INTENSE COLD ON THE PUNAS. 



LlB - m - cause that doth so much alter the stomacke and trouble all 

 the disposition. The passages of the rnountaines Nevada 

 and others of Europe which I have seene, although the 

 aire be colde there, and doth force men to weare more 

 clothes, yet this colde doth not take away the appetite for 

 meat, but contrariwise it provokes; neither dooth it cause 

 any casting of the stomacke, but onely some paine in the 

 feete and handes. Finally, their operation is outward. But 

 that of the Indies, whereof I speake (without molesting of 

 foote or hand, or any outward parte), troubles all the 

 entrailes within: and that which is more admirable, when 

 the sunne is hote, which maketh mee imagine that the 

 griefe wee feele comes from the qualitie of the aire which 

 wee breathe. Therefore, that is most subtile and delicate, 

 whose colde is not so sensible as piercing. All this ridge 

 of mountains is for the most part desart, without any vil 

 lages or habitations for men, so as you shall scarce finde 

 any small cotages -to lodge such as do passe by night. 

 There are no beasts, good or bad, but some vicunas, which 

 are their countrey muttons, and have a strange and won 

 derful property, as I shall shew in his place. 1 The grasso 

 is often burnt, and all black e with the aire, and this desart 

 runnes five and twenty or thirty leagues overthwart, and in 

 length above five hundred leagues. There are other desarts 

 or places not inhabited, which at Peru they call Punas 2 

 (speaking of the second poynt we promised), where the 

 quallitie of the ayre cutteth off mans life without feeling. 

 In former time the Spaniardes went from Peru to the 

 realme of Chille by this mountaine, but at this day they do 

 passe commonly by sea, and sometimes alongst the side of 

 it. And though that way be laborious and troublesome, 

 yet is there not so great daunger as by the mountaine, 

 where there are plaines, on the which many men have 



1 Lib. iv, cap. xli. 



&quot; J*/n/(tx are the lofty plateaux of the Andes. 



