TEMPERATE VALLEYS. 163 



whence the horizon did fashion it selfe and end by the LlB - 

 heaven, and a countrey stretched out and even, as we see 

 in Spaine in a thousand champaiue fields, yet doe I not 

 remember that I have ever seene such sightes afc the Indies, 

 were it in the Hands or vpon the maine land, although I 

 have travelled above seaven hundred leagues in length. 

 But, as I have saide, the neerenesse of the mountain es is 

 very commodious in this region to temper the heate of the 

 Sunne. To conclude, the best inhabited partes of the Indies 

 are as I have saide, and generally all that count rie aboundes 

 in grasse, pastures, and forrests, contrary vnto that which 

 Aristotle and the Auntients did holde. So as when wee 

 goe out of Europe to the Indies wee woonder to see the 

 land so pleasant, greene, and fresh. Yet this rule hath 

 some exceptions, and chiefly in the land of Peru, which is 

 of a strange nature amongst all others, whereof wee will now 

 proceede to speake. 



CHAP. xx. Of the properties of the land of Peru. 



Wee meane by Peru not that great parte of the worlde 

 which they call America, seeing that therein is contained 

 Bresil, the kingdome of Chille, and that of Grenada, and yet 

 none of these kingdomes is Peru, but onely that parte which 

 lies to the South, beginning at the kingdome of Quito, 

 which is vnder the Line, and runnes in length to the realme 

 of Chille, the which is without the Tropickes, which were 

 sixe hundred leagues in length, and in breadth it containes 

 no more then the mountaines, which is fiftie common 

 leagues, although in some places, as at Chachapoyas, it be 

 broader. This parte of the world which we call Peru is 

 very remarkeable, and containes in it strange properties, 

 which serveth as an exception to the generall rule of the 



