Manatí

The manati is not peculiar to the Amazon river, being not less common in the Oronooko.

It is known as the Manati, and the Portuguese call it “peixe boi,” which is only “fish-cow” done into Portuguese.

No real whales: but the Manati, which is very nearly a whale, has long bristly hair left.

All trustworthy observations indicate that the manati has not the power of voluntarily leaving the water.

Binger states that the manati was the totem of the Mande group, to which perhaps belonged originally the Susu and the Dyula.