138 Historical Supplements

ON THE TIGERS OF THE INDIES

There is more than one kind of tiger in the New World, distinguished by size, ferocity, or appearance. One type is larger than the common tigers found in our own lands. There is another similar animal that is smaller, which the Indians call the *Tlaco ocelotl* (meaning "little tiger"); it is marked with dark and black spots, rather than the pale and white ones seen on others.

These tigers are even more ferocious than lions and greedily hunt for the Indians even inside their houses. Unless the doors are kept firmly shut, they sneak inside, seize a local person in their teeth, and carry them off just as a cat does a mouse. The extreme ferocity of this animal can only be overcome if the beast is struck with a club across the kidneys, rendering it paralyzed in the loins; thus weakened, it yields to the victor. No other wild beast is more feared by the West Indians; indeed, it was even showered with honors because the Devil would very frequently speak to them in the form of a tiger. However, once the Indians accepted the true faith in God, their fear and reverence for this beast vanished.

In Bengal, the tigers are exceptionally fierce and harbor a persistent hatred; if provoked, they will pursue a fleeing ship along the shore for more than thirty miles. Furthermore, they are savage toward any humans or beasts they encounter. Nevertheless, nature has provided a safeguard against such a plague: the tiger is accompanied by another small animal that reveals its presence with constant barking. Upon hearing this, other wild beasts retreat and hide, while humans take flight.

In Brazil, there is also a great multitude of tigers. When hungry, they possess great speed and terrifying strength, yet when they have fed, they are said to be so cowardly that they are immediately put to flight even by ordinary dogs.

There appears to be an animal related to the tiger called the *Thanacth*, which André Thevet claims to have seen among Indian merchants while sailing the Red Sea. In its size and the shape of its limbs, it was not unlike a tiger, though it had a nearly human face with very snubbed nostrils. In fact, its front feet resembled human hands, while its hind feet were like those of a tiger. It lacked a tail and was covered in dark fur. Ultimately, in its head, ears, neck, and mouth, it resembled a man, and with its dark, curly hair, it brought to mind an Ethiopian—the rest of it was a tiger. Some medical students, while visiting our public museum last year, reported having seen a similar animal in Germany, which was being led about by a traveling showman for profit, as depicted in the following illustration.