them Their water is very cleere and breedes little store of fish and that little is very small by reason of the cold which is there Continually Notwithstanding some of these Lakes be very hote which is another wonder At the end of the vallie of Tarapaya neere to Potozi there is a Lake in forme round which seemes to have been made by compasse whose water is extreamely hote and yet the land is very colde they are accustomed to bathe themselves neere the banke for else they cannot indure the heate being farther in In the midst of this Lake there is a boiling of above twenty foote square which is the very spring and yet notwithstanding the greatnes of this spring it is never seene to increase in any sort it seemes that it exhales of it selfe or that it hath some hidden and vnknowne issue neither do they see it decrease which is another wonder although they have drawne from it a great streame to make certaine engines grinde for mettall considering the great quantity of water that issueth forth by reason whereof it should decrease But leaving Peru and passing to new Spaine the Lakes there are no lesse to be observed especially that most famous of Mexico where we finde two sortes of waters one salt Lake to that of the sea and the other cleere and sweete by reason of the rivers that enter into it In the midst of this Lake is a rocke verie delightfull and pleasant where there are baths of hote water that issue forth the which they greatly esteeme for their health There are gardinsÌ„ in the middest of this Lake framed and fleeting vpon the water where you may see plottes full of a thousand sortes of hearbes and flowers and they are in such sort as a man cannot well conceive them without sight The Citie of Mexico is seated in the same Lake although the Spaniards have filled vp the place of the scituation with earth leaving onely some currents of water great and small which enter into the Citie to carrie such things as they have neede of as wood hearbes stone fruites of the countrie and all other things When Cortez conquered Mexico he caused Brigandins to be made yet afterwards he thought it more safe not to vse them therfore they vse Canoes whereof there is great store There is great store of fish in this Lake yet have I not seene any of price notwithstanding they say the revenue of this Lake is worth three hundred thousand duckets a yeere There are many other Lakes not far from this whence they bring much fish to Mexico The Province of Mechovacan is so called for that it aboundeth greatly with fish There are goodly and great Lakes in the which there is much fish and this Province is coole and healthfull There are many other Lakes whereof it is not possible to make mention nor to know them in particular onely we may note by that which hath beene discoursed in the former booke that vnder the burning Zone there is greater abundance of Lakes then in any other parte of the world and so by that which we have formerly spoken and the little we shall say of rivers and fountaines we will end this discourse of Waters Of many and divers Springs and Fountaines CHAP. 17. THere is at the Indies as in other parts of the world great diversitie of Springs Fountaines and Rivers and some have strange properties In Guancavilica of Peru where the mines of quick-silver be there is a Fountaine that casts forth hote water and in running the water turnes to rocke of which rocke or stone they build in a mauer all the houses of the Village This stone is soft and easie to cutte for they cut it as easily with yron as if it were wood it is light and lasting If men or beasts drinke thereof they die for that it congeales in the very entrailes and turnes into stone and for that cause some horses have died As this water turnes into stone the which flowes stoppes the passage to the rest so as of necessitie it changeth the course and for this reason it runnes in divers places as the rocke increaseth At the point of Cape S. Helaine there is a spring or fountaine of pitch which at Peru they call Coppey This should be like to that which the Scripture speakes of the savage valley where they did finde pits of pitch The Mariners vse these fountaines of pitch or Coppey to pitch their ropes and tackling for that it serves them as pitch and tarre in Spaine When I sailed into new Spaine by the coast of Peru the Pilot shewed me an Iland which they call the I le of Wolves where there is another fountaine or pit of Coppey or pitch with the which they anoint their tackling There are other fountaines and springs of Goultran rozen which the Pilot an excellent man in his charge tolde me he had seene and that sometimes sailing that waies being so farre into the sea as he had lost the sight of land yet did he know by the smell of the Coppey where he was as well as if he had knowne the land such is the savour that issues continually from that fountaine At the baths which they call the baths of Ingua there is a course of water which comes forth all hote and boiling and ioyning vnto it there is another whose water is as cold as ice The Ingua was accustomed to temper the one with the other it is a wonderfull thing to see springs of so contrarie qualities so neere one to the other There are an infinit number of other hote springs specially in the Province of Charcas in the water whereof you cannot indure to hold your hand the space of an Ave Maria as I have seene tried by wager In a farme neere to Cusco springs a fountain of salt which as it runs turns into salt very white exceeding good the which if it were in another countrie were no small riches yet they make very small accoumpt thereof for the store they have there The waters which runne in Guayaquel which is in Peru almost vnder the Equinoctiall line are held to be healthfull for the French disease and other such like so as they come from many places farre off to be cured And they say the cause thereof is for that in that Countrie there is great aboundance of rootes which they call Sallepareille the vertue and operation whereof is so knowne that it communicates her propertie to the waters wherein it is put to cure this disease Bilcanota is a mountaine the which according to common opinion is in the highest part of Peru the toppe whereof is all covered with snow and in some places is blacke like coale There issueth forth of it two springs in contrarie places which presently growe to be very great bâ—rookes and so by little and little become great flouds the one goes to Calloa into the great Lake Titicaca the other goes to the lands and is that which they call
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
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
land makes restitution casting his capes points and tongues farre into the sea piercing into the bowelles thereof In some partes one element ends and another beginnes yeelding by degrees one vnto another In some places where they ioyne it is exceeding deepe as in the Ilands of the South Sea and in those of the North whereas the shippes ride close to the land and although they sound three score and tenne yea foure score fadomes yet do they finde no bottome which makes men coniecture that these are pikes or poynts of land which rise vp from the bottome a matter woorthy of great admiration Heerevpon a very expert Pilote said vnto me that the Ilands which they call of Woolves and others that lie at the entry of the coast of New Spaine beeing called Cocos were of this manner Moreover there is a place in the midst of the great Ocean without the view of land and many leagues from it where are seene as it were two towers or pikes of a very high elevated rocke rising out of the middest of the sea and yet ioyning vnto it they finde no bottome No man can yet perfectly comprehend nor conceive the full and perfect forme of the land at the Indies the boundes being not wholy discovered to this day yet wee may ghesse that it is proportioned like a heart with the lungs The broadest of this heart is from Bresill to Peru the poynt at the straight of Magellan and the top where it ends is the firme land and there the continent begins by little and litle to extend itselfe vntill wee come to the height of Florida and the vpper landes which are not yet well discovered We may vnderstand other particularities of this land at the Indies by the Commentaries which the Spaniards have written of their successe and discoveries and amongest the rest of the Peregrination which I have written which in trueth is strange and may give a great light This in my opinion may suffice at this time to give som knowledge of things at the Indies touching the common elements of the which all parts of the worlde are famed THE FOVRTH BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies Of three kindes of mixtures or compounds of the which I must intreate in this Historie CHAP. 1. HAving intreated in the former booke of that which concernes the Elements and the simples of the Indies in this present booke we will discourse of mixtures and compounds seeming fit for the subiect we shall treate of And although there be many other sundrie kindes yet we will reduce this matter into three which are Mettalls Plants and Beasts Mettalls are as plants hidden and buried in the bowels of the earth which have some conformitie in themselves in the forme and maner of their production for that wee see and discover even in them branches and as it were a bodie from whence they grow and proceede which are the greater veines and the lesse so as they have a knitting in themselves and it seemes properly that these minerales grow like vnto plants not that they have any inward vegitative life being onely proper to plants but they are engendered in the bowels of the earth by the vertue and force of the Sunne and other planets and in long continuance of time they increase and multiply after the maner of plants And even as mettalls be plants hidden in the earth so we may say that plants be living creatures fixed in one place whose life is maintained by the nourishment which Nature furnisheth from their first begnning But living creatures surpasse plants in that they have a more perfect being and therefore have neede of a more perfect foode and nourishment for the search whereof Nature hath given them a moving and feeling to discover and discerne it So as the rough and barren earth is as a substance and nutriment for mettalls and that which is fertile and better seasoned a nourishment for plants The same plants serve as a nourishment for living creatures and the plants and living creatures together as a nourishment for men the inferiour nature alwaies serving for the maintenance and sustentation of the superiour and the lesse perfect yeelding vnto the more perfect whereby we may see how much it wants that gold and silver and other things which men so much esteeme by their covetousnesse should be the happines of man wherevnto he should tend seeing they be so many degrees in qualitie inferior to man who hath been created and made onely to be a subiect to serve the vniversall Creator of all things as his proper end and perfect rest and to which man all other things in this world were not propounded or left but to gaine this last end Who so would consider of things created and discourse according to this Philosophie might draw some fruite from the knowledge and consideration thereof making vse of them to know and glorifie their Author But he that would passe on farther to the knowledge of their properties and profits and would curiously search them out hee shall finde in these creatures that which the Wiseman saies that they are snares and pitfalles to the feete of fooles ignorant into the which they fall and loose themselves daily To this intent therefore and that the Creator may be glorified in his creatures I pretend to speake of some things in this Booke whereof there are many at the Indies worth the report touching mettalls plants and beasts which are proper and peculiar in those parts But for that it were a great worke to treate thereof exactly and requires greater learning and knowledge yea much more leisure then I have my intent is only to treate of some things succinctly the which I have observed as well by experience as the report of men of credite touching these three things which I have propounded leaving to men more curious and diligent to treate more amply of these matters Of the aboundance and great quantitie of Mettall at the West Indies CHAP. 2. THe wisedome of God hath made mettalls for phisicke and for defence for ornament and for instruments for the worke of men of which foure things we may easily yeelde examples but the principall end of mettalls and the last thereof is for that the life of man hath not onely neede of nourishment as the beasts but also he must worke and labour according vnto the reason and capacitie which the Creator hath given him And as mans vnderstanding doth apply it selfe to divers artes and faculties so the same Author hath given order that hee should finde matter and subiect to diverse artes for the conservation reparation suretie ornament and exaltation of his workes The diversitie therefore of mettalls which the Creator hath shut vp in the closets and concavities of the earth is such and so great that man drawes profit and commoditie from everie one of them Some serve for curing of diseases others for armes and for defence against the enemies some are for ornament
Spaine and Italie we have seene admirable effects of this stone against the Tâ—verdette which is a kinde of plague but not so muchâ—s in Peru. They do apply it beaten and put into some liquor which may make it fit for the cure of melancholy the falling sickenes pestilent feavers many other diseases Some take it in wine others in vineger with water Dezahac of League de beufe borrage and other sortes as the Phisitians and Apoticaries can tell The Bezaar stone hath no proper savour as Rasis the Arabian doth testifie Wee have seene notable trialls and there is no doubt but the Author of this vniversall world hath given great vertues to this stone The Bezaar stones which comes from the East Indies have the first place of account they are of an olive colour the second are those of Peru and the third those of New Spaine Since that these stones were in request they say the Indians have made artificiall ones and many when they see these stones greater then the ordinarie they take them to be false and counterfait triall and experience is the best mistres to know them One thing is worthy admiration that they grow and are fashioned vpon very strange things as vpon the tagge of a point vpon a pinne or a peece of wood which they finde in the centre of this stone and yet do they not hold it false for that the beast might swallow it and the stone thicken vpon it and growes one vpon another and so it increaseth I did see in Peru two stones fashioned vpon Pignons of Castille which made vs to wonder much for that in all Peru we had not seene any pines or Pignons of Castille if they were not brought from Spaine which seemes to me very extraordinary This little may suffice touching the Bezaars stone They bring other phisicall stones from the Indies as the stone of Hyiada or of Rate the bloud stone the stones of milke and of the sea Those which they call Cornerinaâ— for the heart whereof there is no neede to speake having nothing common with the subiect of beastes whereof we have intreated which gives vs to vnderstand how the great Master and Author of all hath imparted his benefites and wonderfull secrets to all partes of the world for the which he is to be glorified for ever * ⎠* A Prologue to the Bookes following HAving intreated of the Natural Historie of the Indies I wil hereafter discourse of the Morall History that is to say of the deeds and customes of the Indies For after the heaven the temperature the scituation the qualities of the new world after the elements mixtures I mean mettals plants beasts whereof we have spoken in the former Bookes as occasion did serve both Order Reason doth invite vs to continue and vndertake the discourse of those men which inhabite the new world And therefore I pretend in the following bookes to speake what I thinke worthie of this subiect And for that the intention of this Historie is not onely to give knowledge of what hath passed at the Indies but also to continue this knowledge to the fruite we may gather by it which is to helpe this people for their soules health and to glorifie the Creator and Redeemer who hath drawne them from the obscure darkenes of their infidelitie and imparted vnto them the admirable light of his Gospel And therefore I will first speake in these bookes following what concernes their religion or superstition their customes their idolatries and their sacrifices and after what concernes their policie and government their lawes customes and their deedes And for that the memorie is preserved amongst the Mexicaine Nation of their beginnings successions warres and other things worthie the relation besides that which shall be handled in the sixt booke I will make a peculiar Discourse in the seventh shâ—wing the disposition and forewarnings this Nation had of the new Kingdome of Christ our Lord which should be extâ—nded in these Countries and should conquer them to himself as he hath doâ—e in all the rest of the world The which in truth is a thing worthie of great consideration to see how the divine providence hath appointeâ— that the light of his word should finde a passage in the furthest boundes of the world It is not my proiect at this time to write what the Spanâ—ardes have done in those partes for there are bookes enow written vpon this subiect nor yet how the Lordes servants have laboured and profited for that requires a new labour I will onely content my selfe to plant this Historie and relation at the doores of the Gospel seeing it is alreadie entered and to make knowne the Naturall and Morall things of the Indies to the end that Christianitie may be planted and augmented as it is expounded at large in the bookes we have written De procuranda Indiorum salute And if any one wonder at some fashions customes of the Indies wil scorne them as fooles or abhorre them as divelish and inhumane people let him remember that the same things yea worse have beene seene amongst the Greekes and Romans who have commanded the whole world as we may easily vnderstand not onely of our Authors as Eusebius of Cesarea Clement Alexandrine and others but also of their owne as Plinie Denis Halicarnassis and Plutarke for the Prince of darkenes being the head of all Infidelitie it is no new thing to finde among Infidells cruelties filthines and follies fit for such a Master And although the ancient Gentiles have farre surpassed these of the new world in valour and naturall knowledge yet may wee observe many things in them worthie the remembrance But to conclude they shew to be barbarous people who being deprived of the supernaturall light want likewise philosophie and naturall knowledge THE FIFT BOOKE of the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies That the Pride and Malice of the Divell hath beene the cause of Idolatrie CHAP. 1. THE Pride and Presumption of the Divell is so great obstinate that alwaies hee seekes and strives to be honoured as God and doth arrogate to himselfe all hee can whatsoever doth appertaine to the most high God hee ceaseth not to abuse the blinde Nations of the world vpon whom the cleere light of the holy Gospel hath not yet shone Wee reade in Iob of this prowd tyrant who settes his eyes aloft and amongst all the sonnes of pride he is the King The holy Scripture instructes vs plainely of his vile intentions and his overweening treason whereby he hath pretended to make his Throne equall vnto Gods saying in Esay Thou diddest say within thy selfe I will mount vp to heaven and set my chaire vpon all the starres of heaven and I will sit vpon the toppe of the Firmament and in the sides of the North I will ascend above the height of the cloudes and will be like to the most High And in Ezechiel Thy heart was lifted vp and thou
THE NATVRALL and Morall Historie of the East and West Indies Intreating of the remarkeable things of Heaven of the Elements Mettalls Plants and Beasts which are proper to that Country Together with the Manners Ceremonies Lawes Governements and Warres of the Indians Written in Spanish by Ioseph Acosta and translated into English by E. G 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by Val Sims for Edward Blount and William Aspley 1604. To the right Honorable Sir Robert Cicill Knight Baron of Essingden Vicount Cranborne principall Secretary to his Maiestie master of the Court of Wardes and Liveries and one of his Highnesse most honourable Privie Counsell RIght Honorable If it appeare presumption in me to shew my love my dutie betraies me to it The advantage I have gleaned from idle houres in exchanging this Indian History from Spanish to English is commended to your Honors Patronage whose first father Ioseph Acosta hath with great observation made worthie the over-looking A greater motive then that you are your selfe needed not to excite me to this dedication I beseech you my good Lord take it into shelter and receive that which is not for that which I would it were Let my insufficiencie be measured by my good will So shall my poore abilities thrive vnder your incouragement and happily leade me on to some stronger vndertaking wherein I shall bee bound to thanke you for mine owne paines and for ever remaine Your Lordships most devoted E. G. The Authors advertisement to the Reader MANY have written sundry bookes and discourses of the New World at the West Indies wherein they describe new and strange things discovered in those partes with the actes and adventures of the Spaniards which have conquered and peopled those Countries But hitherto I have not seene any other Author which treates of the causes and reasons of these novelties and wonders of nature or that hath made any search thereof Neither have I read any booke which maketh mention of the histories of the antient Indians and naturall inhabitants of the New World In truth these two things are difficult The first being the works of Nature contrarie to the antient and received Philosophy as to shew that the region which they call the burning Zone is very moist and in many places very temperate and that it raines there whenas the Sunne is neerest with such like things For such as have written of the West Indies have not made profession of so deepe Philosophie yea the greatest part of those Writers have had no knowledge thereof The second thing it treats of is of the proper historie of the Indians the which required much conference and travaile among the Indians themselves the which most of them that have treated of the Indies could not doe either not vnderstanding the language or not curious in the search of their Antiquities so as they have beene contented to handle those things which have beene most common and superficiall Desiring therefore to have some more particular knowledge thereof I have beene carefull to learne from men of greatest experience and best seene in these matters and to gather from their discourses and relations what I have thought sit to give knowledge of the deedes and custome of these people And for that which concernes the nature of those Countries and their properties I have learned it by the experience of many friends and by my dilligence to search discover and conferre with men of iudgement and knowledge In my opinion there are many advertisements which may serve and benefit better wits for the searching out of the truth or to proceede farther in finding that pleasing which is conteined heerein So as although this new World be not new but old in respect of the much which hath beene written thereof yet this historie may in some sort be hâ—ld for new for it is partly historicall and partly philosophicall as well for that they are the workes of nature as of free-will which are the deedes and customes of men the which hath caused mee to name it the Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies Containing these two things In the first two bookes mention is made of that which concernes the heavens temperature and habitation of the world which books I had first written in Latine now I have translated them into Spanish vsing more the liberty of an author then the strict bonds of a translator to apply my self the better to those for whom it is written in the vulgar tong In the two following books is treated of that which concernes the Elements and naturall mixtures as Mettalls Plants Beasts and what else is remarkable at the Indies The rest of the bookes relate what I could certainely discover and what I thought worthie memory of the Indians themselves their Ceremonies Customs Governments Wars Adventures In the same Historie shall be spoken as I could learne and comprehend of the figures of the antient Indians seeing they had no writing nor characters as we have which is no small industry to have preserved their Antiquities without the vse of letters To conclude the scope of this worke is that having knowledge of the workes of nature which the wise Author of all nature made we may praise and glorifie the high God who is wonderfull in all things and all places And having knowledge of the Indians customes we may helpe them more easily to follow and persever in the high vocation of the Gospel to the knowledge whereof the Lord would draw this blinde nation in these latter daies Besides al these things every one may sucke out some profit for himselfe for that the wise do alwaies draw forth some good out of the smalest subiect as we finde deepe Philosophie in the least and basest creatures I must onely advertise the Reader that the two first bookes of this historie or discourse were written in Peru and the other five since in Europe dutie binding me to returne into these partes so as some speake of matters of the Indies as of things present and others as being absent And therefore I have thought it good to advertise the Reader heereof that this diversitie of speach may not be troublesome vnto him Farewell A Table of the most remarkable things contained in this Naturall and Morall Historie of the Indies A. Abundance of waters vnder the burning zone folio 93 Absurditie of Platoes Atlantike Iland 73 Abuse of the Spaniards at Peru taking winter for summer 89 Acamapach first king of Mexico 482 Accord betwixt the king of Mexico his subiects before they attempted a warre 532 Adlaguagi a kind of mummery of women 367 Acts of Ferdinand Cortez 574 Adimant makes a path in the Sea 57 The Adamant impartes a vertue to yron to looke alwayes towards the north 58 Vse of the Adamant to saile by not antient 59 Adoration of the dead begunne and augmented 340 Adultery punished with death 469 Agilitie of monkies 315 Aire how necessary for the life of man 114 The Aire stirred with the motion of the heauens
lovers of silver these make no care of it the Iewes if they were not circumcised held not themselves for Iewes and contrariwise the Indians are not at all neyther did they ever vse any ceremonie neere it as many in the East have done But what reason of coniecture is there in this seeing the Iewes are so careful to preserve their language and Antiquities so as in all parts of the world they differ and are known from others and yet at the Indies alone they have forgotten their Linage their Law their Ceremonies their Messias and finally their whole Iudaisme And whereas they say the Indians are feareful cowards superstitious and subtill in lying for the first it is not common to all there are some nations among the Barbarians free from these vices there are some valiant and hardy there are some blunt and dull of vnderstanding As for ceremonies and superstitions the Heathen have alwayes vsed them much the manner of habites described which they vse being the plainest and most simple in the world without Arte the which hath been common not onely to the Hebrewes but to all other Nations seeing that the very History of Esdras if wee shall beleeve the Scriptures that bee Apocrypha make more against them then for their purpose for hee saith in that place that the ten tribes went from the multitude of the Heathen to keepe their faith and ceremonies and we see the Indians given to all the Idolatries in the world And those which holde this opinion see well if the entries of the River Euphrates stretch to the Indies and whether it be necessary for the Indies to repasse that way as it is written Besides I know not how you can name them peaceable seeing they be alwaies in warre amongst themselves To conclude I cannot see how that Euphrates in Esdras Apocrypha should be a more convenient passage to goe to the new world then the inchanted fabulous Atlantike Iland of Plato The reason why we can find no beginning of the Indians CHAP. 24. IT is easier to refute and contradict the false opinions conceyved of the Originall of the Indians then to set downe a true and certaine resolution for that there is no writing among the Indians nor any certaine remembrances of their founders neyther is there any mention made of this new world in their bookes that have knowledge of letters our Ancients held that in those parts there were neyther men land nor heaven So as hee should seeme rash and presumptuous that should thinke to discover the first beginning of the Indians But we may iudge a farre off by the former discourse that these Indians came by little and little to this newe world and that by the helpe and meanes of the neerenesse of lands or by some navigation the which seemes to mee the meanes whereby they came and not that they prepared any armie to goe thither of purpose neyther that they have been caried thither by any ship-wracke or tempest although some of these things may chance in some part of the Indies for these Regions beeing so great as they containe Nations without number we may beleeve that some came to inhabite after one sort and some after an other But in the ende I resolve vpon this point that the true and principall cause to people the Indies was that the lands and limits thereof are ioyned and continued in some extremities of the world or at the least were very neere And I beleeve it is not many thousand yeeres past since men first inhabited this new world and West Indies and that the first men that entred were rather savage men and hunters then bredde vp in civill and well governed Common-weales and that they came to this new world having lost their owne land or being in too great numbers they were forced of necessitie to seeke some other habitations the which having found they beganne by little and little to plant having no other law but some instinct of nature and that very darke and some customes remayning of their first Countries And although they came from Countries well governed yet is it not incredible to thinke that they had forgotten all through the tract of time and want of vse seeing that in Spaine and Italie we find companies of men which have nothing but the shape and countenance onely whereby we may coniecture in what sort this new world grew so barbarous and vncivill What the Indians report of their beginning CHAP. 25. IT is no matter of any great importance to know what the Indians themselves report of their beginning being more like vnto dreames then to true Hiries â—hey make great mention of a deluge happened in their Countrie but we cannot well iudge if this deluge were vniversall whereof the scripture makes mention or some particular inundation of those regions where they are Some expert men say that in those Countries are many notable signes of some great inundation and I am of their opinion which thinke that these markes and shewes of a deluge was not that of Noe but some other particular as that which Plato speakes of or Deucalions floud which the Poets sing of whatsoever it be the Indians say that al men were drowned in this deluge and they report that out of the great Lake Titicaca came one Viracocha which staied in Tiaguanaco where at this day there is to bee seene the ruines of ancient and very strange buildings and from thence came to Cusco and so began mankinde to multiply They shew in the same Iland a small Lake where they faine that the sunne hid himselfe and so was preserved and for this reason they make great sacrifices vnto him in that place both of sheepe and men Others report that sixe or I know not what number of men came out of a certaine cave by a window by whome men first began to multiplie and for this reason they call them Pacaritampo And therefore they are of opinion that the Tambos is the most ancient race of men They say also that Mango Capa whom they acknowledge for the founder and chiefe of their Inguas was issued of that race and that from him sprang two families or linages the one of Havan Cusco the other of Vrni Cusco They say moreover that when the Kings Inguas attempted warre and conquered sundrie Provinces they gave a colour and made a pretext of their enterprise saying that all the world ought to acknowledge them for that all the world was renued by their race and Countrie and also that the true religion had been reveiled to them from heaven But what availeth it to speake more seeing that all is full of lies and vanitie and farre from reason Some learned men write that all which the Indians make mention of is not above 400. yeeres old and whatsoever they speake of former ages is but a confusion full of obscuritie wherein we find no truth The which may not seeme strange they having no vse of bookes or writing in
sittes firme and to give him full payment for this trouble he beates another stake into the other vent or nosthrill so as he stoppeth him quite and takes away his breathing then hee betakes him to his Canoe which he holdes tied with a corde to the whales side and goes to land having first tied his corde to the whale the which hee lettes runne with the whale who leapes from place to place whilest he finds water enough being troubled with paine in the end hee comes neere the land and remaines on ground by the hugenesse of his body vnable any more to moove then a great number of Indians come vnto the Conqueror to gather his spoiles they kill him and cut his flesh in peeces the which is bad enough this do they drie and beate into powlder vsing it for meate it dooth last them long wherein is fulfilled that which is spoken in another Psalme of the whale Dedisti eum escam populis Aethiopum Peter Mendez the Adelantade did often speake of this kinde of fishing Whereof Mâ—nardes makes mention in his booke There is an other fishing which the Indians do commonly vse in the sea the which although it be lesse yet is it worthy the report They make as it were faggots of bul-rushes or drie sedges well bound together which they call Baâ—sas having carried them vppon their shoulders to the sea they cast them in and presently leape vppon them being so set they lanch out into the deepe rowing vp and downe with small reedes of eyther side they goe a league or two into the sea to fish carrying with them their cordes and nettes vppon these faggots and beare themselves thereon They cast out their nettes and do there remaine fishing the greatest parte of the day and night vntill they have filled vp their measure with the which they returne wel satisfied Truely it was delightfull to see them fish at Callao of Lima for that they were many in number and every one set on horsebacke cutting the waves of the sea which in their place of fishing are great and furious resembling the Tritons or Neptunes which they paint vppon the water and beeing come to land they drawe their barke out of the water vpon their backes the which they presently vndoe and lay abroade on the shoare to drie There were other Indians of the vallies of Yca which were accustomed to goe to fish in leather or skinnes of sea-wolves blowne vp with winde and from time to time they did blowe them like balles of winde lest they should sinke In the vale of Canete which in olde time they called Guaroo there were a great number of Indian fishers but bicause they resisted the Ingua when he came to conquer that land he made shew of peace with them and therefore to feast him they appoynted a solemne fishing of manie thousand Indians which went to sea in their vessels of reeds at whose returne the Ingua who had layde many souldiers in ambush made a cruell butcherie of them so as afterward this land remained vnpeopled although it be aboundant and fertile I did see an other manner of fishing wherevnto Don Francis of Toledo the Viceroy didde leade mee yet was it not in the sea but in a river which they call great in the Province of Charcas where the Indians Chiraquanas plunged into the water and swimming wyth an admirable swiftnesse followed the fish where with dartes and hookes which they vse to carry in their right hand only swimming with the left they wound the fish and so hurt they brought them foorth seeming in this more like vnto fishes then men of the land But now that we have left the sea let vs come to other kinde of waters that remaine to be spoken of Of Lakes and Pooles that be at the Indies CHAP. 16. IN place of the Mediterranean Sea which is in the old world the Creator hath furnished this new with many Lakes whereof there are some so great as they may be properly called seas seeing the Scripture calleth that of Palestina so which is not so great as some of these The most famous is that of Titicaca which is at Peru in the Province of Callao the which as I have said in the former booke containes neere fourscore leagues in compasse into the which there runnes ten or twelve great rivers A while since they began to saile in it with barkes and shippes wherein they proceeded so ill that the first shippe was split with a tempest that did rise in the Lake The water is not altogether sower nor salt as that of the sea but it is so thicke as it cannot be drunke There are two kindes of fishes breed in this Lake in great aboundance the one they call Suches which is great and savorous but phlegmatike and vnwholesome and the other Bogos which is more healthfull although it be lesse and fuller of bones there are great numbers of wilde-duckes and wigens Whenas the Indians will feast it or shew delight to any one that passeth along the two banckes which they call Chucuyto and Omasugo they assemble a great number of Canoes making a circle and invironing the fowle vntill they take with their hands what they please and they call this maner of fishing Chaco On the one and the other banke of this Lake are the best habitations of Peru. From the issue thereof there growes a lesser Lake although it be great which they call Paria vpon the bankes whereof there are great numbers of cattell especially swine which grow exceeding fatte with the grasse vpon those banks There are many other Lakes in the high mountains whence proceede brooks rivers which after become great flouds Vpon the way from Arequippa to Callao there are two Lakes vpon the mountains of th' one other side the way from th' one flowes a brooke which growes to a â—loud and falles into the South sea from the other they say the famous river of Aporima takes her beginning from the which some hold that the renowned river of Amazos otherwise called Maragnon proceedes with so great an assembly and aboundance of waters which ioyne in these mountaines It is a question may be often asked why there are so many Lakes in the toppes of these mountaines into the which no river enters but contrariwise many great streames issue forth and yet do we scarce see these Lakes to diminish any thing at any season of the yeere To imagine that these Lakes grow by the snow that melts or raine from heaven that doth not wholy satisfie me for there are many that have not this aboundance of snow nor raine and yet we see no decrease in them which makes me to beleeve they are springs which rise there naturally although it be not against reason to thinke that the snow and raine helpe somewhat in some seasons These Lakes are so common in the highest toppes of the mountaines that you shall hardly finde any famous river that takes not his beginning from one of
the kingdome of Chille and that of Grenade and yet none of these kingdomes is Peru but onely that parte which lies to the South beginning at the kingdome of Quitto which is vnder the Line and runnes in length to the realme of Chille the which is without the Tropickes which were sixe hundred leagues in length and in breadth it containes no more then the mountaines which is fiftie common leagues although in some places as at Chachapayas it be broader This parte of the world which we call Peru is very remarkeable and containes in it strange properties which serveth as an exception to the generall rule of the Indies The first is that vpon all that coast it blowes continually with one onely winde which is South and Southweast contrary to that which dooth vsually blow vnder the burning Zone The second is that this winde being by nature the most violent tempestuous and vnhealthfull of all others yet in this region it is marvellous pleasing healthful and agreeable so as we may attribute the habitation of that part therevnto without the which it would be troublesome and inhabitable by reason of the heate if it were not refreshed with the winde The third propertie is that it never raines thunders snowes nor hailes in all this coast which is a matter worthy of admiration Fourthly that alittle distance from the coast it raines and snowes terribly Fiftly that there are two ridges of mountaines which runne the one as the other and in one altitude notwithstanding on the one there are great forrests and it raines the greatest part of the yeere being very hote and the other is all naked and bare and very colde so as winter and summer are divided on those two mountaines and raine and cleerenesse it selfe For the better vnderstanding hereof wee must consider that Peru is divided as it were into three partes long and narrow which they call Lanos Sierras and Andes the Lanos runnes along est the sea coast the Sierras be all hilles with some vallies and the Andes be steepe and craggie mountaines The Lanos or sea coast have some tenne leagues in breadth in some parts lesse and in some parts alittle more The Sierra containes some twentie leagues in breadth and the Andes as much sometimes more sometimes lesse They runne in length from north to south and in breadth from east to weast It is a strange thing that in so small a distance as fiftie leagues equally distant from the Line and Pole there should bee so great a contrarietie as to raine almost continually in one place and never in the other It never raines vpon the coast or Lanos although there falles sometimes a small dew which they call Guarva and in Castill Molâ—â—â—a the which sometimes thickens and falles in certaine droppes of water yet is it not troublesome nor such as they neede any covering Their coverings are of mattes with a little earth vpon them which is sufficient Vpon the Andes it raines in a manner continually although it be sometimes more cleere then other In the Sierra which lies betwixt both the extreames it raineth in the same season as it dooth in Spaine which is from September vnto Aprill but in the other season the time is more cleere which is when the Sunne is farthest off and the contrarie when it is neerest whereof we have discoursed at large in the former booke That which they call Andes and Sierra are twoo ridges of most high mountaines which runne above a thousand leagues the one in view of the other and almost equally There are an infinite number of Vicagues which breede in the Sierres and are properly like vnto wilde goates very nimble and swift There are also of those beasts which they call Guanacos and Pacos which are sheepe which we may wel terme the asses of that countrey whereof we shall speake in their place And vpon the Andes they finde Apes very gentle and delightfull and Parrots in great numbers There also they find the hearb or tree which they call Coca that is so greatly esteemed by the Indians and the trafficke they make of it is worthy much mony That which they call Sierre causeth vallies whereas it opens which are the best dwellings of Peru as is the valley of Xauxa of Andaguaylas and Yucay In these vallies there growes wheat mays and other sortes of fruits but lesse in one then in the other Beyond the Citie of Cusco the ancient Court of the Lordes of those Realmes the two ridges of mountaines seperate them selves one from the other and in the midst leave a plaine and large champian which they call the Province of Callao where there are many rivers and great store of fertile pastures there is also that great Lake of Titicaca And although it be a ful soile and in the same height and intemperature that the Sierre having no more trees nor forrests yet the want they have of bread is countervailed with the rootes they sowe the which they call Papas and they grow in the earth This roote is the Indians foode for drying it and making it cleane they make that which they call Chugno which is the bread and nourishment of those Provinces There are other rootes and small hearbes which they eate It is a healthfull soile best peopled and the richest of all the Indies for the aboundance of cattell they feed as well of those that are in Europe as sheepe neate and goates as of those of the Countrie which they call Guanacos and Pacos and there are store of Partridges Next to the Province of Callao is that of Charcas where there are hote vallies very fertile and very high rockes the which are very rich in mines so as in no part of the world shall you finde better nor fairer The reason why it raines on the Lanos along the Sea coast CHAP. 21. FOr that it is rare and extraordinarie to see a Countrie where it never raines nor thunders men desire naturally to know the cause of this strangenes The reason which some give that have neerely looked into it is that vpon that coast there rise no vapors sufficient to engender raine for want of matter but onely that there be finall and light vapors which cannot breede any other then mistes and dewes as we see in Europe oftentimes vapors do rise in the morning which are not turned into raine but into mistes only the which growes from the substance which is not grosse and sufficient enough to turne to raine They say the reason why that which happens but some times in Europe falles out continually vpon the coast of Peru is for that this region is very drie and yeeldes no grosse vapors The drinesse is knowne by the greâ— abundance of sandes having neither welles nor fountaines but of fifteene stades deepe which is the height of a man or more and that is neere vnto rivers the water whereof piercing into the land giues them meanes to make welles So as it hath been found by
hath been said in the first booke neither is it knowne if there be any habitations in the other two Zones of the Poles and whether the land continues and stretcheth to that which is towards the Antartike or South Pole Neither do we know the land that lies beyond the straight of Magellan for that the greatest height yet discovered is in fiftie â—ix degrees as hath beene formerly saide and toward the Artike or Northerne Pole it is not knowne how farre the land extendes which runnes beyond the Cape of Mendocin and the Caliphornes nor the bounds and end of Florida neither yet how farre it extendes to the West Of late they have discovered a new land which they call New Mexico where they say is much people that speake the Mexicaine tongue The Philippines and the following Ilands as some report that know it by experience ranne above nine hundred leagues But to intreate of China Cochinchina Syam and other regions which are of the East Indies were contrary to my purpose which is onely to discourse of the West nay they are ignorant of the greatest part of America which lies betwixt Peru and Bresill although the bounds be knowne of all sides wherein there is diversitie of opinions some say it is a drowned land full of Lakes and waterie places Others affirme there are great and florishing kingdomes imagining there be the Paytiti the Dorado and the Caesars where they say are wonderfull things I have heard one of our company say a man worthy of credite that hee had seene great dwellings there and the waies as much beaten as those betwixt Salamanca and Villadillit the which he did see whenas Peter d'Orsua and after those that succeeded him made their entrie and discoverie by the great river of Amazons who beleeving that the Dorado which they sought was farther off cared not to inhabitâ— there and after went both without the Dorado which they could not finde and this great Province which they left To speake the truth the habitations of America are to this day vnknowne except the extreamities which are Peru Bresill and that part where the land beginnes to straighten which is the river of Silver then Tucuman which makes the round to Chille and Charcâ— Of late we have vnderstood by letters from some of ours which go to S. Croix in the Sierre that they go discovering of great Provinces and dwellings betwixt Bresill and Peru. Time will reveile them for as at this day the care and courage of men is great to compasse the world from one part to another so wee may beleeve that as they have discovered that which is now knowne they may likewise lay open that which reâ—â—nes to the end the Gospell may be preached to the whole world seeing the two Crownes of Portugall and Caâ—â—ille have met by the East and West ioyning their discoveries together which in truth is a matter to be observed that the one is come to China and Iappan by the East and the other to the Philippines which are neighbours and almost ioyning vnto China by the West for from the Ilands of Lusson which is the chiefe of the Philippines in the which is the Citie of Mamillâ— vnto Macan which is in the I le of Cauton are but foure score or a hundred leagues and yet we finde it strange that notwithstanding thâ—â— small distance from the one to the other yet according to their accoumpt there is a daies difference betwixt them so as it is Sunday at Macan whenas it is but Saterday at Mamille and so of the rest Those of Macan and of China have one day advanced before the Philippines It happened to father Aloâ—â—â— Sanches of whom mention is made before that parting from the Philippines he arrived at Macan the second day of Maie according to their computation and going to say the Masse of S. Athanasius he found they did celebrate the feast of the invention of the holy Crosse for that they did then reckon the third of Maie The like happened vnto him in another voyage beyond it Some have found this alteration and diversitie strange supposing that the fault proceedes from the one or the other the which is not so but it is a true and well observed computation for according to the difference of waies where they have beene we must necessarily say that when they meete there must bee difference of a day the reason is for that sailing from West to East they alwaies gaine of the day finding the sunne rising sooner and contrariwise those that saile from East to West do alwaies loose of the day for that the Sunne riseth later vnto them and as they approach neerer the East or the West they have the day longer or shorter In Peru which is westward in respect of Spaine they are above sixe houres behinde so as when it is noone in Spaine it is morning at Peru and when it is morning heere it is mid-night there I have made certaine proofe thereof by the computation of Eclipses of the Sunne and Moone Now that the Portugalls have made their navigations from West to East and the Castillans from East to West when they came to ioyne and meete at the Philippines and Macan the one have gained twelve houres and the other hath lost as much so as at one instant and in one time they finde the difference of twentie houres which is a whole day so as necessarily the one are at the third of Maie whenas the others accoumpt but the second and whenas the one doth fast for Easter eve the others eate flesh for the day of the resurrection And if we will imagine that they passe farther turning once againe about the world vsing the same computation when they should returne to ioyne together they should finde by the same accoumpt two daies difference for as I have saide those that go to the Sunne rising accoumpt the day sooner for that the Sunne riseth to them sooner and those that go to the setting accoumpt the day later for that it goes from them later finally the diversitie of the noone tide causeth the divers reckoning of the day And now for as much as those that doe saile from East to West change their noone tide without perceiving it and yet still follow the same computation they did when they parted of necessitie having made the compasse of the worlde they must finde the want of a whole day in their computation Of the Volcans or Vents of fire CHAP. 24. ALthough we finde vents of fire in other places as mount Aetna and Wesuvio which now they call mount Sâ—ma yet is that notable which is found at the Indies Ordinarily these Volcans be rockes or pikes of most high mountaines which raise themselves above the toppes of all other mountaines vpon their toppes they have a plaine and in the midst thereof a pitte or great mouth which discends even vnto the foote thereof a thing verie terrible to beholde Out of these mouthes there issues smoake and sometimes
we may be satisfied of this doubt when we vnderstand that by wordes pictures and these memorialles they were often advertised of that which passed For this cause there were men of great agilitie which served as curriers to goe and come whome they did nourish in this exercise of running from their youth labouring to have them well breathed that they might runne to the toppe of a high hill without wearines And therefore in Mexico they gave the prize to three or foure that first mounted vp the staires of the Temple as hath beene said in the former Booke And in Cusco when they made their solemne feast of Capacrayme the novices did runne who could fastest vp the rocke of Ynacauri And the exercise of running is generall much vsed among the Indians Whenas there chaunced any matter of importaunce they sent vnto the Lordes of Mexico the thing painted whereof they would advertise them as they did when the first Spanish ships appeared to their â—ight when they tooke Topanchan In Peru they were very curious of footemen and the Ingua had them in all parts of the realme as ordinary Posts called Chasquis whereof shall be spoken in his place Of the manner of governement and of the Kings which the Indians had CHAP. 11. IT is apparant that the thing wherein these barbarous people shew their barbarisme was in their governement and manner of commaund for the more that men approch to reason the more milde is their governement and lesse insolent the Kings and Lords are more tractable agreeing better with their subiects acknowledging them equall in nature though inferiour in duetie and care of the commonwealth But amongst the Barbarians all is contrary for that their government is tyrannous vsing their subiects like beasts and seeking to be reverenced like gods For this occasion many nations of the Indies have not indured any Kings or absolute soveraigne Lords but live in comminalties creating and appointing Captains and Princes for certaine occasions onely to whome they obey during the time of their charge then after they returne to their former estates The greatest part of this new world where there are no settled kingdomes nor established commonweales neither princes nor succeeding kings they governe themselves in this manner although there be some Lordes and principall men raised above the common sort In this sorte the whole Countrey of Chille is governed where the Auracanes those of Teucapell and others have so many yeeres resisted the Spaniardes And in like sort all the new kingdome of Grenadâ— that of Guatimalla the Ilandes all Florida Bresill Lâ—sâ—â— and other countries of great circuite but that in some places they are yet more barbarous scarcely acknowledging any head but all commaund and governe in common having no other thing but wil violence industry and disorder so as he that most may most commaunds At the East Indies there are great kingdomes well ordered and governed as that of Sian Bisnaga and others which may bring to field when they please a hundred or two hundred thousand men As likewise the Kingdome of China the which in greatnes and power surpasseth all the rest whose kings as they report have continued above two thousand yeares by meanes of their good order and government But at the West Indies they have onely found two Kingdomes or setled Empires that of the Mexicaines in new Spaine and of the Inguas in Peru. It is not easie to be said which of the two was the mightiest Kingdome for that Motecuma exceeded them of Peru in buildings and in the greatnes of his court but the Inguas did likewise exceede the Mexicaines in treasure riches and greatnes of Provinces In regarde of antiquitie the Monarchie of the Inguas hath the advantage although it be not much and in my opinion they have beene equall in feates of armes and victories It is most certaine that these two Kingdomes have much exceeded all the Indian Provinces discovered in this new world as well in good order and government as in power and wealth and much more in superstition and service of their idolls having many things like one to an other But in one thing they differed much for among the Mexicaines the succession of the kingdome was by election as the Empire of the Romans and that of Peru was hereditarie and they succeeded in bloud as the Kingdomes of Fraunce and Spaine I will therefore heereafter treate of these two governments as the chiefe subiect and best knowne amongst the Indians being fit for this discourse leaving many and tedious things which are not of importance Of the Government of the Kings and Inguas of Peru. CHAP. 12. THe Ingua which ruled in Peru being dead his lawfull sonne succeeded him and so they held him that was borne of his chiefe wife whome they called Coya The which they have alwaies observed since the time of an Ingua calld Yupangui who married his sister for these Kings held it an honour to marry their sisters And although they had other wives and concubines yet the succession of the Kingdome appertained to the sonne of the Coya It is true that when the King had a legitimate brother he succeeded before the sonne and after him his nephew and sonne to the first The Curacas and Noblemen held the same order of succession in their goods and offices And after their maner they made excessive ceremonies and obsequies for the dead They observed one custome very great full of state that a King which entred newly into his Kingdome should not inherite any thing of the movables implements and treasure of his predecessour but hee must furnish his house new and gather together gold silver and other things necessarie not touching any thing of the deceased the which was wholy dedicated for his Oratorie or Guaca and for the entertainment of the family he left the which with his of-spring was alwaies busied at the sacrifices ceremonies and service of the deceased King for being dead they presently held him for a god making sacrifices vnto him images and such like By this meanes there was infinite treasure in Peru for every one of the Inguas had laboured to have his Oratorie and treasure surpasse that of his predecessors The marke or ensigne whereby they took possession of the realme was a red rowle of wooll more fine then silke the which hung in the middest of his forehead and none but the Ingua alone might weare it for that it was as a Crowne and royall Diademe yet they might lawfully weare a rowle hanging on the one side neere vnto the eare as some Noblemen did but onely the Ingua might carry it in the middest of his forehead At such time as they tooke this roule or wreathe they made solemne feasts and many sacrifices with a great quantity of vessell of gold and silver a great number of small formes or images of sheep made of gold and silver great abundance of the stuffes of Cumby well wrought both fine and courser many