'dried and beaten to powder, to ease and assuage the

'inflammation, or swelling of any Wound; it is good

'to strengthen bones which have been broken, and 'expell colds from the Body, and to prevent them; it

'is good also to cleanse great Wounds of Worms, and

'heal them; nor is the Virtue of it less, being taken 'inwardly, than it is by outward applications. Besides

'all which Virtues, it yields a great benefit to the

'bishop and Canons and other Dependents on the 'cathedral Church of Cozco, the Tithes of the Leaves of 'cuca being their greatest Revenue; it is also a great 'commodity amongst the Merchants; notwithstanding 'all which good Qualities of the Cuca, there are many, 'who being ignorant of its Virtues have wrote against

'it; for no other reason, than because the Gentiles, in 'ancient times, did, by their Diviners and Wizards offer 'this Cuca to their Gods in Sacrifice; and, therefore, 'having been abused to Idolatry, they conclude that it 'ought for ever to be esteemed abominable and pro-phane. This Argument might be available, if it had 'been the custome to offer this Herb onely to the Devil, 'but, in regard that both ancient and modern Idolaters 'have made their Corn, and Fruits, and whatsoever 'grows above or beneath the earth, their Drinks and 'water, their Wool and Clothing, their Flocks and

'herds, and all things else, the matter and subject of 'their Sacrifices; we may argue from the same founda-'tion, that all those things are defiled and rendred as 'abominable and unclean as the Cuca; but to the clean, 'all things being clean, let us teach them to abhor and 'forsake their superstitious and idolatrous Worships,

'and let us, using our Christian Liberty, receive those 'blessings with moderation and thanksgiving.'

'thus far are the Words of Bias Valera. To which we shall add thus much farther, that this little Tree is about the height of a Man, in the planting of which they cast the seed in its green shell, and when it grows up, they then hoa and open the Earth for it, as they do for Vines, supporting the tender twigs with stakes; and in planting, they take great care that the tender roots be laid streight in the Earth, for with the least doubling they dry and wither; they take likewise the Leaf of every sprig by itself, and, holding it between their fingers, they cut it with great care till they come to the Bud, but do not touch it, for then the whole branch will wither; both the outside and inside of this Leaf in the greenness and shape of it, is like the Arbuteus, onely the Leaves are so thin, that three or four of them, being doubled, are not so thick as that of the Arbuteus. . . .

"When they gather the Leaves they dry them in the Sun; but care is to be taken that they are not over-dried, for then they lose much of their Virtue, and, being very thin, soon turn to powder; nor will they bear much moisture; for they soon grow musty and rotten; but they lay them up in Baskets of slit Canes, of which many fine ones are made in the Antis. With the Leaves of those big Canes, which are about the third of a yard long, they cover the top of the Baskets, to keep Moisture from the Leaves, which is very prejudicial to them; and to consider the great pains and care which is taken to nourish this Cuca, and the provisions of all things which are made for it, we ought rather to render thanks to God for his abundant blessings in the variety of his Creatures, than to believe or conclude that what we write is fabulous or incredible; if these fruits were to be planted or nourished in other Countries, the charge and labour of them would be more than the benefit.

"The Herb is gathered every four Months, that is three times a year, and in the manuring of it care is taken to weed it often; for the Country being hot and moist, the Weeds grow apace, and the Herb sometimes increases so fast, that the season for gathering of it advances fifteen days; so that sometimes they have four Harvests for it in a year; the which, a certain covetous Tithe-gatherer observing, in my time, farmed the Tithes of all the principal and rich Inheritances and Possessions about Cozco, and, taking care to keep them clear and clean from Weeds, he so improved his Revenue, that the year following, the Farmer of the Tithes made two thirds more than what had been made in the preceding years; which caused a Law Suit between the Farmer and the Proprietor, but what the Issue was of it, I that was then but a Boy, did not much remark.

"Amongst many other Virtues of this Cuca, they say it corroborates the Gums, and fortifies the Teeth, and that it gives strength and vigour to any person that labours and toils, onely by carrying it in his mouth. I remember a Story which I heard in my own Countrey. That a certain Gentleman, both by Bloud and Vertue, called Rodrigo Pantoia, journeying once from Cozco to

Rimac, 1 met with a poor Spaniard (for there are some poor there, as well as here), travelling on foot, carrying a little Girl of about two years of age in his Armes; and being an acquaintance of this Pantoia, he asked him how he came to give himself the trouble of carrying that burthen; to which the person that was on foot, replied, that he was poor, and had not money to hire an Indian to carry it.

"In this discourse with him, Pantoia observed that his mouth was full of the Cuca; and it being, at that time, that the Spaniards abhorred all things which the Indians did eat or drink, because they had been abused to Idolatry, and particularly they hated the Cuca, as a base and stinking Weed, which gave cause to Pantoia to ask him farther, why he, being a Spaniards, did use those things which the Spaniards hated; for his necessities could never be so great as to compell him to Meats or Customs unlawfull. To which the Souldier replied, that though he abhorred it as much as the Spaniards, yet necessity forced him to imitate the Indians therein; for that without it he could never be able to travell and carry his Burthen, for that holding it in his mouth, he found such refreshment and strength, that he was able to carry his Load, and perform his Journey with chearfulness. Pantoia wondring at this Report, related to many others, who, afterwards, making the same experiment thereof, found that the Indians made use of it rather for their refreshment and necessity, than for any pleasure in the taste, which in itself is not very pleasant or agreeable."