166 THE COLLAO. 



LIB. in. a ] so h a t g rea fc Lake of Titicaca. And although it be a ful 

 soile, and in the same height and intemperature, that the 

 Sierra having no more trees nor forrests, yet the want they 

 have of bread is countervailed with the rootes they sowe, 

 the which they call Papas, and they grow in the earth. This 

 roote is the Indians foode; for drying it, and making it 

 cleaiie, they make that which they call chunu, which is 

 the bread and nourishment of those Provinces. There are 

 other rootes and small hearbes which they eate. It is 7 a 

 healthfull soile, best peopled, and the richest of all the 

 Indies, for the aboundance of cattell they feed, as well of 

 those that are in Europe, as sheepe, neate, and goates, as 

 of those of the Countrie which they call Guanacos and 

 Pacos, and there are store of Partridges. Next to the 

 Province of Collao is that of Charcas, where there are hote 

 vallies very fertile, and very high rockes, the which are 

 very rich in mines, so as in no part of the world shall you 

 nude better nor fairer. 



CHAP. xxi. The reason why it does not rain on the Llanos, 

 along the Sea coast. 



For that it is rare and extraordinarie to see a Countrie 

 where it never raines nor thunders, men desire naturally to 

 know the cause of this strangenes. The reason which some 

 give that have neerely looked into it is, that vpon that 

 coast there rise no vapors sufficient to engender raine for 

 want of matter; but onely that there be small and light 

 vapors which cannot breede any other then mistes and 

 dewes, as we see in Europe, oftentimes vapors do rise in 

 the morning which are not turned into raine but into 

 mistes only, the which growes from the substance, which 

 is not grosse and sufficient enough to turne to raine. They 



