and pleasant It is certaine that we do not participate of any of the Elements nor have not the vse of any so often in our bodies as of the aire It is that which invironeth our bodies on all parts which enters into our bowells and at everie instant visits the heart and there ingraves her properties If the aire be any thing corrupted it causeth death if it be pure and healthfull it augmenteth the strength finally we may say that the aire alone is the life of man so as although we have goods and riches if the aire be troublesome and vnholsome wee cannot live quietly nor with content But if the aire be healthfull pleasant and sweete although we have no other wealth yet doth it yeelde content Considering with my selfe the pleasing temperature of many Countries at the Indies where they know not what winter is which by his cold doth freese them nor summer which doth trouble them with heat but that with a Matte they preserve themselves from the iniuries of all weather and where they scarce have any neede to change their garments throughout the yeere I say that often considering of this I find that if men at this day would vanquish their passions and free themselves from the snares of covetousnesse leaving many fruitelesse and pernicious disseines without doubt they might live at the Indies very pleasant and happily for that which other Poets sing of the Elisean fields and of the famous Tempe or that which Plato reports or faines of his Atlantike Iland men should finde in these lands if with a generous spirit they would choose rather to command their silver and their desires then to remaine slaves as they are That which wee have hitherto discoursed shal suffice touching the qualities of the Equinoctiall of colde heat drought raine and the causes of temperature The particular discourse of windes waters landes mettalls plants and beasts whereof there is great aboundance at the Indies shall remaine for the other bookes for the difficultie of that which is handled in this though briefly will happily seeme too tedious An advertisement to the Reader THE Reader must vnderstand that I wrote the two first bookes in Latine when I was at Peru and therefore they speake of matters of the Indies as of things present Being since returned into Spaine I thought good to translate them into our vulgar tongue and not to change my former maner of speeach But in the five following bookes for that I made them in Europe I have beene forced to change my stile and therein to treate of matters of the Indies as of Countries and things absent And for that this diversitie of speech might with reason offend the Reader I have thought good to advertise him thereof THE THIRD BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That the naturall Historie of the Indies is pleasant and agreeable CHAP. 1. EVerie naturall Historie is of it selfe pleasing very profitable to such as will raise vp their discourse and contemplation on high in that it doth move them to glorify the Author of all nature as we sea the wise holy men do specially David in many Psalmes And Iob likewise treating of the secrets of the Creator whereas the same Lord answereth Iob so amplie He that takes delight to vnderstand the wondrous works of Nature shal taste the true pleasure content of Histories the more whenas he shal know they are not the simple workes of men but of the Creator himself that he shall comprehend the naturall causes of these workes then shall he truly occupie himselfe in the studie of Philosophie But he that shall raise his consideration higher beholding the gret first architect of all these marvells he shal know his wisedom and infinite greatnes and we may say shall be divinely imployed And so the discourse of naturall things may serve for many good considerations although the feeblenes and weakenes of many appetites are commonly accustomed to stay at things lesse profitable which is the desire to know new things called curiositie The Discourse and Historie of naturall things at the Indies besides the common content it gives hath yet another benefite which is to treate of things a farre off the greatest part whereof were vnknowne to the most excellent Authors of that profession which have bin among the Ancients And if wee should write these naturall things of the Indies so amply as they require being so strange I doubt not but we might compile workse no lesse then those of Plinie Theophrastes and Aristotle But I hold not my selfe sufficient and although I were yet is not my intent but to note some naturall things which I haue seene and knowne being at the Indies or have received from men worthy of credit the which seeme rare to me and scarce knowne in Europe By reason whereof I will passe over many of them briefly ether bicause they are writen of by others or else require a longer discourse then I can now give Of the windes their differences properties and causes in generall CHAP. 2. HAving discoursed in the two former Books of that which concernes the heavens and the habitation of the Indies in generall it behooves â—s now to treate of the three elements aire water and land and their compounds which be mettalls plants and beasts for as for the fire I see no speciall matter at the Indies which is not in other regions vnlesse some will say that the manner to strike fire in rubbing two stones one against another as some Indians vse or to boyle any thing in gourdes casting a burning stone into it and other such like things are remarkeable whereof I have written what might be spoken But of those which are in the Vulcans and mouths of fire at the Indies worthy doubtlesse to be observed I will speake in their order treating of the diversitie of grounds whereas they finde these fires or Vulcans Therefore to beginne with the winds I say that with good reason Salomon in the great iudgement which God had given him esteemes much the knowledge of the windes and their properties being very admirable for that some are moyst others drie some vnwholesome others found some hote others colde some calme and pleasant others rough and tempestuous some barren and others fertile with infinite other differences There are some windes which blow in certaine regions and are as it were Lordes thereof not addmitting any entry or communication of their contraries In some partes they blow in that sorte as sometimes they are Conquerours sometimes conquered often there are divers and contrary winds which doe runne together at one instant dividing the way betwixt them sometimes one blowing above of one sort and another below of an other sorte sometimes they incounter violently one with another which puts them at sea in great danger there are some windes which helpe to the generation of creatures and others that hinder and are opposite There is a certaine wind of such
which is Southest and Southwest which is a very triviall thing common to them that saile And therefore it is not needefull to explaine them heere but to signifie that the side-windes of the right East are those which commonly blow to the burning Zone which they doe call Brises and those from the South declining to the Weast which serve to saile from Weast to East are not common in the burning Zone and therefore they seeke them without the tropikes and the Indian Mariners commonly call them lower windes or Vents dábas What is the reason why sailing vâ—der the burning Zone we finde alwayes Easterly windes CHAP. 6. LEt vs now speake of that which toucheth the Question propounded what should be the reason whie vnder the burning Zone wee saile easily from East to Weast and not contrary wherein we must presuppose two certaine groundes The one is that the motion of the first moover which they call Diurnall not onâ—lie drawes and mooves with him the celestiall spheares which are inferiour vnto him as wee see daily in the sunne the moone and the starres but also the Elements do participate of this motion insomuch as they are not hindered The earth is not mooved by reason of her heavinesse which makes it immooveable being far from this first motor The element of water moves not likewise with this Diurnall motion for that it is vnited to the earth and make one sphere so as the earth keeps it from all circular motion But th' other two elements of fire aire are more subtil and neerer the heavenly regions so as they participate of their motion and are driven about circularly as the same celestial bodies As for the fire without doubt it hath his sphere as Aristotle and other Philosophers have held but for the aire which is no point of our subiect it is most certaine that it mooves with a motion diurnall which is from East to Weast which we see plainely in Comets that moove from the East vnto the Weast mounting descending and finally turning in the hemispheare in the same sort as the Starres move in the firmament for otherwise these Comets being in the region sphere of the aire whereas they ingender appeares consum'd It should be impossible for them to moove circularly as they doe if the element of the aire doth not moove with the same motion that the first motor dooth For these elements being of a burning substance by reason they should be fixt without mooving circularly if the sphere where they are did not moove if it be not as we faine that some Angell or intellectuall Spirite dooth walke with the Comet guiding it circularly In the yeere of our Lord God one thousand five hundred seaventy and seaven appeered that wonderfull Comet in forme like vnto a feather from the horizon almost to the middest of heaven and continued from the first of November vntill the eight of December I say from the first of November for although in Spaine it was noted but the ninth of November according to the testimony of Writers of that time yet at Peru where I was then I remember well we did see it and observe it eight dayes before and all the time after Touching the cause of this diversity some may dilate vpon it particularly I will onely shew that during those fourtie dayes which it continued we all observed both such as were in Spaine and we that lived then at the Indies that it mooved daily with an vniversall motion from East to Weast as the Moone and other Planets wherby it appeeres that the sphere of the aire being its Region the element it selfe must of necessitie moove after the same sort We noted also that besides this vniversall motion it had an other particular by which it moved with the planets fro west to east for every night it turned more Eastward like vnto the Moone Sunne and Planet of Venus Wee did also observe a third particular motion whereby it mooved from the zodiacke towards the North for after some nights it was found neerer vnto the Septentrionall signes And it may be this was the reason why the great Comet was sooner seene by those that were southerly as at Peru and later discovered by them of Europe for by this third motion as I have saide it approached neerer the Northerne Regions Yet every one may well observe the differences of this motion so as wee may well perceive that many and sundry celestiall bodies give their impressions to the sphere of the aire In like sorte it is most certaine that the ayre mooves with the circular motion of the heaven from Est to West which is the first ground before mentioned The second is no lesse certaine the which is that the motion of the aire in those parts that are vnder the Line or neere vnto it is very swift and light the more it approacheth to the Equinoctiall but the farther off it is from the Line approching neere the Poles the more slowe and heavie this motion is The reason heereof is manifest for that the mooving of the celestiall bodies being the efficient cause of the mooving of the ayre it must of necessitie be more quicke and light where the celestiall bodies have their swiftest motion To labour to shew the reason why the heaven hath a quicker motion vnder the burning Zone which is the Line then in any other part of the heaven were to make small account of men seeing it is easie to see in a wheele that its motion is more slowe and heavy in the part of greatest circumference then in the lesse and that the greater circumference ends at one instant with the lesser From these two grounds proceedes the reason where such as saile great gulphs from east to west doe alwayes finde the winde in their powpe going in a small altitude and the neerer they come to the Equinoctiall the more certaine and durable the winde is And contrariwise sailing from west to east they always finde the winde contrary for that the swift motion of the Equinoctiall drawes after it the element of the aire as it doth the surplus of the higher spheares So as the aire dooth alwayes follow the motion of the day Going from east to weast without any alteration and the motion of the aire being swift draweth after it all the vapours and exhalations which rise from the sea which causeth in those Regions a continuall easterly winde which runnes from the Levant Father Alonso Sanches a religious man and of our company who hath travelled the east and west Indies as a man ingenious and of experience said that sailing vnder the Line or neere vnto it with a continued and durable season it seemed to him to be the same aire mooved by the heaven the which guided the ships and was not properly a winde nor exhalation but an aire moved with the daily course of the sunne for proofe whereof he shewed that the season is alwayes equall and alike at the gulph of Danees and in
safe This Lake containes almost foure score leagues thirtie five in length and fifteene in bredth at the largest place There are many Ilands which in olde time were inhabited and tilled but now lie waste It brings forth a great aboundance of reedes which the Indians call Totora which serves them to a thousand vses for it is meate for swine for horses and for men they make houses therewith fire and barkes To conclude the Vros in this their Totora finde all they have neede of These Vros be such dull and brutish people as they esteeme not themselves men It is reported of them that being demanded of what nation they were They answered they were not men but Vros as it were some kinde of beastes There are whole villages of these Vros inhabiting in the Lake in their boates of Totora the which are tied together and fastened to some rocke and often times the whole village changeth from place to place So as hee that would seeke them now whereas they were yesterday shall finde no shew nor remainder of them or of their village The current or issue of this Lake having runne above fiftie leagues makes another Lake but lesse then the first which they call Paria and containes in it some small Ilands but they finde no issue thereof Some imagine it runnes vnder the ground that it falles into the South sea giving out that there is a branch of a river which they see rise and enter into the sea neere the banke having no knowledge of the Spring But contrariwise I beleeve that the waters of this Lake dissolve and are dispearsed within the Lake it selfe through the heate of the Sunne This discourse seemes sufficient to prove that the Ancients had no reason to holde that the middle region was inhabitable for the defect of waters seeing there is such store both from heaven and on the earth Shewing the reason why the Sunne without the Tropicks causeth greatest quantitie of waters when it is farthest off and contrariwise within them it breedeth most when it is neerest CHAP. 7. COnsidering with my selfe often times what should cause the Equinoctial to be so moist as I have said to refute the opinion of the Ancients I finde no other reason but the great force of the sunne in those partes whereby it drawes vnto it a great aboundance of vapors from out of the Ocean which in those parts is very great and spatious and having drawne vnto it this great aboundance of vapours doth suddenly dissolve them into raine and it is approoved by many tryed experiences that the raine and great stormes from heaven proceed from the violent heat of the Sunne first as we have said before it raines in those countries whenas the Sunne casts his beames directly vpon the earth at which time he hath most force but when the Sun retyres the heat is moderate and then there falls no raine whereby we may conclude that the force and heat of the Sunne is the cause of raine in those Countries Moreover we observe both in Peru New Spaine and in all the burning Zone that the raine doth vsually fall in after-noone when as the sunne-beames are in their greatest force being strange to see it raine in the morning And therefore travellers fore-seeing it begin their iourneyes earely that they may end and rest before noone for they hold that commonly it raines after noone Such as have frequented and travelled those Countriâ—s can sufficiently speake thereof And there are that having made some abode there say that the greatest aboundance of raine is when the Moone is at the full but to say the trueth I could never make sufficient proofe thereof although I have observed it Moreover the dayes the yeere and the moneths shew the trueth hereof that the violent heate of the sunne causeth the raine in the burning Zone experience teacheth vs the like in artificiall thinges as in a Limbecke wherein they draw waters from hearbs flowers for the vehemencie of the fire forceth and driveth vp an aboundance of vapours which being pressed and finding no issue are converted into liquor and water The like wee see in gold and silver which wee refine with quicke-silver the fire being small and slow wee draw out almost nothing of the quicke-silver but if it bee quicke and violent it doth greatly evaporate the quick-silver which incountring the head above doth presently turne into liquor and begins to drop downe Even so the violent heate of the sunne produceth these two effects when it finds matter disposed that is to draw vp the vapours on high and to dissolve them presently and turne them into raine when there is any obstacle to consume them And although these things seeme contrary that one sunne within the burning Zone being neere should cause raine and without the Zone afarre off should breed the like effect so it is that all well considered there is no contrarietie A thousand effects in naturall causes proceede of contrarie things by divers meanes we drie linnen by the fire and in the aire and yet the one heats and the other cooles pastures are dried and hardened by the sunne and with the frost moderate exercise provokes sleepe being too violent it hindereth if you lay no wood on the fire it dieth if you lay on toâ— much it likewise quencheth for the onely proportion entertaines and makes it to continue To well discerne a thing it must not be too neere the eie nor too farre off but in a reasonable distance proportionable being too farre off from any thing we loose the sight and too neere likewise we cannot see it If the sunne beames be weake they draw vp no fogge from the rivers if they be violent having drawne vp the vapours they presently dissolve and consume them but if the heat be moderate it drawes vp and preserves it for this reason the vapours rise not commonly in the night nor at noone but in morning whenas the sunne begins to enter into his force There are a thousand examples of naturall causes vpon this subiect which we see do often grow from contrarie things whereby we must not wonder if the sunne being neere engenders raine and being farre off works the like effect but being of a moderate and proportionable distance causeth none at all Yet there remaines one doubt why the neerenes of the sunne causeth the raine vnder the burning Zone and without when it is farthest off In my opinion the reason is that in Winter without the Tropicks the sunne hath not force sufficient to consume the vapours which rise from the land and sea for these vapours grow in great aboundance in the cold region of the aire where they are congealed and thickened by the extremitie of the cold and after being pressed they dissolve and turne into water Therefore in Winter when the sunne is farthest off the daies short and the nights long his heat hath small force but when the sunne approacheth which is in the summer time his force is
that some are invironed with heat some with cold and others tempered with a moderate heat Plato placeth his most renowmed Atlantike Iland vnder the burning Zone then he saieth that at certaine seasons of the yeere it hath the sunne for Zenith and yet it was very temperate fruitfull and rich Plinie saieth that Taprobana which at this day they call Sumatra is vnder the Equinoctiall as in effect it is writing that it is not onely happie and rich but also peopled with men and beasts whereby we may easily iudge that although the Ancients held the heate of the burning Zone to be insupportable yet might they well vnderstand that it was not so great as they had spoken The most excellent Astrologer and Cosmographer Ptolome and the worthie Philosopher and Physitian Avicen were of a better resolution being both of opinion that vnder the Equinoctiall there were verie commodious habitations That the heat of the burning Zone is temperate by reason of the rayne and the shortnes of the dayes CHAP. 10. SInce the discoverie of this newe worlde wee have found by experience that which late Writers have held for trueth But it is a naturall thing whenas any matter beyond our conceit is made knowne vnto vs by experience we by and by examine the cause Therefore wee desire to know the reason why a Region where the sunne approacheth neerest is not onely temperate but in many parts cold Considering this matter generally I finde two general causes which maketh this Region temperate the one is that before mentioned for that this Region is very moist and subiect to raine and there is no doubt but the rayne doth refresh it for that the water is by nature cold and although by the force of the fire it be made hotte yet doth it temper this heat proceeding onely from the sunne-beames The which we see by experience in the inner Arabia the which is burnt with the Sunne having no showres to temper the violence thereof The clouds and mists are the cause that the sunne offends not so much and the showers that fall from them refresh both the ayre and the earth and moisten likewise how hot soever it be They drinke raine water and it quencheth the thirst as our men have well tried having no other to drinke So as reason and experience doth teach vs that raine of it selfe doth temper the heat and having by this meanes shewed that the burning Zone is much subiect vnto raine it appeares that there is matter in it to temper the violence of the heat To this I will adde an other reason which deserves to be knowne not only for this matter but for many others for although the Sunne be very hotte and burning vnder the Equinoctiall yet is it not long so as the heate of the day being there shorter and of lesse continuance it causeth not so violent a heate the which it behooves to specifie more particularly Such as are practised in the knowledge of the Spheare teach very well that the more the Zodiake is oblique and traversing our Hemisphere the more vnequall are the daies and nights and contrariwise where the sphere is straight and the signes mount directly there the dayes and nights are equalâ— And therefore in all that Region which is betweene the two Tropicks there is lesse inequality then without them and the more we approch the Line the lesse inequalitie we finde the which we have tryed in those parts Those of Quitto for that they are vnder the line have not throughout the whole yeere the dayes and nights more short at one season then at an other but are continually equall Those of Lima beeing distant almost twelve degrees finde some difference betwixt the dayes and the nights but very little for that in December and Ianuarie the dayes increase an houre or little lesse Those of PotoZi finde much more difference both in winter and in summer being almost vnder the Tropicke But those that live without the Tropikes find the dayes in winter shorter and in summer longer the more remote they are from the Equinoctial and come neere the Pole as we see in Germany and in England the daies are longer in summer then in Italie and in Spaine It is a thing which the Sphere doth teach and experience doth plainely shew vs. We must adde an other proposition which is likewise true and very considerable for all the effectes of nature to vnderstand the perseverance and continuation of the efficient cause to worke and moove This presupposed if any one demaund of me why vnder the Equinoctiall Line the heat is not so violent in summer as in some other Regions as in Andelousiae in the moneths of Iuly and August I will answere that in Andelousia the dayes are longer and the nights shorter and as the day being hot inflames and causeth heat so the nights being cold and moist give a refreshing According to the which at Peru there is no such great heat for that the dayes in summer are not long nor the nights short so as the heate of the day is much tempered by the freshnesse of the night And although the burning Zone be neerer the Sunne then all other Regions yet doth not the heate continue there so long It is a naturall thing that a small fire continued heats more then a greater that lastes but little especially if there bee any thing to refresh it He therefore that shal put these two properties of the Zone in one ballance that it is most rainie in the time of greatest heate and that the dayes are shortest there he shall perchance finde them to equall the other two contrarieties which bee that the Sunne is neerer and more directly over them then in other Regions That there be other reasons besides the former mentioned which shew that the burning Zone is temperate especially alongst the Ocean CHAP. 11. BEing a thing concluded that the two forenamed properties are common and vniversal to all the region of the burning Zone and yet in the same there are found some places very hote and other exceeding colde Also that the temperature is not there equall in all places but vnder one climate one part is hote another colde and the third temperate all at one season we are forced to seeke out other reasons whence this great diversitie should proceede in the burning Zone Discoursing therefore vpon this question I do finde threeapparant and certaine causes and a fourth more obscure and darke The apparant and certaine causes be The first is the Ocean the second the scituation of the land and the third the nature and propertie of many and sundry windes Besides these three which I holde for manifest I beleeve there is a fourth hidden and lesse apparant which is the propertie of the same land inhabited and the particular influence of the heavens Whoso woulde neerely consider the causes and generall reasons before mentioned shall finde them insufficient for the full resolution of this point observing that
vnto Almoners 349 Priests of Idolles how they consulted with their gods 360 Pretext of the Inguas to inlarge their dominions was religion which they held for the best 472 Processions of the Indians 394 Prodigious sights before the ruine of Mexico 561 Profit which may be gathered by the reading of these excerable Indian superstitions 428 Propertie most rare of the Adamant vnknowne to the Antâ—ents 55 Province next to Mexico left vnconquered to exercise their youth and to take Captaines to sacrifice 541 Ptolâ—me and Avicen held the buâ—ning zone to be habitable 102 Punas a desart in Peru where the aire killes both men and beasts 149 Pyramide of fire appearing in the heaven for a whole yeere before the ruine of the Mexicain Empire 561 Prâ—te Ians country exceeding hot 106 Q. QVantitie of golde which commeth yearely from the Indies into Spain 215 Quetzalcoalt the marchants god and where he was worshipped 354 Quâ—ppos bowes serving as registers for the remembring of that which passed in Peru. 449 Quicke-silver flies from all mettalles except golde and silver 234 Quicke-silver turnes into smoake and againe into quickesilver 235 Quickesilver heavier than anie other mettall 236 Quickesilver how it is drawne out of the mines 239 R. RAine caused by the heat of the burning zone 89 Rayme the first month of the Indians it answ ers with December 411 Our Reason ignorant even of natural things 59 Regions very delightfull at the Indies 114 Regions vnder the Equinoctiall verie temperate 101 Religion served the Indians for a pâ—â—text to make warre 80 Remedy against the alteration which the winde causeth in Pariacaca 147 Riches of some Ilands in new Spaine 187 Riches incredible of the Perusiens when they were taken by the Spaniards 462 Rice very common at the Indies 260 River of Amazons diversly called it is termed the empresse of all rivers 92 Rivers admirable vnder the burning zone 93 River of Amazons three score leagues wide at the mouth 92 River of Magdaleâ—ne called the Gâ—eat river runnes farre into the sea and mingles not his water ibid. Rivers hâ—lles great stones and toppes of mountaines worshipped by the Indian 355 Roâ—kes râ—sing in the middâ—st of the sea and no boâ—tome to be sound about them 202 Roses how they growe at the Indies 283 Roundâ—â—s of the heaven and the moâ—â—en thereof vnknowne to some doctors of the church 2 Rootes worsâ—â—pt by the Indians 341 Rooâ—es very profitable at the Indies ibidem A Rowle the maâ—ke of the kings Inguas as heere the Sâ—â—pter and the Crowne 297 Ruine of a great village full of sorcerers 199 S. SAcrifices of men howe they were made 383 Sacrifices diversly made by the Indians and vpon divers occasions 376 Sacrifices vsuall with the Indians in their necessities 480 Sainos strange beasts to hunt and how they may be slaine 312 Salsepareille good for the French disease 174 Sciences knowne by the Chinois 444 S. Croix of the Sierre a province of Charcas how it was converted to the faith 580 Sea held by the Antients vnnavigable beyond the straights of Gâ—braltar 26 Seas some hote some cold 111 sea-Sea-water refresheth although it bee salt 107 Silver why esteemed above all other mettall next to gold 216 Silver more esteemed in some places than gold 217 Sâ—lver how it is refined by fire how by quickesilver 218 Silver of divers sortes 232 Silver how it is tried 247 Soccabons artificially invented to draw foorth the mettall more easily 229 The Sunne the nearer it is vnto vs the more it heates â—3 The Sun hath contrary effects within the burning zone and without the tropickes 87 The Sunne by his great force causeth moisture vnder the Equinoctiall 95 The Sunne worshipped commonly by the Indians 335 A Sorceresse sister to the Idoll which built the towne of Malâ—nalco where there are none but sorcerers 507 Spaniards borne at the Indies called Crollos 278 Spaniards held for gods 69 Spaniards called by the Indians Virachocas children of God and why 480 Spanish ships esteemed by the Indians for rockes and why 69 The Spaniard one yeare with an other draws a million of silver from Potozi 225 Springs of Nile sought for by Caesar. 30 Springs some blew others redde like bloud 175 Snakes the Armes of the kings of Peru 338 Blacke Spots in the milken way at the south 16 Starres according to the Doctors of the Church moove of themselves 2 Starres worshipped by the Indians for divers reasons 336 Stones superstitiously offred at passages to have faire way 341 Stones carved and cut like wood 173 Stones halfe golde halfe stone 212 Stones of a wonderfull greatnes artificially ioyned together by the Indians in their buildings without any morter 459 Straight of Magellan discovered by a Portugall and carrieth the same name 152 Straight at the Articke Pole which they imagine to be in Florida not yet discovered 157 Straight of Gibraltar called in olde time the Pâ—llers of Hâ—rcules 151 Stuffes of three sortes made of wooll 465 Suâ—â—illes Indian nosegayâ—s they love them greatly and present them to their guests 282 Supeâ—stâ—tion vsed at the carrying of a streame through Mexico 552 T. TAbacco a plant vsed for a counterpoison 289 Taâ—bos ' according to the opinion of the Indians the most auntient race of men 79 Temperature quite contrary in lesse thaâ— fiftie leagues 183 Temple at Cusco like to the Pantheon at Rome 359 Tescalipuca the god of Iubiles at Mexico and his ornaments 353 Tharsis sometimes signifies the Crisolite or Iacinth sometâ—mes the Sea which is of that colour by the reverberation of the Sunne 46 Tharsis in the Scripture is not Tarso a citty in Cilicia 47 Tharsis and Ophir generall wordes in the Scripture ibid. Tlasâ—altecas the sixt generation of the Mavaâ—alcas they gave entrie to the Spaniardes 501 Tlacaellâ—c the most valiant Captaine the Mexicaines had 530 Thanksgiving after a victorie 574 Tiburons a very greedy fisâ— 165 Three kindes of beastes found at the Indies 303 Three kinds of land at the Indies and their qualities 178 Three things ordinarily vsed in all the Indian ceremonies 410 Three kinds of governement knowne at the Indies 471 Tigres at Peru more cruell to the Indians than to the Spaniards 70 Tigres may swimme seaven or eight leagues by sea ibid. Tooth of a Giant of an exceeding greatnes 501 Tree of a wonderfull greatnesse 291 Titâ—caca a Lake of woonderfull greatnesse 169 The Trinitie imitated by the Divell and worshâ—pped by the Indians in three Images of the Sunne 412 Tunall a tree of a strange forme fit for many vses 274 V. VAlour of the Indians 586 Vallies hotter than the mountains and why 108 Vallies the best habitations of Peru. 185 Varietie of temperature of lands lying vnder the Equinoctiall 105 Vermâ—llion and Quickesilver grow in the sâ—me stone 237 Victories of the Mexicans against the Tapenecans 533 Vicugnes a kinde of wilde sheepe the flesh is good for the paine in the eâ—es 316 Vines without fruit in new Spaine 188 Vines in Peru and
thing and worthy observation that the ayre is most cleere and without rayne vnder this burning Zone whenas the Sunne is farthest off and contrariwise there is most rayne snow and mists whenas the Sunne is neerest Such as have not travelled in this new world wil happily thinke this incredible and it will seeme strange even vnto such as have beene there if they have not well observed it but the one and the other will willingly yeeld in noting the certaine experience of that which hath beene sayd of this part of Peru which looks to the Southerne or Antartike Pole the Sunne is then farthest off when it is neerest vnto Europe that is in Maie Iune Iuly and August whenas hee makes his course in the Tropicke of Cancer During which Moneths the aire at Peru is very cleere and calme neyther doth there fall any snow or raine all their rivers fall much and some are dried vp quite but as the yeere increaseth and the Sunne approcheth neere vnto the Tropicke of Capricorne then begins it to raine and to snow and their Rivers swell from October to December Then after that the Sun retyring from Capricorne whenas his beames reflect directly vpon the heads of them of Peru then is the violence of their waters great then is the time of raine snow and great overflowings of their Rivers when as their heate is greatest that is from Ianuarie to mid March this is so true and certaine as no man may contradict it And at that time the contrary is found in the Regions of the Pole Articke beyond the Equinoctiall which proceeds from the same reason But let vs now looke into the temperature of Panama all that coast as well of new Spaine the Ilands of Barlovent Cuba Hispaniola Iamaica as of S. Iohn de Port ricco wee shall without doubt finde that from the beginning of November vntill Aprill they have the aire cleere and bright the reason is for that the Sunne passing by the Equinoctiall to the Tropicke of Capricorne retyres from those Regions more then at any other time of the yeere And contrariwise they have violent showers and great swellings of water whenas the Sunne returnes and is neerest vnto them which is from Iune vnto September for then his beames beate most vpon them The like happens at the East Indies as we learne daily by letters that come So as it is a generall rule although in some places there is an exception that in the Region of the South or burning Zone which is all one the aire is most cleere and driest whenas the Sun is farthest off and contrariwise when it approcheth there is greatest rayne and humiditie and even as the Sunne advanceth or retyreth little or much even so the earth abounds or wants water and moisture That in the Regions which be without the Tropicks there is greatest store of waters whenas the Sunne is farthest off contrary to that vnder the burning Zone CHAP. 4. IN Regions which lie without the Tropicks we see the contrary to that which hath beene spoken for that the rayne is mingled with cold the drought with heate the which is well knowne in all Europe and the old world as we see in the same manner in the new world whereof the whole Kingdome of Chile is a witnesse which lying without the Tropicke of Capricorne and in the same height with Spaine is subiect to the same lawes of Winter and Summer but that Winter is there whenas it is Summer in Spaine being vnder divers Poles So as when it is cold in these Provinces the waters are in great aboundance which is when the Sunne is farthest off from the beginning of Aprill to the end of September finally the disposition of seasons is like to that in Europe which is that the heat and drought comes whenas the Sunne returnes which is the cause that this Realme of Chile approcheth neerer the temperature of Europe then any other of the Indies as well in the fruites of the earth as in the bodies and spirits of men The like they report of that part which lies before the Inner Ethiopia that stretcheth out in manner of a point vnto the Cape Bonne Esperance or Good Hope the which they holde for a true cause of the inundations of Nile which bee in Summer whereof the Ancients have so much disputed for that in that Region the Winter and raine begins in April whenas the Sunne hath passed Aries and these waters which partly grow from snow and partly from raine assemble and make great Lakes and Pooles from whence by good and true Geographie the River of Nile proceedes and by this meanes goes by little and little stretching out her course till that having runne a long way it finally in the time of Summer overfloweth Egypt which seemeth against nature and yet it is certainely reported for at what time it is Summer in Egypt lying vnder the Tropicke of Cancer then is it winter at the springes of Nile which is vnder the other Tropicke of Capricorne There is in America an other inundation like to that of Nile at Paraguen or River de la Plata which is as much to say as the River of silver the which receiving yeerely infinite waters which fall from the Mountaines of Perâ— doth so terribly swell in her course and over-flowes that Region as the Inhabitants are forced during those Moneths to retyre themselves into boats and Canoes and to leave the dwelling of the Land That betwixt the two Tropicks the greatest aboundance of raine is in Summer with a discourse of Winter and Summer CHAP. 5. TO conclude Summer is alwayes accompanied with heate and drought in the two temperate Zones and Winter with cold and moistnesse but vnder the burning Zone those qualities are not alike for that raine accompanies heate and drought followeth the cold I vnderstand by cold want of excessive heat so as Winter is taken in our Europe for the colde and raynie season and Summer for the hot and cleere season Ouâ— Spaniards which live at Peru and in newe Spaine seeing these two qualities not to concurre together as in Spaine call that season Winter wherein there is greatest aboundance of raine and waters and Summer where there is little or nonâ— at all wherein they are plainely deceived although they aâ—â—irme by a generall rule that in the Mountaines of Peru it is Summer from the Moneth of Aprill to September for that the raine ceaseth in that season and that Winter is from the moneth of September vnto Aprill for that the showres returne then and therefore it is winter and summer at the same instant that in Spaine So as when the Sunâ—e goeth directly over their heads they then take it to bee the depth of Winter having greatest store of raine But it is worthy to be laughed at comming from ignorant men and vnlearned for even as the difference betwixt the day and night proceeds from the presence or absence of the Sunne in our hemisphere according to
the motion of the first motor which is the cause of day and night even so the difference which we see betwixt Winter and Summer proceeds from the neerenesse and distance of the Sunne according to the motion of the said Sunne which is the proper cause To speake trueth then it is Summer whenas the Sunne is neerest and Winter when it is farthest off Both heate and coldnesse and every other temperature growes of necessitie by the neerenesse and distance of the sunne but to raine or not to raine which is humiditie and drought doe not necessarily follow It is therefore easie to iudge besides this vulgar opinion that at Peru the Winter is cleere and without raine and the Summer full of showres and not otherwise as many beleeve that the winter is hotte and the summer cold They fall into the like error vpon the difference they make betwixt the Plaines and the Mountaines of Peru saying that when it is summer vpon the mountaine it is winter in the vallie which is in April Maie Iune Iuly and August for then the aire is very cleere vpon the mountaine without any raine or mistes and at the same season we commonly see fogges in the plaine which they call Guarva which is as it were a very sweet dew wherewith the sunne is covered But winter and summer as it is said are caused by the neerenesse and distance of the sunne Seeing then that throughout all Perâ— both vpon the Mountaines and on the Plaines the sunne approcheth and retyreth in one sort there is no reason to say that when it is summer in one part that it is winter in an other yet is it no mâ—tter of any importance to contend vpon the signification of words Let them terme them as they please and call that summer when it raines not although the heat be greater But that whereunto we must have greatest regard is the trueth of the subiect which is that drought and want of raine is not alwaies greatest when the sunne approcheth neerest as we see in the burning Zone That the burning Zone abounds with waters and pastures against the opinion of Aristotle who holds the contrarie CHAP. 6. BY the former Discourse wee may easily conceive that the burning Zone is not drie but abounding with waters the which is so true as it exceeds all the Regions of the world for store of waters except in some parts where there are sands and desart Countries as wee finde likewise in some other parts of the world As for water from Heaven wee have alreadie shewen that there is great aboundance of raine snow and haile which especially abound in the kingdome of Peru. But as for land-waters as rivers fountaines brookes springs floods and lakes I have not spoken thereof till now yet being an ordinarie thing that the waters below have a correspondencie with them above wee must not imagine that there can bee any want and in trueth there is so great store of springs and fountaines as you shall not finde in any Region or Countrie of the world so many lakes marishes and such store of rivers for the greatest part of America is almost inhabitable through too great aboundance of waters for that the rivers swelled with the great Raines in Summer doe often overflow their banckes with such furie as they breake all they incounter and in many places they cannot passe by reason of the mudde and myre of marishes and vallies for this cause those that live neere to Paraguen whereof wee have made mention foreseeing the rising of the River before it comes put themselves and their goods into Canoes and so preserve themselves and their goods fâ—oating vp and downe almost for the space of three moneths and when the River is returned within her boundes then they goe to their houses still wette and dropping with the â—â—ood And this River is so great as Nile Ganges Euphrates all together cannot equall it But what shall we say of the great river of Magdalaine which falles into the sea betwixt S. Martha and Carthagene and with reason is called the great river Sailing in those parts I was amazed to see her streame which was very cleere runne ten leagues into the sea being in breadth above two leagues not mingling noâ— vanquished with the violent waves of the Ocean But if we shall speake more of rivers that great floud called by some the river of Amazons by others Marannon and by some the river of Orellana which our Spaniards sailed in their discoveries ought to blemish all the rest and in truth I am in doubt whither I may tearme it a river or a sea It flowes from the mountaines of Peru from whence it receiâ—es a great aboundance of water both of raine and of rivers which it gathereth into it then passing by the great plaines of Pautiti Dorado and the Amazons in the end it falles into the Ocean almost right against the â—land of Marguerite and Trinidado It hath so large broad a channel specially in the last third part of her length as it contains in it many great â—lands And that which seemes incredible when you saile through the midst of it you shall see nothing but aire and water They say moreover that from the midst you cannot see nor discover with the eye many great and high mountaines which are vpon the bankes by reason of her great bredth We have learned from credible persons the great and wonderfull bredth of this river which in my opinion deserves well the name of Empresse and Queene of all flouds which was by the report of a brother of our company who being then yong sailed it in the company of Peter d'Orsua with whom hee was present at all the adventures of this strange entrie and discoverie and at the seditious and pernitious acts of that wicked Diego d' Aguirra from the which God delivered him to place him in our company Such are the rivers in that region which they call the burning Zone and the drie parcht vp countrie in the which Aristotle and the Ancients affirmed there were neither waters nor pastures But seeing I have made mention of the river of Marannon to shew the abundance of the waters that are in the burning zone it shall not be from the purpose to speake somewhat of that great Lake which they call Titicaca which is in the midst of the Province of Collao There are above ten great rivers which loose themselves entring into that Lake and yet hath it no issue but one small current of water although some hold it to be very deepe and of such a fashion as it is impossible to build a bridge over it for the depth of the water neither can they passe it by boate for the violence of the current They passe it by an artificiall and notable practice peculiar to the Indians with a bridge of straw laied vpon the water the which being of so light a substance sinkes not and yet this passage is very easie and
such as it drawes vp the vapors and suddenly consumes and disperseth them for the heat and the length of the daies grow through the neerenes of the sunne But within the Tropickes vnder the burning Zone the far distance of the sunne workes the same effects that the neerenes doth without the Tropiks by reason whereof it raines no more vnder the burning Zone when the sunne is farre off then without the Tropicks when it is neerest for that in this approaching and retyâ—ing the sunne remaines alwaies in one distance whence proceedes this effect of cleerenes But when the sunne is in the period of his force in the burning zone and that he cast his beames directly vpon the inhabitants heads there is neither cleerenes nor drienes as it seems there should be but rather great and strange showers for that by this violent heat he drawes vp suddenly a great aboundance of vapours from the Earth and Ocean which are so thicke as the winde not able easily to disperse them they melt into water which breedeth the cold raine in so great aboundance for the excessive heat may soone draw vp many vapours the which are not so soone dissolved and being gathered together through their great aboundance they melt and dissolve into water The which we may easily discerne by this familiar example rost a peece of porke mutton or veale if the fire be violent and the meate neere we see the fatte melts suddenly and droppes away the reason is that the violent heat drawes forth the humour and fatte from the meate and being in great aboundance cannot dissolve it and so it distills more away But when the fire is moderate and the meat in an equall distance we see that it rostes hansomely and the fatte drops not too suddenly for that the moderate heat drawes out the moistnes which it consumes suddenly And therefore Cookes make a moderate fire and lay not their meate too neere nor too farre off lest it melt away The like may be seene in another experience in candles of tallow or waxe if the wike bee great it melts the tallow or the waxe for that the heat cannot consume the moistnes which riseth but if the flame be proporcionable the waxe melts nor droppes not for that the flame doth waste it by little and little as it riseth The which seemeth to me the true reason why vnder the Equinoctiall and burning Zone the violence of the heat doth cause raine the which in other Regions growes through want thereof How wee should vnderstand that which hath been formerly spoken of the burning Zone CHAP. 8. IF in naturall and phisicall things we must not seeke out infallible and mathematicall rules but that which is ordinarie and tried by experience which is the most perfect rule wee must then beleeve what wee have said that there is more humiditie vnder the burning Zone then in other Regions and that it raines lesse there when the sunne is neerest must be taken and vnderstood after one sort as in truth it is the most common and ordinarie But this is not to hinder the exceptions which nature hath given to this rule making some Regions of the burning Zone extreamely drie The which is reported of Ethiopia and wee have seene it in a great part of Peru where all that land or coast which they call Plaines wants raine yea land waters except some vallies where rivers fall from the mountaines the rest is a sandie and barren soile where you shall hardly finde any springs but some deepe welles But with the helpe of God wee will shew the reason why it raineth not in these Plaines the which many demand for now I onely pretend to shew that there are many exceptions to naturall rules whereby it may happen that in some part of the burning Zone it raines not when the sunne is neerest but being farthest off although vnto this daie I have neither seene nor heard of it but if it be so wee must attribute it to the particular qualitie of the earth and also if sometimes the contrarie doth chance we must have regard that in naturall things there happens many contrarieties and leâ—s whereby they change and dissolve one another For example it may be the sunne will cause raine and that the winds will hinder it or else cause more aboundance then hath been vsuall The windes have their properties and divers beginnings by the which they worke divers effects the which are most commonly contrarie to that which the order season requires Seeing then in all places we see great varieties in the yeere which proceedes from the divers motions and aspectes of Planets it is not out of purpose to say that in the burning Zone wee may see and observe some things contrarie to that we have tried But to conclude that which we have spoken is a certaine and vndoubted truth which is that the great draught which the Ancients held to be in the middle region which they call the burning Zone is nothing at all but contrariwise there is great humiditie and then it raines most when the sunne is neerest That the Burning Zone is not violently hotte but moderate CHAP. 9. HItherto wee haue treated of the humiditie of the Burning Zone now it shall be fit to discourse of the other two qualities Hotte and Colde We have shewed in the beginning of this Discourse how the Ancients held that the burning Zone was hotte and exceeding drie the which is not so for it is hote and moist and in the greatest part the heat is not excessive but rather moderate which some would hold incredible if we had not tried it When I passed to the Indies I will tell what chaunced vnto mee having read what Poets and Philosophers write of the bâ—â—ning Zone I perswaded my selfe that comming to the Equinoctiall I should not indure the violent heate but it fell out otherwise for when I passed which was when the sun was there for Zenith being entered into Aries in the moneth of March I felt so great cold as I was forced to go into the sunne to warme me what could I else do then but laugh at Aristotles Meteors and his Philosophie seeing that in that place and at that season whenas all should be scorched with heat according to his rules I and all my companions were a colde In truth there is no region in the world more pleasant and temperate then vnder the Equinoctiall although it be not in all parts of an equall temperature but have great diversities The burning Zone in some parts is very temperate as in Quitto and on the plaines of Peru in some partes verie colde as at Potozi and in some very hote as in Ethiopia Bresill and the Molucques This diversitie being knowne and certaine vnto vs we must of force seeke out another cause of cold and heat then the sunne beames seeing that in one season of theyeere and in places of one height and distance from the Pole and Equinoctiall we finde so great diversitie
which daily happens in diverse partes of the Equinoctiall Manomotapa and a great part of the kingdom of Prester Iean are seated vnder the line or very neere In which regions they endure excessive heate and the men are all blacke the which is not onely in those parts of the land farre from the sea but also in Ilands invironed with the sea The Iland of Saint Thomas is vnder the Line the Ilands of Cape Verd are very neere and both in the one and the other are violent heates and the men are likewise blacke Vnder the same line or very neere lies a part of Peru and of the new kingdome of Grenado which notwithstanding are very temperate Countries inclining rather to colde then heate and the inhabitants are white The Country of Bresill is in the same distance from the line with Peru and yet both Bresill and all that coast is extreamely hot although it be in the North sea and the other coast of Peru which is in the South sea is very temperate I say then that whosoever would consider these differences and give a reason thereof cannot content himselfe with these generall rules before specified to proove that the burning Zone may be a temperate land Among the speciall causes and reasons I have first placed the Sea for without doubt the neerenesse thereof doth helpe to temper and coole the heat for although the water be salt yet is it alwayes water whose nature is cold and it is a thing remarkeable that in the depth of the Ocean the water cannot be made hot by the violence of the Sunne as in rivers finally even as salt-peeter though it be of the nature of salt hath a propertie to coole water even so we see by experience that in some ports and havens the salt-water doth refresh the which wee have observed in that of Callao whereas they put the water or wine which they drinke into the Sea in flaggons to be refreshed whereby wee may vndoubtedly finde that the Ocean hath this propertie to temper and moderate the excessive heate for this cause we feele greater heat at land then at sea Caeteris paribus and commonly Countries lying neere the sea are coooler then those that are farther off Caeteris paribus as I have said even so the greatest part of the new world lying very neere the Ocean wee may with reason say although it bee vnder the burning Zone yet doth it receive a great benefite from the sea to temper the heat That the highest landes are the coldest and the reason thereof CHAP. 12. BVt if we shall yet search more particularly we shall not finde in all this land an equall temperature of heate although it be in equal distance from the sea and in the same degree seeing that in some partes there is great heate and in some very little Doubtlesse the cause thereof is that the one is lower and the other higher which causeth that the one is hote and the other colde It is most certaine that the toppes of the mountaines are colder then in the bottome of the vallies the which proceedes not onely for that the sunne beames have greater repercussions vpon lower places although it be a great reason yet there is an other which is that the Region of the ayre is colder when it is farthest from the ground The Plaines of Collao at Peru of Popaian in new Spaine make sufficient proofe hereof For without al doubt those parts are high countries and for this reason cold although they be all invironed with high points of mountaines much subiect to the Sunne beames But if we demand why at Peru and in new Spaine the Plaines along the coast be very hote and the plaines of the same Countries of Peru and new Spaine be contrariwise colde In truth I see no other reason can be given but that the one is a lowe country and the other high Experience dooth teach vs that the middle region of the ayre is colder than the neather And therefore the more the mountaines approach to the middle the colder they are being covered with snow and frosts Reason it selfe dooth yeelde to it For if there be a sphere and region of fire as Aristotle and the other Philosophers say the middle region of the ayre must be most colde by Antiparistasis the colde being expelled and thickned there as in summer time we see in wells that are very deepe For this cause the Philosophers affirme that the two extreame regions of the ayre that above and the other belowe are the hottest and the middle region more colde If it be thus as experience doth teach vs we shall yet draw out another reason and notable argument to shew that the burning Zone is temperate which is that the greatest part of the Indies is a high countrey filled with many mountaines which by their neerenesse refresh the neighbour countries You may continually see vppon the toppes of these mountaines snow haile and frozen waters and the cold so bitter as the grasse is all withered so as the men and beasts which passe that way are benummed with colde This as I have saide is in the burning Zone and it happens most commonly when they have the sunne for zenith It is therefore most certaine and conformable vnto reason that the mountaines are colder than the valleis and plaines for that they participate more of the middle region of the aire which is very colde The cause why the middle region of the ayre is more colde hath bin shewed before for that the region of the aire next to the fiery exhalation the which according to Aristotle is vpon the spheare of the aire repells and thrustes backe all the colde the which retires it selfe into the middle region of the aire by Antiparistasis as the Philosophers speake Now if any one should question with me in this manner If it be so that the ayre is hot and moist as Aristotle holdes and as we commonly say whence then proceeds the cold which is congealed in the middle region of the ayre seeing it cannot come from the fierie spheare For if it come from the water or the earth by this reason the lower region of the aire should be colder than the middle To answer truely what I thinke I will confesse that this Argument and Obiection is so difficult as I am almost ready to follow the opinion of such as reproove the qualities agreements and disagreements which Aristotle gives vnto the Elements saying they are but imaginations who for this occasion hold the aire to be colde by nature And to this end they vse many arguments and reasons whereof we will propound one very familiar and well knowne leaving the rest aparte In the canicular dayes we are accustomed to beate the ayre with a fanne and we finde that it doth refresh vs so as these Authors affirme that heate is no private property of any other Element but of fire only which is dispersed and mingled with all things as the great Denis
remedy and all they finde is to stoppe their noses their eares and their mouthes as much as may be and to cover themselves with cloathes especially the stomacke for that the ayre is subtile and piercing going into the entrailes and not onely men feele this alteration but also beasts that sometimes stay there so as there is no spurre can make them goe forward For my part I holde this place to be one of the highest parts of land in the worlde for we mount a wonderfull space And in my opinion the mountaine Nâ—vade of Spaine the Pirences and the Alpes of Italie are as ordinarie houses in regarde of hie Towers I therefore perswade my selfe that the element of the aire is there so subtile and delicate as it is not proportionable with the breathing of man which requires a more grosse and temperate aire and I beleeve it is the cause that doth so much alter the stomacke trouble all the disposition The passages of the mountaines Nâ—vade and other of Europe which I have seene although the aire be colde there and doth force men to weare more clothes yet this colde doth not take away the appetite from meate but contrariwise it provokes neyther dooth it cause any casting of the stomacke but onely some paine in the feete and handes Finally their operation is outward But that of the Indies whereof I speake without molesting of foote or hand or any outward parte troubles all the entrailes within and that which is more admirable when the sunne is hote which maketh mee imagine that the griefe wee feele comes from the qualitie of the aire which wee breathe Therefore that is most subtile and delicate whose colde is not so sensible as piercing All this ridge of mountains is for the most part desart without any villages or habitations for men so as you shall scarce finde any small cotages to lodge such as do passe by night there are no beasts good or bad but some Vicunos which are their countrey muttons and have a strange and wonderfull property as I shall shew in his place The grasse is often burnt and all blacke with the aire and this desart runnes five and twenty or thirty leagues overthwart and in length above five hundred leagues There are other desarts or places inhabited which at Peru they call Punas speaking of the second poynt we promised where the quallitie of the ayre cutteth off mans life without feeling In former time the Spaniardes went from Peru to the realme of Chille by this mountaine but at this day they do passe commonly by sea and sometimes alongst the side of it And though that way be laborious and troublesome yet is there not so great daunger as by the mountaine where there are Plaines on the which many men have perished and died and sometimes have scaped by great happe whereof some have remained lame There runs a small breath which is not very strong nor violent but proceedes in such sorte that men fall downe dead in a manner without feeling or at the least they loose their feete and handes the which may seeme fabulous yet is it most true I have knowne and frequented long the Gennerall Ierome Costilla the auntient peopler of Cusco who had lost three or foure toes which fell off in passing the desart of Chille being perished with this aire and when he came to looke on them they were dead and fell off without any paine even as a rotten Apple falleth from the tree This Captaine reported that of a good army which hee had conducted by that place in the former yeeres since the discoverie of this kingdome by Almagro a great part of the men remained dead there whose bodies he found lying in the desart without any stink or corruption adding thervnto one thing very strange that they found a yong boy alive and being examined how hee had lived in that place hee saide that hee laie hidden in a little cave whence hee came to cutte the flesh of a dead horse with a little knife and thus had he nourished himselfe a long time with I know not how many companions that lived in that sort but now they were all dead one dying this day and another to morrow saying that hee desired nothing more then to die there with the rest seeing that he found not in himselfe any disposition to goe to any other place nor to take any taste in any thing I have vnderstoode the like of others and particularly of one that was of our company who being then a Secular man had passed by these desarts and it is a strange thing the qualitie of this colde aire which killes and also preserves the dead bodies without corruption I have also vnderstoode it of a reverend religious man of the Order of Saint Dominike and Prelate thereof who hadde seene it passing by the desarts and which is strange hee reported that travelling that way by night was forced to defend himselfe against that deadly winde which blowes there having no other meanes but to gather together a great number of those dead bodies that lay there and made therof as it were a rampire and a bolster for his head in this manner did he sleepe the dead bodies giving him life Without doubt this is a kinde of cold so piercing that it quencheth the vitall heate cutting off his influence and being so exceeding colde yet doth not corrupt nor give any putrifaction to the dead bodies for that putrifaction groweth from heate and moystnesse As for the other kinde of ayre which thunders vnder the earth and causeth earthquakes more at the Indies then in any other Regions I wil speake thereof in treating the qualities of the land at the Indies We wil content our selves now with what wee have spoken of the wind and aire and passe to that which is to be spokâ—n of the water Of the Ocean that invirons the Indies and of the North and South Seas CHAP. 10. AMongst all waters the Ocean is the principall by which the Indies have beene discovered and are invironed therewith for either they be Ilands of the Ocean sea or maine land the which wheresoever it ends is bounded with this Ocean To this day they have noâ— discovered at the Indies any mediterranian sea as in Europe Asia and Affrike into the which there enters some arme of this great sea and makes distinct seas taking their names from the Provinces they bathe and almost all the mediterranean Seas continue and ioyne together and with the Ocean itselfe by the straight of Gibraltar which the Ancients called the Pillers of Hercules although the red sea being separated from the mediterranean seas enters alone into the Indian Ocean and the Caspian sea ioynes not with any other so that at the Indies wee finde not anie other sea then this Ocean which they divide into two the one they call the north sea and the other the south for that the Indies which were first discovered by the Ocean and reacheth vnto Spaine
that man hath not so long a sight nor so nimble and swift footing as were needefull to transporte his eyes from one parte to another in so short a time as a tide will give him respite which are only six houres Of sundry Fishers and their maner of fishing at the Indies CHAP. 15. THere are in the Indian Ocean an infinite number of fishes the kindes properties whereof the Creator only can declare There are many such as we have in the sea of Europe as shaddes and aloses which come from the sea into the rivers dorads pilchards and many other There are others the like I doe not thinke to have seene in these partes as those which they doe call Cabrillas which doe somewhat resemble the trowt and in new Spaine they call them Bobos they mount from the sea into the rivers I have not seene any Besugues there nor trowts although some say there are in Chille There are Tonins in some partes vpon the coast of Peru but they are rare and some are of opinion that at a certaine time they do cast their spawne in the Straight of Magellan as they doe in Spaine at the Straight of Gibraltar and for this reason they finde more vpon the coast of Chille although those I have seene there are not like to them in Spaine At the Ilandes which they call Barlovente which are Cuba Saint Dominique Port rique and Iamaique they find a fish which they call Manati a strange kinde of fish if we may call it fish a creature which ingenders her yoong ones alive and hath teates and doth nourish them with milke feeding of grasse in the fieldes but in effect it lives continually in the water and therefore they eate it as fish yet when I did eate of it at Saint Dominique on a friday I hadde some scruple not for that which is spoken but for that in colour and taste it was like vnto morselles of veale so is it greene and like vnto a cowe on the hinder partes I didde woonder at the incredible ravening of the Tibâ—rons or sharkes whenas I did see drawne from one that was taken in the Port out of his gullet a buchers great knife a great yron hooke and a peece of a cowes head with one whole horne neyther doe I knowe if both were there or no. I did see in a creeke made with that sea a quarter of a horse for pleasure hanging vpon a stake whither presently came a company of these Tiburons at the smel thereof and for the more pleasure this horse flesh was hung in the aire I knowe not how many hand breadth from the water this company of fish flocke about it leaping vp and with a strange nimblenesse cut off both flesh and bone off the horse leg as if it had beene the stalke of a lettuce their teeth being as sharpe as a rasour There are certaine small fishes they call Rambos which cleave to these Tiburons neyther can they drive them away and they are fed with that which falles from the Tiburons There are other small fishes which they call flying fishes the which are found within the tropickes and in no other place as I thinke they are pursued by the Ducades and to escape them they leape out of the sea and goe a good way in the ayre and for this reason they are called flying Fishes they have wings as it were of linnen cloth or of parchment which do supporte them some space in the ayre There did one flie or leape into the shippe wherin I went the which I did see and observe the fashion of his wings In the Indian histories there is often mention made of Lezards or Caymans as they call them and they are the very same which Plinie and the Antients call Crocodiles they finde them on the sea side and in hote rivers for in colde rivers there are none to be found And therefore they finde none vpon all the coast of Peru vnto Payra but forward they are commonly seene in the rivers It is a most fierce and cruell beast although it be slow and heavie Hee goes hunting and seekes his prey on the land and what hee takes alive he drownes it in the water yet dooth hee not eate it but out of the water for that his throate is of such a fashion as if there entred any water he should easily be drowned It is a woonderfull thing to see a combat betwixt a Caymant and a Tigre whereof there are most cruell at the Indies A religious man of our company tolde me that he had seene these beasts fight most cruelly one against the other vpon the sea shoare the Caymant with his taile gave great blowes vnto the Tygre striving with his great force to carry him into the water and the Tygre with his pawes resisted the Caymant drawing him to land In the end the Tigre vanquished and opened the Lezard it seemes by the belly the which is most tender and penetrable for in every other parte hee is so hard that no lance and scarce a harquebuze can pierce it The victory which an Indian had of a Caymant was yet more rare the Caimant had carried away his yong childe and sodainely plunged into the sea the Indian mooved with choller cast himselfe after him with a knife in his hand and as they are excellent swimmers and dievers and the Caymant swimmeth alwayes on the toppe of the water hee hurt him in the belly and in such sort that the Caymant feeling himselfe wounded went to the shoare leaving the little infant dead But the combate which the Indians have with Whales is yet more admirable wherein appeares the power and greatnesse of the Creator to give so base a Nation as be the Indians the industry and courage to incounter the most fierce and deformed beast in the worlde and only to fight with him but also to vanquish him not to triumph over him Considering this I have often remembred that place of the Psalme speaking of the Whale Draco iste quem formasti ad illudendum eum What greater mockerie can there be then to see an Indian leade a whale as bigge as a mountaine vanquished with a corde The maner the Indians of Florida vse as some expert men have tolde me to take these whales whereof there is great store is they put themselves into a Canoe which is like a barke of a tree and in swimming approach neere the whales side then with great dexteritie they leape to his necke and there they ride as on horse backe expecting his time then hee thrustes a sharpe and strong stake which hee carries with him into the whales nosthrill for so they call the hole or vent by which they breathe presently hee beates it in with an other stake as forcibly as hee can in the meane space the whale dooth fuâ—iously beate the sea and raiseth mountaines of water running into the deepe with great violence and presently riseth againe not knowing what to doe for paine the Indian still
Yucay which ioyning with another runnes into the North sea with a violent and furious course This spring when it comes out of the rocke Bilcanota as I have said is of the colour of lie having an asshie colour and castes a fume as a thing burnt the which runs farre in this sort vntill the multitude of waters that runne into it quench this smoake and fire which it drawes from the spring In new Spaine I have seene a spring as it were inke somewhat blew in Peru another of colour red like bloud wherevpon they call it the red river Of Rivers CHAP. 18. AMongst all Rivers not onely at the Indies but generally through the world the River Maragnon or of Amazons is the chiefe whereof we have spoken in the former booke The Spaniards have often sailed it pretending to discover the lands which by report are very rich especially those they call Dorado and Paytiti Iean de Salnies the Adelantade made a memorable entrie though of small effect There is a passage which they call Pongo one of the most daungerous in all the worlde for the river being there straightned and forced betwixt two high steepe rockes the water falles directly downe with so great a violence that comming steepe downe it causeth such a boyling as it seemeth impossible to passe it without drowning yet the courage of men durst attempt to passe it for the desire of this renowmed Dorado they slipt downe from the top to the bottome thrust on with the violence and currant of the floud holding themselves fast in their Canoes or barkes and although in falling they were turned topsie turvie and both they and their Canoes plunged into the deepe yet by their care and industry they recovered themselves againe and in this sort the whole army escaped except some few that were drowned And that which is more admirable they carried themselves so cunningly that they neyther lost their powlder nor munition In their returne having suffered many troubles and daungers they were forced in the end to passe backe that same way mounting by one of those high Rockes sticking their poniards in the rocke Captaine Peter d' Orsua made an other entry by the same river who being dead in the same voyage and the souldiers mutined other Captaines followed the enterprise by an arme that comes into the north sea A religious man of our company told vs that being then a secular man he was present in a manner at all that enterprise and that the tides did flowe almost a hundred leaguâ—s vp the river and whereas it enters into the sea the which is vnder the Line or very neere it hath 70. leagues breadth at the mouth of it a matter incredible and which exceedes the breadth of the Mediterranean sea though there be some others who in their descriptions give it but twenty five or thirty leagues bredth at the mouth Next to this river that of Plata or of Silver holdes the second place which is otherwise called Paraguâ—y which runnes from the mountaines of Peru into the sea in thirty five degrees of altitude to the South it riseth as they say like to the river of Nile but much more without comparison and makes the fields it overflowes like vnto a sea for the space of three moneths and after returneth againe to his course in the which ships do saile many leagues against the streame There are many other rivers that are not of that greatnes and yet are equall yea they surpasse the greatest of Europe as that of Magdalaine neere to Saint Marthe the great river and that of Alvarado in new Spaine and an infinit number of others Of the south side on the mountains of Peru the rivers are not vsually so great for that their current is not long and that many waters cannot ioyne together but they are very swift descending from the mountaines and have sodaine falles by reason whereof they are very dangerous and many men have perished there They increase and overflowe most in the time of heate I have gone over twenty and seaven rivers vpon that coast yet did I never passe any one by a foord The Indians vse a thousand devises to passe their rivers In som places they have a long cord that runs fro one side to th' other thereon hangs a basket into the which he puts himselfe that meanes to passe and then they drawe it from the bancke with another corde so as hee passeth in this basket In other places the Indian passeth as it were on horse backe vppon a bottle of straw and behinde him hee that desires to passe and so rowing with a peece of a boorde carries him over In other places they make a floate of gourds or pompions vppon the which they set men with their stuffe to carry over and the Indians having cordes fastned to them goe swimming before and drawe this floate of pompions after them as horses doe a Coach others goe behinde thrusting it forward Having passed they take their barke of pompions vppon their backe and returne swimming this they doe in the river of Saint at Peru. We passed that of Alvarado in new Spaine vpon a table which the Indians carried vpon their shoulders and when they lost their footing they swamme These devises with a thousand others wherewith they vse to passe their rivers breede a terrour in the beholders helping themselves with such weake and vnsure means and yet they are very confident They do vse no other bridges but of haire or of straw There are now vppon some rivers bridges of stone built by the diligence of some governours but many fewer then were needfull in such a country where so many men are drowned by default thereof and the which yeeldes so much silver as not onely Spaine but also other strange Countries make sumptuous buildings therewith The Indians do drawe from these floudes that runne from the mountaines to the vallies and plaines many and great brooks to water their land which they vsually doe with such industry as there are no better in Murcia nor at Millan it selfe the which is also the greatest and onely wealth of the Plaines of Peru and of many other partes of the Indies Of the qualitie of the land at the Indies in generall CHAP. 19. WE may know the qualitie of the land at the Indies for the greatest parte seeing it is the last of the three Elements whereof wee have propounded to treate in this Booke by the discourse we have made in the former Booke of the burning Zone seeing that the greatest part of the Indies dooth lie vnder it But to make it knowne the more particularly I have observed three kindes of lands as I have passed through those Regions whereof there is one very lowe another very high and the third which holds the middle of these two extreames The lower is that which lieth by the sea coasts whereof there is in all partes of the Indies and it is commonly very hote and moist so as it is
fire some cast little smoake and have in a manner no force of Volcans as that of Arequipa which is of an vnmeasurable height and almost all fand It cannot be mounted vp in lesse then two daies yet they have not found any shew of fire but onely the reliques of some sacrifices which the Indians made while they were Gentiles and sometimes it doth cause a little smoake The Volcan of Mexico which is neere to the Village of Angels is likewise of an admirable height whereas they mount thirty leagues in turning from this Volcan issueth not continually but sometimes almost every day a great exhalation or whirle-winde of smoake which ascends directly vp like to the shot of a Crosse-bow and growes after like to a great plume of feathers vntill it ceaseth quite and is presently converted into an obscure and darke cloude Most commonly it riseth in the morning after the Sunne rising and at night when it setteth although I have seene it breake out at other times Sometimes it dooth cast foorth great store of ashes after this smoake They have not yet seene any fire come from it yet they feare it will issue forth and burne al the land round about which is the best of all the kingdome And they holde it for certaine that there is some correspondencie betwixt this Vulcan the Sierre of Tlaxcala which is neere vnto it that causeth the great thunders and lightnings they doe commonly heare and see in those parts Some Spaniards have mounted vppe to this Volcan and given notice of the mine of sulphre to make powlder thereof Cortez reportes the care hee had to discover what was in this Volcan The Volcans of Guatimalla are more renowned as well for their greatnesse and height which those that saile in the South Sea discover a farre off as for the violence and terrour of the fire it casts The three and twentieth day of December in the yeere of our Lord God one thousand five hundred eighty and sixe almost all the Cittie of Guatimalla fell with an Earthquake and some people slaine This Volcan had then sixe moneths together day and night cast out from the toppe and vomited as it were a floud of fire the substance falling vpon the sides of the Volcan was turned into ashes like vnto burnt earth a thing passing mans iudgement to conceive how it could cast so much matter from its centre during sixe moneths being accustomed to cast smoake alone and that sometimes with small flashes This was written vnto me being at Mexico by a Secretarie of the audience of Guatimalla a man woorthy of credite and at that time it had not ceased to cast out fire This yeere past being in Quitto in the Cittie of Kings the Volcan which is neere therevnto cast such aboundance of ashes that in many leagues compasse thereabout it darkened the light of the day and there fell such store in Quitto as they were not able to goe in the streetes There have beene other Volcans seene which cast neither smoake flame nor yet ashes but in the botome they are seene to burn with a quicke fire without dying such a one was that which in our time a coverous and greedy Priest seeing perswaded himselfe that they were heapes of golde hee did see burning imagining it coulde be no other matter or substance which had burnt so many yeeres and not consumed And in this conceit hee made certaine kettles with chaines and an instrument to gather and drawe vp the golde out of this pitte or Volcan but the fire scorned him for no sooner did his yron chaine and caldron approach neere the fire but sodainely they were broken in peeces Yet some tolde mee that this man was still obstinate seeking other inventions for to drawe out this golde as he imagined What should be the reason why the fire and smoake continues so long in these Vulcans CHAP. 25. THere is no neede now to make any mention of other Vulcans seeeing wee may well vnderstand by the former what they are yet is it woorthy the search what should be the cause why the fire and smoake continues in these Volcans for that it seemes a prodigious thing yea against the course of Nature to vomite and cast out so many flames Whence dooth this matter proceede or whether it be ingendred within the bowelles thereof Some have held opinion that these Volcans consume the inner substance they have of Nature and for this reason they beleeve that naturally they shal end whenas they have consumed the fuell as a man may say that is within them According to which opinion we see at this day some mountaines and rockes from whence they drawe a burnt stone which is light but very hard and is excellent to builde with as that which is carried to Mexico And in effect there are some shewes of that which hath beene spoken that these mountaines or rockes hadde sometimes a naturall fire which hath died after the matter was consumed and so these stones have remayned burnt and pierced with the fire as we see For my part I will not contradict it that in those places there hath not bin fire sometimes or Volcans But there is some difficultie to be beleeve it should be so in all Volcans considering the matter they cast out is almost infinite and that being gathered together it could not be contained in the same concavitie from whence it goes Moreover there are some Volcans that in hundreds yea thousands of yeeres are alwaies of one fashion casting out continually smoke fire and ashes Plinie the Historiographer of naturall things as the other Plinie his nephew reports searching out the secret how this should passe and apprâ—ching too neere th'exhalation of fire of one of these Volcans died and thinking by his diligence to find an end thereof had an end of his life For my parte vpon this consideration I think that as ther are places in th' earth whose vertue is to draw vaporous matter and to convert it into water which be the fountaines that alwayes runne and have alwayes matter to make them runne for that they drawe vnto them the substance of water In like sorte there are places that have the propertie to draw vnto them hote exhalations and to convert them into fire and smoake which by their force and violence cast out other thicke matter which dissolves into ashes into pumice stone or such like substance and for a sufficient argument to proove it to be so in these Volcans they sometimes cast smoke and not alwayes and sometimes fire and not alwayes which is according to that it can drawe vnto it and digest as the fountaines which in winter abound and in summer decrease yea some are quite dried vp according to the force and vigour they have and the matter that is presented even so it is of these Volcans which cast fire more or lesse at certaine seasons Others say that it is hell fire which issueth there to serve as a warning thereby to consider
what is in the other life but if hell as Divines holde be in the centre of the earth the which containes in diameter above two thousand leagues we can not iudge that this fire is from the centre for that hell fire as saint Basil and others teach is very different from this which wee see for that it is without light and burneth without comparison much more then ours And therefore I conclude that what I have saide seemes to me more reasonable Of Earthquakes CHAP. 26. SOme have held that from these Volcans which are at the Indies the earthquakes proceed being very common there but for that they ordinarily chance in places farre from those Volcans it can not be the totall cause It is true they have a certaine simpathy one with another for that the hote exhalations which engender in the inner concavities of the earth seeme to be the materiall substance of fire in the Volcans whereby there kindleth an other more grosse matter and makes these shewes of flame and smoke that come forth And these exhalations finding no easie issue in the earth move it to issue forth with great violence wherby we heare that horrible noise vnder the earth and likewise the shaking of the earth being stirred with this burning exhalation Even as gunpowlder in mines having fire put to it breakes rockes and walles and as the chesnut laid into the fire leapes and breakes with a noyse whenas it casts forth the aire which is contained within the huske by the force of the fire Even so these Earthquakes do most commonly happen in places neere the water or sea As we see in Europe and at the Indies that townes and citties farthest from the sea and waters are least afflicted therewith and contrariwise those that are seated vpon portes of the sea vpon rivers the sea coast and places neere vnto them feele most this calamitie There hath happened in Peru the which is wonderfull and worthy to be noted Earthquakes which have runne from Chille vnto Quitto and that is above hundred leagues I say the greatest that ever I heard speake of for lesser be more common there Vpon the coast of Chille I remember not well in what yeare there was so terrible an Earthquake as it overturned whole mountains and thereby stopped the course of rivers which it converted into lakes it beat downe townes and flew a great number of people causing the sea to leave her place some leagues so as the shippes remained on drie ground farre from the ordinary roade with many other heavie and horrible things And as I well remember they say this trouble and motion caused by the Earthquake ranne three hundred leagues alongest the coast Soone after which was in the yeere eighty two happened that Earthquake of Arequipa which in a maner overthrew the whole citie Since in the yeere eightie sixe the ninth of Iulie fell an other Earthquake in the cittie of Kings the which as the Viceroy did write hadde runne a hundred three score and tenne leagues alongest the coast and overthwart in the Sierre fiftie leagues The mercy of the Lord was great in this earth quake to forewarne the people by a great noyse which they heard alittle before the Earthquake who taught by former experiences presently put themselves in safetie leaving their houses streets and gardins to go into the fieldes so as although it ruined a great parte of the Cittie and of the chiefest buildings yet there died not above fifteene or twenty persons of all the Inhabitants It caused the like trouble and motion at sea as it had done at Chille which happened presently after the Earthquake so as they might see the sea furiously to flie out of her boundes and to runne neere two leagues into the land rising above foureteene fadome it covered all that plaine so as the ditches and peeces of wood that were there swamme in the water There was yet an other earthquake in the Realme and Cittie of Quitto and it seemes all these notable Earthquakes vppon that coast have succeeded one an other by order as in trueth it is subiect to these inconveniences And therefore although vpon the coast of Peru there be no torments from heaven as thunder and lightning yet are they not without feare vppon the land and so everie one hath before his eies the Heraults of divine Iustice to moove him to feare God For as the Scripture saith Fecit haec vt timeatur Returning then to our purpose I say the sea coast is most subiect to these earthquakes the reason is in my iudgement for that the water dooth stop the conduites and passages of the earth by which the hote exhalations should passe which are engendered there And also the humiditie thickning the superficies of the earth dooth cause the fumes and hot exhalations to goe close together and incounter violently in the bowells of the earth which doe afterwards breake forth Some have observed that such Earthquakes have vsually hapned whenas a rainie season falles after some drie yeâ—res Wherevpon they say that the Earthquakes are most rare where are most welles the which is approoved by experience Those of the Cittie of Mexico holde opinion that the Lake whereon it is seated is the cause of the Earthquakes that happen there although they be not very violent and it is most certaine that the Townes and Provinces farre within the land and farthest from the sea receive sometimes great losses by these Earthquakes as the Cittie of Chachapoyas at the Indies and in Italie that of Ferrara although vpon this subiect It seemes this latter being neere to a river and not farre from the Adriatic sea should rather be numbred among the sea-Townes In the yeere of our Lord one thousand five hundred eightie and one in Cugiano a Cittie of Peru otherwise called the Peace there hapned a strange accident touching this subiect A village called Angoango where many Indians dwelt that were sorcerers and idolatrers fell sodainely to ruine so as a great parte thereof was raised vp and carried away and many of the Indians smothered and that which seems incredible yet testified by men of credit the earth that was ruined and so beaten downe did runne and slide vpon the land for the space of a league and a halfe as it had beene water or wax molten so as it stopt and filled vppe a Lake and remayned so spread over the whole countrey How the land and sea imbrace one an other CHAP. 27. I Wil end with this Element of earth vniting it to the precedent of water whose order and embracing is truely of it selfe admirable These two elements have one spheare divided betweene them and entertaine and embrace one another in a thousand sortes and maners In some places the water encounters the land furiously as an enemy and in other places it invirons it after a sweete and amiable manner There are partes whereas the sea enters far within the land as comming to visite it and in other partes the
which this straw hath to melt and dissolve these mettalls the which falles out as Plinie saies that there is gold which melts more easily with the flame of straw then with hote burning coales They put the quicke-silver thus molten into skinnes for that it keepes best in lether and in this sort they lay it into the Kings store-howse from whence they carry it by sea to Ariqua and so to Potozi by land vpon their sheepe There is yeerely spent in PotoZi for the refining of mettalles about six or seven thousand quintalles of quicke-silver besides that they drawe from the plates which is the earth or drosse of the first washings of these mettalls which are made in caldrons The which plates they burne in their furnaces to draw out the quicke-silver which remaines in them and there are above fiftie of these furnaces in the Citie of PotoZi and in Tarpaya The quantitie of mettalls which they refine as some men of experience have made the account doth amount yeerely to above three hundred thousand quintalles from the earth and drosse whereof being molt and refined they may draw yeerely above two thousand quintalles of quick-silver We must vnderstand there are divers sortes of mettalls for some yeelde much silver and waste little quicke-silver others consume much quicke-silver and yeelde little silver and there are others which consume much quicke-silver and yeeldes much silver and others that consume little quicke-silver and also yeelde little silver and as men incounter in these mettalles so they grow rich or poore in their trafficke Although commonly the rich mettall yeeldes much silver and consumes much quicke-silver and likewise that which is poore yeeldes little silver and consumes as little mercurie They first beat and grinde the mettall very small with hammers and other instruments which beat this stone like vnto tanne milles and being well beaten they searce it in a copper searce making the poulder as small and fine as if it were horse haire these searces being well fitted doe sift thirtie quintalles in a day and a night then they put the poulder of the mettall into the vessels vpon furnaces whereas they anoint it and mortifie it with brine putting to everie fiftie quintalles of poulder five quintalls of salt And this they do for that the salt seperates the earth and filth to the end the quicke-silver may the more easily draw the silver vnto it After they put quicke silver into a peece of holland and presse it out vpon the mettall which goes forth like a dewe alwaies turning and stirring the mettall to the end it may be well incorporate Before the invention of these furnaces of fire they did often mingle their mettall with quicke-silver in great troughes letting it settle some daies and did then mix it and stirre it againe vntill they thought all the quicke-silver were well incorporate with the silver the which continued twentie daies and more and at the least nine daies Since they discovered as the desire to get is diligent that to shorten the time fire did much helpe to incorporate silver the sooner with quicke-silver they in vented these furnaces whereon they set vessels to put in their mettall with salt and quicke-silver and vnderneath they put fire by little and little in furnaces made for the nonce vnderneath so as in five or six daies the quicke-silver is incorporate with the silver And when they finde that the mercurie hath done his part and assembled all the silver leaving nothing behinde but is well imbrued as a spunge doth water dividing it from the earth lead and copper with the which it is engendered Then after they seperate it likewise from the quicke-silver the which they do in this sort they put the mettall in caldrons and vessells full of water where with certaine wheeles they turne the mettall round about as if they should make mustard and so the earth and drosse goes from the mettall with the water that runs away The silver quicke-silver as most ponderous remaining in the botome the mettal which remaines is like vnto sand then they take it out and wash it againe in great platters of wood or keelers full of water still drawing the earth from it vntill they leave the silver and quicke-silver well clensed There slippes away also some small portion of silver and quicke-silver with the earth and drosse which they call washings the which they after wash againe and draw out the remainder When the silver and quicke-silver are clensed and beginne to shine and that there remaines no earth they put all the mettall into a cloth which they straine out very forcibly so as all the quicke-silver passeth out being not incorporate with the silver and the rest remaines as a loafe of silver like to a marke of almonds pressed to draw oyle And being thus pressed the remainder containes but the sixt part in silver and five in mercurie So as if there remaines a marke of threescore pounds ten are of silver and fiftie of mercurie Of these markes they make pinnes as they call them like pine apples or sugar loaves hollow within the which they commonly make of a hundred pound weight then to seperate the silver from the quicke-silver they put it into a violent fire which they cover with an earthen vessell like to the mold of a sugar loafe or vnto a capuchon or hoode the which they cover with coales and set fire vnto it whereby the quicke-silver exhales in smoake the which striking against the capuchon of earth it thickens and distills like vnto the smoake of a potte covered and by a pipe like vnto a limbecke they receive the quicke-silver which distills the silver remaining without changing the forme but in weight it is diminished five partes of that it was and is spungious the which is worthy the observation Of two of these loaves they make one barre of silver in weight 65. or 66. markes and in this sort they carry it to the touch custome and marke Silver drawne with mercurie is so fine that it never abates of two thousand three hundred and fourescore of alloy and it is so excellent that the worke-men are inforced to alay it putting some mixture to it as they do likewise in their mints whereas their mony is stampt Silver indures all these martiredomes if we may so call it to be refined the which if we consider well it is a bodie framed where they grinde sift kneade lay the leven bake the silver besides all this they wash it and wash it againe they bake it and bake it againe induring the pestells sives troughes furnaces caldrons presses and finally by the water and fire I speake this for that seeing seeing this art in PotoZi I did consider what the Scripture speakes of the iust Colabit eos et purgabit quasi argentum And that which they speake in another part Sic vt argentum purgatum terra purgatum sâ—ptuplum So as to purifie silver to refine and clense it from the
barres of silver and much mâ—re which is above three hundred thousand ducats without any other guard o rescort than some Indians which serve onely to guide these sheepe and to lade and vnlade them or at the most some few Spaniardes and they sleepe all night in the middest of the fieldes without other guarde and yet in so long a way and so weake a guarde they never finde want or losse of anie thing in so great a treasure of silver so safe is the way in Peru. The burthen which one of these sheepe dooth commonly carry is of foure or sixe arrobes when their voyage is long they goe not above two three or foure leagues at the most on a day Those that guide those troupes have their ordinary lodgings where they are assured to have water and pasture and there they vnlade and set vppe their tents making fire and dressing their meates which is not painefull although it be a â—leugmatike and slowe manner of travell When there is but one dayes iourney one of these sheepe will beare eight arobes in weight or more and beares this burthen eight or tenne leagues in a day as the poore souldiers were wont to doe when they marched through Peru. This kinde of cattell delights most in a cold aire and for this cause they live vpon the Sierre and die in the Lanos by reason of the heate Sometimes these sheepe are all covered with ice and frost and yet they continue sound and well The bare sheepe are pleasant to behold for they will stay vpon the way raising vppe their neckes and will looke vpon any one very wistly and so they remaine a long time without mooving or any shew of feare which giveth occasion of laughter seeing them thus to stand And yet sometimes they do growe amazed sodainely and runne away with their burthens even to the highest rockes so as not being able to come vnto them they are constraind to kil them with an harquebuze lest they should loose their barres of silver which they sometimes carry The Pacos will grow reasty vnder their burdens lying downe and will endure to be cutte in a thousand peeces before they wil rise when this humor takes them whereof the proverb growes in Peru to say that one is reastie to signifie he is obstinate for that when any of these beasts is moodie it is with excesse the remedy they have is to stay and sit downe by the Paco making much on him vntill the fit be past and that he rise and sometimes they are forced to stay two or three houres They have a disease like to scabbes which they call Carache whereof they commonly die The Antients had a remedy to bury them quicke that had the Carache lest they shoulde infect the rest being a very contagious disease and goes from one to another An Indian that hath one or two of these sheepe is not reputed poore for one of them is woorth sixe or seaven peeces of assay and more according to the time and places Of the BeZaars stone CHAP. 42. THe Bezaars stone is found in all these beasts before mentioned which are proper to Peru whereof some Authors of our time have written whole bookes which they may reade that desire to have a more particular knowledge For the present subiect it shall be sufficient to say that this stone which they call Bezaar is found in the stomacke and belly of this beast somtimes one alone sometimes two three and foure They are very different in forme greatnesse and colour for that some are small like filberds lesse others like walnuts some like pigeons egges and others as bigge as a hens egge and I have seene some as bigge as an orange in forme some are round others in fashion like to lentils and many other formes For their colour som are black some white some grey darke greene and others as if they had beene guilded It is no certaine rule to iudge the best and most fine by the colour or forme All these stones are made and fashioned of divers films and skins one vpon another In the province of Xaura and other provinces of Peru they find these stones in divers kinds of beasts both wild and tame as in the Guanacos Pacos Vicugnes and Tarugues some adde an other kind which they say are wilde goates which the Indians call Cypris These other kindes of beastes are very well knowen in Peru whereof wee have already discoursed The Guanacos or country sheepe or Pacos have commonly the lesser stones and blacke neither are they so much approoved for the vse of Physicke They draw the greatest Bezaar stones from the Vicugnes and they are grey or white or of a darke greene which are helde for the better They esteem those of the Tarugues for the most excellent whereof there are some reasonable bigge they are commonly white inclining to grey and they have the filmes commonly bigger and thicker than the rest They finde the Bezaar stone equally both in male and female All beasts that ingender it chaw the cuid and commonly feede vpon the snow and rockes The Indians reporte teach by tradition from their fathers and Antients that in the province of Xaura and in other provinces of Peru there are many herbs and venomous beasts which poison the water and the pastures where they eate and drinke and where they breathe amiddest which venomous hearbs there is one very well knowne of the Vicugne by a naturall instinct and of other beasts that ingender the Bezaar stone which eate this hearb and by meanes thereof they preserve themselves from the poisoned waters and pastures and they say that of this hearb the stone is compounded in the stomacke whence it drawes all the vertue against poyson and other woonderfull effects This is the opinion tradition of the Indians discovered by men of great experience in the kingdome of Peru which agrees with reason and with that which Plinie reports of the mountaine goates which are nourished and fed vpon poison without suffering any harme The Indians being demaunded why the sheepe kine goates and calves such as are in Castille have not the Bezaar stone seeing that they feede on the same rockes their answer is That they beleeve not that those beasts of Castille eate of that hearb or that they have found the Bezaar stone in stags and fallow diere This seemes to agree with our knowlege for that in new Spaine they find the Bezaar stone although there be no Vicugnes Pacos Tarugues nor Guanacos but only stags in some of which they finde these stones The principall vertue of the BeZaar stone is against poison and venomous diseases although there bee heerein divers opinions some hold it for a mockerie others for a miracle Howsoever it be it is most certaine that it is of a great operation when it is applied in time convenient in a maner as hearbes and to persons capable and disposed for there is no medicine that doth alwaies cure infallibly In
month doth answer to our Iuly The ninth moneth was called Yapaguis in the which they burnt an hundred sheepe more of a chesnut colour and they do likewise kill and burne a thousand Cuyes to the end the frost the ayre the water nor the sunne should not hurt their farmes and this moneth doth answer vnto August The tenth moneth was called Coyarami in the which they burnt a hundred white sheepe that had fleeces In this month which answereth to September they made the feast called Situa in this manner They assembled together the first day of the moone before the rising thereof and in seeing it they cryed aloude carrying torches in their handes and saying Let all harme goe away striking one an other with their torches They that did this were called Panconcos which being doone they went to the common bath to the rivers and fountaines and every one to his own bath setting themselves to drink foure dayes together In this moneth the Mamacomas of the sunne made a great number of small loaves with the blood of the sacrifices and gave a peece to every stranger yea they sent to every Guaca throughout the realme and to many Curacas in signe of confederation and loyaltie to the Sunne and the Ingua as hath bin said The bathes drunkennesse and some relickes of this feast Situa remaine even vnto this day in some places with the ceremonies a little different but yet very secretly for that these chiefe and principall feasts have ceased The eleventh moneth Homaraymi Punchaiquis wherein they sacrificed a hundred sheepe more And if they wanted water to procure raine they set a black sheepe tied in the middest of a plaine powring much Chica about it and giving it nothing to eate vntill it rained which is practised at this day in many places in the time of our October The twelfth and last month was called Aymara wherein they did likewise sacrifice a hundred sheepe and made the feast called Raymicantara Rayquis In this moneth which aunswered to our November they prepared what was necessary for the children that should be made novices the moneth following the children with the old men made a certaine shew with rounds and turnings and this feast was called Ituraymi which commonly they make when it raines too much or too little or when there is a plague Among the extraordinary feasts which were verymany the most famous was that which they called 〈◊〉 This feast Ytu hath no prefixed time nor season but in time of necessitie To prepare themselves thereunto all the people fasted two dayes during the which they did neyther company with their wives nor eate anie meate with salt or garlicke nor drinke any Chica All did assemble together in one place where no straunger was admitted nor any beast they had garments and ornaments which served onely for this feast They marched very quietly in procession their heades covered with their vailes sounding of drummes without speaking one to another This continued a day and a night then the day following they daunced and made good cheere for twoo dayes and two nights together saying that their prayer was accepted And although that this feast is not vsed at this day with all this antient ceremony yet commonly they make another which is verie like which they call Ayma with garmentes that serve onely to that end and they make this kind of procession with their Drummes having fasted before then after they make good cheere which they vsually doe in their vrgent necessities And although the Indians forbeare to sacrifice beasts or other things publikely which cannot be hidden from the Spaniardes yet doe they still vse many ceremonies that have their beginnings from these feasts and auntient superstitions for at this day they do covertly make this feast of Ytu at the dances of the feast of the Sacrament in making the daunces of Lyamallama and of Guacon and of others according to their auntient ceremonies wherevntowe ought to take good regarde They have made more large Discourses of that which concerneth this matte◠for the necessary observation of the abuses and superstitions the Indians had in the time of their gentility to the end the Priestes and Curates may the better take heede Let this suffice now to have treated of the exercise wherewith the divell held those superstitious nations occupied to the end that against his will wee may see the difference there is betwixt light and darknes betwixt the trueth of Christ and the lies of the Gentiles although the ennemy of God and man hath laboured with all his devises to counterfet those things which are of God Of the feast of Iubilee which the Mexicaines celebrated CHAP. 29. THe Mexicaines have beene no lesse curious in their feasts and solemnities which were of small charge but of great effusion of mans blood Wee have before spoken of the principall feast of VitZiliputZli after the which the feast of Tezcalipuca was most solempnized This feast fell in Maie and in their Kalender they called it Tozcolt it fell every foure yeeres with the feast of Penaunce where there was given full indulgence and remission of sinnes In this day they did sacrifice a captive which resembled the idoll Tezcalipuca it was the nineteenth day of Maie vpon the even of this feast the Noblemen came to the Temple bringing a new garment like vnto that of the idoll the which the Priest put vpon him having first taken off his other garments which they kept with as much or more reverence than we doe our ornaments There were in the coffers of the idoll many ornaments iewelles earerings and other riches as bracelets and pretious feathers which served to no othervse but to be there and was worshipped as their god it selfe Besides the garment wherewith they worshipped the idoll that day they put vpon him certaine ensignes of feathers with fannes shadowes and other things being thus attired and furnished they drew the curtaine or vaile from before the doore to the end he might be seene of all men then came forth one of the chiefe of the temple attired like to the idoll carrying flowers in his hand and a flute of earth having a very sharpe sound and turning towards the east he founded it and then looking to the west north and south he did the like And after he had thus sounded towards the foure parts of the world shewing that both they that were present and absent did heare him hee put his finger into the aire and then gathered vp earth which he put in his mouth and did eate it in signe of adoration The like did all they that were present and weeping they fell flat to the ground invocating the darkenesse of the night and the windes intreating them not to leave them nor to forget them or else to take away their lives and free them from the labors they indured therein Theeves adulterers and murtherers and all others offendors had great feare and heavinesse whilest this flute sounded so as some could
he was with him hee tolde him that the pulses of his feete and hands failed him Moteçuma troubled with these news commanded all those sorcerers to be apprehended but they vanished presently in the prison wherewith hee grewe into such a rage that hee might not kill them as hee putte their wives and children to death destroying their houses and families Seeing himselfe importuned and troubled with these advertisements he sought to appease the anger of his gods and for that cause hee laboured to bring a huge stone thereon to make great sacrifices For the effecting whereof hee sent a great number of people with engins and instruments to bring it which they could by no meanes moove although being obstinate they had broken many instruments But as they strove still to raise it they heard a voyce ioyning to the stone which said they laboured in vaine and that they should not raise it for that the Lorde of things created would no more suffer those things to be doone there Moteçuma vnderstanding this ommaunded the sacrifice to be perfourmed in that â—lace and they say the voyce spake againe Have I not told you that it is not the pleasure of the Lord of things created that it should be done and that you may well know that it is so I will suffer myselfe to be transported alittle then after you shall not moove mee Which happened so indeede for presently they carried it a small distance with great facility then afterwards they could not moove it till that after many prayers it suffered itselfe to be transported to the entry of the citty of Mexico where sodainly it fel into the Lake where seeking for it they could not finde it but it was afterwards found in the same place from whence they had remooved it wherewith they remayned amazed and confounded At the same time there appeared in the element a great flame of fire very bright in the forme of a Pyramide which beganne to appeare at midnight and went still mounting vntill the Sunne rising in the morning where it stayed at the South and then vanished away It shewed itselfe in this sort the space of a whole yeare and ever as it appeared the people cast foorth great cries as they were accustomed beleeving it was a presage of great misfortune It happened also that firâ— tooke the Temple whenas no body was within it nor neare vnto it neither did there fall any lightning or thunder wherevpon the guardes crying out a number of people ran with water but nothing could helpe so as it was all consumed and they say the fire seemed to come forth of peeces of timber which kindled more by the water that was cast vpon it There was a Comet seene in the day time running from the west to the east casting an infinite number of sparkles and they say the forme was like to a long taile having three heads The great lake betwixt Mexico and Tescuco without any wind earthquake or any other apparant signe beganne sodainely to swell and the waves grewe in such sort as all the buildings neare vnto it fell downe to the ground They say at that time they heard many voices as of a woman in paine which sayde sometimes O my children the time of your destruction is come and otherwhiles it sayde O my children whither shall I carry you that you perish not vtterly There appeared likewise many monsters with two heads which being carried before the king sodainely vanished There were two that exceeded all other monsters being very strange the one was the fishers of the lake tooke a bird as bigge as a Crane and of the same colour but of a strange and vnseene form They caried it to Moteçuma who at that time was in the pallace of teares and mourning which was all hanged with blacke for as he had many palaces for his recreation so had he also others for times of affliction where with hee was then heavily charged and tormented by reason of the threatnings his gods had given him by these sorrowfull advertisements The fishers came about noone setting this bird before him which had on the toppe of his head a thing bright and transparent in forme of a looking glasse wherein he did behold a warrelike nation comming from the east armed fighting and killing He called his Divines and Astronomers whereof there was a great number who having seene these things and not able to yeelde any reason of what was demaunded of them the bird vanished away so as it was never more seene wherevpon Moteçuma remained very heavy and sorrowfull The other which happened was a laborer who had the report of a very honest man came vnto him telling him that being the day before at his worke a great Eagle flew towardes him and tooke him vppe in his talants without hurting him carying him into a certaine cave where it left him the Eagle pronouncing these words Most mightie Lorde I have brought him whome thou hast commaunded me This Indian laborer looked about on every side to whome hee spake but hee sawe no man Then he heard a voyce which sayde vnto him Doost thou not knowe this man whome thou seest lying vpon the ground and looking thereon he perceived â— man lie very heavy asleepe with royall ensignes floures in his hand and a staffe of perfumes burning as they are accustomed to vse in that countrey whome the labourer beholding knew it was the great king Moteçuma and answered presently Great Lord this resembles our King Moteçuma The voyce saide againe Thou saiest true behold what he is and how he lies asleepe carelesse of the great miseries and afflictions prepared for him It is nowe time that hee pay the great number of offences hee hath doone to God and that he receive the punishment of his tyrannies and great pride and yet thou seest how carelesse hee lies blinde in his owne miseries and without any feling But to the end thou maiest the better see him take the staffe of perfumes hee holdes burning in his hand and put it to his face thou shalt then find him without feeling The poore laborer durstnot approach neere him nor doe as he was commaunded for the great feare they all hadde of this king But the voyce saide Have no fâ—are for I am without comparison greater than this King I can destroy him and defend him doe therefore what I commaund thee Wherevpon the laborer took the staffe of perfumes out of the kings hand and put it burning to his nose but he mooved not nor shewed any feeling This done the voice said vnto him that seeing hee had found the king so sleepy he should go awake him and tell him what he had seene Then the Eagle by the same commandement tooke the man in his tallents and set him in the same place where he found him and for accomplishment of that which it had spoken hee came to advertise him They say that Moteçuma looking on his face found that he was burnt the which he had not