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THhis Isle of Anguilla, sometimes called Snake-Island, from its shape, seated in the Lati∣tude of 18 deg. and 21 min. on this side the Equinoctial,* 1.1 is a long Tract of Land, and extendeth itself length about ten Leagues, and in breadth about three. The Inhabi∣tants* 1.2 are English, which are compu∣ted to amount unto two or three Hundred; which Plant Tobacco, which is highly esteemed by those who are good Judges in that Commadity.
Before the discovery of America, there were not found in these Parts any Horses, Kine, Oxen, Sheep, Goats, Swine, or Dogs; but for the better conveniency of their Navigations, and supply of their Ships, in case of necessity, they left some of these Creatures in several Parts of this New-found World; where they have since multiplied and be∣come so numerous, that they are more common than in any Part of Europe.
But besides these Forreign kind of Cattel, there were before in these Islands cer∣tain sorts of strange four footed Beats;* 1.3 as, the Opassum, about the bigness of a Cat, with a sharp Snout, the neither Jaw being shorter than the up∣per, like a Pigs; it hath very sharp Claws, and climbs Trees easily, feeding upon Birds, and (in want thereof) upon Fruit; it is remarkable for a purse or bag of its own Skin, folded together under its Belly, wherein it carries its Young, which he lays upon the ground at pleasure, by opening that natural purse; and when he would depart, he opens it again, and the Young ones get in, and he carries them with him where-ever he goes; the Female suckles them without setting them on the ground, for her Teates lie within that purse; they commonly bring six Young ones; but the Male, who hath such another natural purse under his Belly, takes his turn to carry them, to ease the Female.
There is also in some of these Islands a kind of wild Swine, with short Ears, almost no Tail, and their Navels on their Backs; some of them are all black, others have certain white spots; their strange grunting is more hideous than that of Swine; they are called Javaris; the flesh is of taste
good enough, but very hardly taken, in regard the Boar is in a manner unwearied, by reason of a vent or hole he hath on his Back, by which his Lungs are mightily refreshed; and if he be forced (when he is pursued by Dogs) to stop, he is arm∣ed with such sharp and cutting Tushes, that he tearts to pieces all that set upon him.
The Tatous is another strange Creature, armed with a hard scaly coat, wherewith they cover and secure themselves, as with armour; having a Head and Snout like a Pig, wherewith they turn up the ground; they have also in each Paw five very sharp Claws, which help them to thrust out the Earth with the more ease, and pull up the Roots whereupon they feed in the night time; they have in their Tail a small bone, which is repor∣ted to help deafness, and noise, and pains in the Ears; they are about the bigness of a Fox, and their flesh is accounted delicate Meat; when they are pursued or sleep, which is usually in the day time, they close themselves close up together like a Bowl, and get in their Feet, Head and Ears with so much dexterity under their hard Scales, that their whole Body is by that natural armour secured against all the attempts of Huntsmen and Dogs; and when at any time they come near any preci∣piece, or steep hill, they roul down without get∣ting any harm.
There is likewise the Agouty, another Creature of a dark colour, with a little Tail, without Hair, having two Teeth only in each Jaw; it holds its meat in the two fore-Claws like a Squirrel, and its usual cry is, as if it distinctly pronounced the word Covey; when it is hunted, it gets into hollow Trees, out of which it is not to be forced but by smoak, making a hideous cry before they will
leave the holes in which they are gotten; if taken while young, they are easily tamed; but if old, with exceeding difficulty; when they are angry, they strike the ground with their hind-feet like a Rabbet, being about the same bigness and shape, only their Ears are short and round; 'tis a fierce Creature, and its hair (when angry) stands per∣fectly upright.
There is likewise Musk-Rats, which live in holes and boroughs like Rabbets; there comes from them a scent like Musk, which causes melancholly, and so strongly perfumes their boroughs, that it is easie to find them out.
But of all the Creatures which this Island pro∣duces, the Alegator is the most remarkable; it keeps near the Sea, and in Rivers, and Islands un-inhabited, and sometimes likewise on shore, a∣mong the Reeds; it is a Creature very fearful to behold, and grows to the very last day of its life; so that many of them are eighteen Foot long, and as big about as a Hogshead; their lower Jaws are immoveable, but their Mouth is so wide, and their Teeth so exceeding sharp, that they can with ease bite a Man in two: Those that are bred in fresh Water smell of Musk, and that so strongly, that they perfume the very Air an hundred Paces round about them, and scent the very Water in which they live; those of them that live in the Sea have not so strong a scent, however both kinds are exceeding dangerous to such as swim in those Parts; they are always very sly, and make use of a cunning slight for the seizing Horses and Cows, it being their custom to lye lurking at the places where usually they come to drink, watching his advantage; and having half shut his eyes, sloats upon the top of the Water like a piece of rotten
Wood, by which means he gets by small degrees still nearer to the poor Beast, and while he is drinking, without the least dread of such an Enemy, suddenly seizes him by the lips, dragging him un∣der Water until he is drown'd, after which he eats him.
He likewise sometimes surprizes Men by the same slight; for one who was a Servant to the Consul of Alexandria, going to take up one of them, thinking it had been a piece of Wood, was suddenly seized on, and drawn by it to the bottom of the River, and never seen more.
Situation.
Inhabitants.
Their Beasts and Cattel.