INTRODUCTION. 



THE Natural and Moral History of the Western 

 Indies by Acosta, which has been selected to form 

 two volumes of the Hakluyt Society s series, is a valu 

 able work for two reasons. It contains an exposition 

 of the ideas of learned men of the sixteenth century 

 on physical geography, and it is one of the leading 

 authorities on the ancient civilisations of Peru and 

 Mexico. 



Our chief knowledge of the author is derived from 

 his published works, only a few facts being forthcoming 

 from other sources. His parents lived at the town of 

 Medina del Campo, the city of the plain, about twenty- 

 four miles from Valladolid, in Old Castille, 1 on the left 

 bank of the swampy river Zapardiel, 2 and overlooked 

 by the old castle of La Mota. 3 They had five sons, 

 named Geronimo, Christoval, Joseph, Diego, and Ber 

 nardo ; and at least two, if not more, of these boys 

 joined the Society of Jesus. Joseph de Acosta was 

 born in the year 1540, and he was devoted to the 

 Society before he had completed his fourteenth year. 

 Bernardo de Acosta entered upon the same career, and 



1 Between Valladolid and Salamanca. 



2 A southern affluent of the Douro. 



8 Where Queen Isabella died in 1504. 



b 



