How things that are of one kinde, differ in forme and qualitie, according to the nature of the place where they are engendred or grow, and of the beasts called Tigres. [ 40]

*IN the firme Land are found many terrible beasts, which some thinke to be Tigres. Which thing neuerthelesse I dare not affirme, considering what Authors doe write of the lightnesse and agilitie of the Tigre, whereas this beast, being otherwise in shape very like vnto a Tigre, is notwithstanding very slow. Yet true it is, that according to the maruailes of the World, and differences which naturall things haue in diuers Regions vnder Heauen, and diuers constellati∣ons of the same,* vnder the which they are created, wee see that some such Plants and Herbes as are hurtfull in one Countrie, are harmelesse and wholesome in other Regions. And Birds which in one Prouince are of good taste, are in other so vnsauourie that they may not bee eaten. Men likewise which in some Countries are blacke, are in other places white: and yet are both [ 50] these and they,* men. Euen so may it be, that Tigres are light in some Region, as they write, and may neuerthelesse be slow and heauie in these Indies of your Maiestie, whereof wee speake. The Sheepe of Arabie draw their tailes long and bigge on the ground,* and the Bulls of Egypt haue their haire growing toward their heads: yet are those Sheepe, and these Bulls. Men in some Countries are hardie and of good courage, and in other naturally fearfull and bruitish. All these things, and many more, which may be said to this purpose, are easie to bee prooued, and worthy to bee beleeued, of such as haue read of the like in Authors, or trauelled the World, whereby their owne sight may teach them the experience of these things whereof I speake. It is also manifest that Iucca,* whereof they make their bread in the Iland of Hispaniola, is deadly poison if it be eaten greene with the juyce: and yet hath it no such propertie in the firme Land, [ 60] where I haue eaten it many times,* and found it to be a good fruit. The Bats of Spaine, although they bite, yet are they not venemous: but in the firme Land, many die that are bitten of them. And in this forme may so many things be said, that time shall not suffice to write, whereas my intent is onely to prooue that this beast may be a Tigre, or of the kinde of Tigres, although it Page  991 bee not of such lightnesse and swiftnesse, as are they whereof Plinie and other authors speake,* describing it to bee one of the swiftest beasts of the Land, and that the Riuer of Tygris for the swift course thereof was called by that name. The first Spaniards, which saw this Tyger in the firme land, did so name it. Of the kind of these, was that which Don Diego Columbo,* the Admiral sent your Maiesty out of New Spaine to Toledo. Their heads are like to the heads of Lions, or Lio∣nesses▪ but greater: the rest of all their bodies, and their legs, are full of black spots one neere vnto another, & diuided with a circumference, or fringe of red colour, shewing (as it were) a faire work and correspondent picture, about their croopes or hinder parts, they haue these spots biggest and lesse & lesse toward their bellies, legs, & heads. I haue seen some of three spans in height, and more then fiue in length. They are beasts of great force, with strong legs, and well armed with nayles [ 10] and fanges, which we call Dog-teeth: they are so fierce, that in my iudgement▪ no reall Lyon of the biggest sort is so strong or fierce. Of these, there are many found in the firme Land, which de∣uoure many of the Indians, and doe much hurt otherwise: but since the comming of the Christi∣ans, many haue beene killed with Crosse-bowes after this manner.* Assoone as the Archer hath knowledge of the haunt of any of these Tygers, hee goeth searching their trace, with his Crosse-bow, and with a little Hound or Begle, & not with a grey-hound; because this Beast would soon kill any Dogge that would venter on him: When the Hound hath found the Tigre, he runneth about him baying continually, and approacheth so neere him, snapping and grinning▪ with so quicke flying and returning, that he hereby so molesteth this fierce Beast, that hee driueth him to take the next Tree, at the foot whereof he remayneth still baying, and the Tigre grinning [ 20] and shewing his teeth, while in the meane time the Archer commeth neere, and twelue or four∣teene paces off, striketh him with the querell of his Crosse-brow in the brest, and flyeth incon∣tinent, leauing the Tigre in his trauell for life and death, byting the Tree and eating earth for fiercenesse: then within the space of two or three houres, or the day following, the Archer re∣turneth thither, and with his Dogge findeth the place where hee lyeth dead. The Indians (and especially they of the firme Land in the Prouince which the Catholike King Don Ferdinando commanded to bee called Golden Castile) call this Beast Ochi. This thing is strange that chan∣ced of late: that whereas the Tigre whereof we haue made mention before, would haue killed his keeper that then kept him in a Cage, was in few daies after made so tame,* that he led her tyed [ 30] only with a small coard, and plaid with her so familiarly, that I maruelled greatly to see it, yet not without certaine beliefe that this friendship will not last long, without danger of life to the Keeper, forasmuch as surely these Beasts are not meet to be among men, for their fiercenesse and cruell nature that cannot be tamed.