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1: Cavallo Marino1 questa e una Bestia molto grande e feroce; il giorno stà nel aqua e la notte và a mangiare in Terra. La sua creazione la fà ne fiumi sta t[u]tto sotto aqua e solo tiene fuori il capo, nota come pesce, e nitrisce come cavallo 2: la bocca e cosi grande che apre due braccia e tre; hà due denti in forma di cigniale; e di sopra ha ne Ordini di denti 3: ha i piedi grossi come colonne senza diti ma con un zoccolo d’unghia ripartita; questa bestia quando passano le navi p[er] il fiume l’investe e pigliandole con la bocca le sciaccia e rompe come  fossi un guscio di noce com pericolo evidente de chi vi e dentro; in terra poi e velocissino a correre se si trova vicino al fiume subbito si butta nel fiume; ma se si trova lontano corre e [. . .]

[front bottom right corner in Portuguese] cavallo marinho

1: Hippopotamus this is a very large and ferocious beast; during the day it stays in the water and at night it goes to eat on land. It reproduces in the rivers it stays entirely under water and it only has its head above, it swims like a fish, and neighs like a horse 2: the mouth is so large that it opens two arms2 and three [palms]; it has two teeth like a boar; and on the top [of the mouth] it has three rows of teeth 3: it has feet large as columns without toes but with a hoof of divided nails; when boats pass this beast in the river it attacks them and grabbing them with the mouth it crushes and breaks them as if they were a nutshell, to the evident peril of who is inside; then on land it runs very fast; if it finds itself close to a river, immediately it jumps in the river; but if it finds itself far, it runs [. . .]

[front bottom right corner in Portuguese] hippopotamus

  • 1. Hippopotamus amphibius.
  • 2. Braccio, pl. braccia is a unit of length about 26 or 27 inches (66 or 68 cm).
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