154 LAKES IN MEXICO. 



LIB. in. sm all,, which enter into the Citie, to carrie such things as 

 ~ they have neede of, as wood, hearbes, stone, fruites of the 

 countrie, and all other things. When Cortes conquered 

 Mexico he caused Brigandins to be made, yet afterwards he 

 thought it more safe not to vse them, therefore they vse 

 Canoes, whereof there is great store. There is great store 

 of fish in this Lake, yet have I not seene any of price ; not 

 withstanding, they say the revenue of this Lake is worth 

 three hundred thousand duckets a yeere. There are many 

 other Lakes not far from this w r hence they bring much fish 

 to Mexico. The Province of Mechovacan is so called for 

 that it aboundeth greatly with fish. There are goodly and 

 great Lakes, in the which there is much fish, and this Pro 

 vince is coole and healthfull. There are many other Lakes 

 whereof it is not possible to make mention, nor to know 

 them in particular, onely we may note by that which hath 

 beene discoursed in the. former booke, that vnder the burn 

 ing Zone there is greater abundance of Lakes then in any 

 other parte of the worlde ; and so by that which we have 

 formerly spoken, and the little we shall say of rivers aud 

 fountaineSj we will end this discourse of Waters. 



CHAP. xvn. Of many and divers Springs and Fountaines. 



There is at the Indies, as in other parts of the world, 

 great diversitie of Springs, Fountaines, and Rivers, and 

 some have strange properties. In Huancavilica of Peru 

 (where the mines of quicksilver be) there is a Fountaine 

 that casts forth hote water, and in running the water turnes 

 to rocke, of which rocke or stone they build in a maner all 

 the houses of the village. This stone is soft, and easie to 

 cutte, for they cut it as easily with yron as if it were wood ; 

 it is light and lasting. If men or beasts drinke thereof they 

 die, for that it congeales in the very entrailes, and turnes 



