Of native fruits, there are oranges, lemons, and
very sweet citrons; while they have fig and pear-trees introduced
from Espana. They rear sparrow-hawks, herons [_martinetes_], and
royal eagles in great abundance. They have a great many different
kinds of parrots, and other birds, large and small. In the rivers
and lakes are many horrible caymans or crocodiles; these kill the
Indians very easily--and especially the children, who go carelessly
to their haunts--as well as the cattle when they go to drink. Not
a few times has it happened that they have seized the cattle by the
muzzles and pulled them beneath the water, and drowned them without
power to resist, however large the animal may be. Then the carcass
is dragged ashore and devoured ... Indians are found so courageous
that, notwithstanding the fierceness of those animals, they kill them
with their hands. They cover the left hand and arm with a glove made
from buffalo hide, and hold therein a stake or peg, somewhat longer
than a tercia, [280] and about as thick as the wrist, and sharpened
at both ends.
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