Ch.III. SOUTjH AMERICA. 345 



it with a kind of chalk or whitish earth called mambi. 

 They put into their mouth a few cuca leaves, and a 

 suitable portion of mambi, and, chewing these toge- 

 ther, at first spit out the saliva which that mandu- 

 cation causes, but afterwards swallow it ; and thus 

 move it from one side of the mouth to the other, till 

 its substance be quite drained ; then it is thrown away, 

 but immediately replaced by fresh leaves. This herb' 

 is so nutritive and invigorating, that they labour whole 

 days without any thing else; and on the want of it, 

 they find a decay in their strength : they also add, 

 that it preserves the teeth sound, and fortifies the 

 stomach. 



In the southern provinces of Peru great quantities 

 of it are produced, being cultivated by the Indians; 

 but that growing wild in the neighbourhood of Cusco 

 is accounted the b':^'^t: of any. It makes no small ar- 

 ticle in trade, particui^.; y v ^t quantities of it are 

 carried to the mine-towns, that the owners of the 

 mines may have wherewithal to furnish the Indians, 

 who otherwise could not be brought to work, or 

 would not have strength to go through it. 



This coca is exactly the same with the betel of the 

 East Indies. The plant, theleaf, the n^anner of using 

 it, its qualities, are all tlie same : and the eastern na- 

 tions are no less fond of their betel than the Indians of 

 Peru and Popayan are of their coca ; But in the other 

 parts of the province of Quito, as it is not produced, 

 so neither is it used. 



In Pasto, one of the most southern districts of Po- 

 payan, are certain trees which yield a resin called 

 mopa-mopa; and of this is made a varnish, which be- 

 sides its exquisite beauty will bear boiling water, and 

 even acids. The method of applying it is, to dissolve 

 some of the resin in one's mouth, and then wet the 

 pencil with it ; afterwards it is dipped in the colour 

 which is to be laid on, and when dried has ail the 

 lustre of the Chinese. laque, but with this superior 



quality. 



