434^ A VOYAGE TO Book VÍ 



which we have spoken elsewhere, and which grows in 

 great plenty, the latter is not however the production 

 of this tree; nor has the plant, on which it grows, 



anv thini»' in common with it. 



¿ ^^. ... 



The climate proper for quinua is also adapted to 

 the produce of a little plant, which the Indians call 

 palo de luz. It is commonly ahout the height of two 

 teet,consisting of ^stalks which grow out of the ground, 

 and proceed from the same root. These stems are 

 straight, and smooth up to the to|)/ from M'hich grov/ 

 little branches with very small leaves. All of these 

 nearly rise to the same heighr, except the outer ones, 

 ■which are ofa less size: it is cut close to the ground, 

 where it is about three lines in diameter; and being 

 kindled vv'hiist green, gives a light equal to that ofa 

 torch, and, with care taken to snuif it, lasts till the 

 whole plant is burnt. 



In" the same places grows also the achupalla, con- 

 sisting of several stalks, something resembling those 

 of the sábila ; and as the new shoot up, the most out- 

 ward grow old and dry, and form a kind of trunk, 

 with a great number of horizontal leaves, hollow in 

 the middle ; and this, when not very large, is eatable 

 like th'it of the palmitos. 



Towards the extremity of the part where the rush 

 grows, and the cold begins to increase, is found the 

 vegetable called pucliugchu, with round leaves grow- 

 ing together so as to represent a very smooth bulb, 

 having nothing in them but the roots : and as these 

 increase, the outv/ard case of leaves dilates into the 

 form of a round loaf, usually a foot or two in height, 

 and the same in diameter: on this account they are 

 also called loaves or onions. "When in their vigour, 

 they are of so liafdy a nature, that a stamp with a 

 man's foot, or the tread of a mule, makes no im- 

 pression on them ; but when once' fully ripe, they 

 ate easily broken. In the middle state, betwixt the 

 full strength of their resistance and tiie'deca}' of their 

 2 roots 



