kS°lS?] THE WAY NEGROES KILL THE HIPPOPOTAMI. 311
About nine days after, the eight that were wounded, died. Our General was taught b^ a Negro, to draw the poison out of his wound, with a clove of garlic; whereby he was cured*
From thence, we went to Sierra Leone, where be monstrous fishes, called sharks, which will devour men.
I, amongst others, was sent In the Angel, with two pinnaces, into the river, called Calousa, to seek two caravels that were there, trading with the Negroes. We took one of them, with the Negroes, and brought them away.
In this river, in the night time, we had one of our pinnaces bulged by a sea horse [hippopotamus] : so that our men swimming about the river, were all taken into the other pinnaces; except two that took hold one of another, and were carried away by the sea horse [or rather drowned]. This monster hath the just proportion of a horse, saving that his legs be short, his teeth very great aad a span in length. He used, in the night, to go on land into the woods; seeking, at unawares, to devour the Negroes in their cabins : whom they, by their vigilancy, prevent, and kill him In this manner. The Negroes keep watch, and diligently attend their coming; and when they are gone Into the woods, they forthwith lay a great tree overthwart the way : so that, at their return, for that their legs be so short, they cannot go over it. Then the Negroes set upon them9 with their bows, arrows, and darts; and so destroy them.
From thence, we entered the river called the Casseroes; where there were other caravels trading with the Negroes ; and them we took- In this island betwixt the river and the main, trees grow with oysters upon them.
There grow Palmito trees, which be as high as a ship's mainmast; and on their tops grow nuts, wine, and oil, which they call Palmito Wine and Palmito OIL
The Plantain tree also groweth in that country. The tree is as big as a man's thigh, and as high as a fir pole- The leaves thereof be long and broad; and on the top grow the fruit which are called Plantains. They are crooked, and a cubit long, and as big as a man's finger. They grow on clusters. When they be ripe, they be very good and dainty to eat: sugar is not more delicate In taste than they be.
From thence, with the Angel, the Judith, and the two pinnaces, we sailed to Sierra Leone ; where our General was