Gh. Vm. SOUTH AMERICA. 435 



roots by age, they have an elastic quality, yielding with 

 a tremulous motion to the pressure of the foot, and 

 on its being taken oíF recover their form. 

 . iiv the places where the puchugchu thrives best, 

 also grows the canchalagua, the virtues of which are 

 "Nvell known in Europe. The form of this is like a 

 very thin rush or stnwv ; bears no leaves, but has a 

 few small seeds at its extremity. It is medicinal, and 

 particularly useful as a febrifuge ; its taste is bitter, 

 whichit easily commuuicatet) either by infusion or de- 

 coction. In this country it is chiefly used as a sweet- 

 ener of the blood, though thought to be of a hot qua- 

 lity. It grows in great quantities, and is found both 

 among the puchugchu, and in other parts on the 

 heath where the cold is less intense. 



Another plant, not less valuable for its virtues, 

 and p-rowiuQ' chieflv in those dreadful deserts where, 

 either from the severity of the cold or perpetual 

 snows, or from the badness of the soil, nothing. else 

 is produced, is found the so celebrated calaguala ; its 

 height is about six or eight inches, and naturally 

 spreads itself in thin stems along the sand, or climbs 

 up the rocks. These branches in their form resem- 

 ble the fibril of the roots of the other plants, being 

 not above two or three lines in their greatest thickness, 

 round, and full of little knots, where they bend round 

 like the tendrils of a vine. ' They have a thin pellicle 

 of a loose texture, which of itself separates Mhen 

 the plant dries. The most singular virtue of this 

 plant is for all kind of iuiposthumes, internal or ex- 

 ternal, which it discusses and heals iii a very little 

 tmie. The niannerof administering it is by decoction^ 

 of wliich a very little serves ; or, after bruising it, to 

 infuse it in wine, and take it fasting for three or four 

 days, and no longer, its good eii'ecrs in that time 

 being usually conspicuous ; and being extremely hot, 

 it might prove pernicious, if taken in greater quantity 

 than absolutely necessary ; for which reason only three 



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