur-place. He is affrayed of a man.