Page 37
An.1681
The Maho-Tree.
Manatee in this manner ; the least of which hath not weighed less than 600 pound, and that in a very small Canoa, that 3 English men would scarce ad- venture to go in. When they strike a Cow that hath a young one, they seldom miss the Calf, for she commonly takes her young under one of her Fins. But if the Calf is so big that she cannot carry it, or so frightned that she only minds to save her own life, yet the young never leaves her till the Moskito men have an opportunity to strike her.
The manner of striking Manatee and Tortoise is much the same ; only when they seek for Manatee they paddle so gently, that they make no noise, and never touch the side of the Canoa with their paddle ; because it is a Creature that hears very well. But they are not so nice when they seek for Tortoise, whose Eyes are better than his Ears. They strike the Tortoise with a square shape Iron peg, the other with a Harpoon. The Moskito-men make their own striking Instruments, as Harpoons, Fish- hooks, and Tortoise-Irons or Pegs. These Pegs, or Tortoise-Irons are made 4 square, sharp at one end, and not much above an inch in length, of such a fi- gure as you see in the Margin. The small spike at the broad end hath the line fa- sten'd to it, and goes also into a hole at the end of the Striking-staff : which when the Tortoise is struck flies off, the Iron and end of the line fastned to it going quite within the Shell, where it is so buried that the Tortoise cannot possibly escape.
They make their Lines both for Fishing and Stri- king with the bark of Maho ; which is a sort of Tree or Shrub, that grows plentifully all over the West- Indies ; and whose Bark is made up of strings or threads, very strong. You may draw it off either in flakes or small threads, as you have occasion. 'Tis fit for any manner of Cordage ; and Privateers often make their