On the Natural History of Guana. 67 



that all creatures should serve man. In some Hands 

 or P hares, which are joyning to the coast of Peru, 

 wee see the toppes of the mountaines all white, and to 

 sight, you would take it for snow, or for some white 

 land, but they are heapes of dung of sea fowle which 

 go continually thither : and there is so great aboun- 

 dance, as it riseth many elles, yea, many launces 

 in height, which seemes but a fable. They go with 

 boates to these Hands, onely for the dung, for there 

 is no other profile in them. And this dung is so 

 commodious and profitable, as U makes the earth 

 yeelde great aboundance of fruite. They cal this dung 

 Guano, whereof the valley hath taken the name, which 

 they cal Limaguana, in the valleys of Peru, where 

 they use this dung, and it is tlie most fertile of all 

 that countrie. The quinces, poungranets, and other 

 fruites there, exceede all other in bountie and great- 

 nes ; and they say, the reason is, for that the water 

 wherewith they water it, passeth by a land com- 

 passed with this dung, which causeth the beautie of 

 this fruite. So as these birdes have not only the 

 flesh to serve for meate, their singing for recreation, 

 their feathers for ornament and beautie, but also their 

 dung serves to fatten the ground. The which hath 

 been so appointed by the soveraigne Creator, for the 

 service of man, that he might remember to acknow- 

 ledge and be loyall to him from whom all good pro- 

 ceedes*," 



* The Natural! and Marall Historic of the East and West In- 

 dies, &c. Pages 31 1, 312. :^ondon : 1604. 



