MAGULY. 247 



CHAP. XXTII. Of Maguey, Tuned, Gochcnille, Anir, and 

 Cotton. 



Maguey is a tree of wonders, whereof the Notaries or 

 Chapetons (as the Indians call them) are wont to write 

 miracles, in that it yeeldeth water, wine, oyle, vineger, 

 hony, sirrope, threede, needles, and a thousand other things. 

 It is a tree which the Indians esteerae much in New 

 Spaine, and have commonly in their dwellings some one of 

 them for the maintenaunce of life; it grows in the fields, 

 and hath great and large leaves, at the end whereof is a 

 strong and sharp point, which serves to fasten like pins, or 

 to sowe as a needle; and they draw out of this leafe as it 

 were a kinde of threed which they vse. They cut the 

 body, which is big, when it is tender, wherein is a great 

 hollownesse, by which the substance mounts from the root, 

 and is a liquor which they drink like water, being sweet 

 and fresh. This liquor being sodden, turnes like wine, 

 which growes to vinegar, suffring it to sowre, and boyling 

 it more, it becomes as hony, and boyling it halfe, it serves 

 as sirrope, which is healthfull enough and of good taste in 

 my iudgement it is better then the sirrope of raisins. Thus 

 doe they boyle this liquor, and vse it in diverse sortes, 

 whereof they drawe a good quantitie, for that in some 

 seasons they draw daily some pots of this liquor. There 

 are also of these trees in Peru, but they are not so profitable 

 as in New Spaine. The wood of this tree is hollow and 

 soft, and serves to keepe fire, like to the match of a harque- 

 buze, and preserves it long ; I have seene the Indians vse 

 it to that end. 



The Tunall 1 is another famous tree in New Spaine : if we 

 may call a tree a heape of leaves gathered together one 

 vpon another, it is the strangest fashioned tree of all other, 

 1 Prickly pear. 



