252 LUCUMAS, PACCAYS, GUAVAS. 



LIB. iv. an( j according to the iudgement of some it is held for the 

 ~ best fruite of the Indies, yet hath it many blacke kernells 

 within it, and the best which I have seene is in New Spaine, 

 where the Capolies also grow, which be like vnto cherries, 

 with a stone, but somewhat bigger : the forme and shape is 

 like vnto cherries, of a good taste, being sweete and sharpe ; 

 but I have not seene any Capolies in any other Countrie. 



CHAP. xxvi. Of various sortcs of fruit Trees, of Cocos, 

 Almondes of the Andes, and Almonds of Chachapoyas. 



It were not possible to reckon all the fruites and trees at 

 the Indies, for that I remember not many, and there are 

 many more whereof I have no knowledge ; and in my 

 opinion, it were troublesome to speake of all those I now 

 remember. There are some grosse fruites, as those which 

 they call Lucumas (of which fruite they speake in a proverbe, 

 that it is a counterfet price), the Guavas, Paccayes, Hobos, 

 and the nuttes which they call imprisoned ; l which fruites 

 seeme to many to be the same kinde of nuttes we have in 

 Spaine ; yea, they say, if they were often transplanted from 

 place to place, they would carry nuttes altogether like to 

 those of Spaine. And the reason why the fruite is so vn- 

 pleasant is, for that they are wilde. To conclude, we ought 

 well to consider the providence and riches of the Creator, 

 who impartes to so diverse partes of the world, such varietie 

 of fruite trees, all for the service of man that inhabites the 

 earth. And it is an admirable thing to see so many different 

 formes, tastes, and effects vnknowne, whereof we did never 

 heare speake before the discoverie of the Indies. And whereof 

 Plinie himselfe, Dioscorides, and Theophrastus (yea, the most 

 curious), had no knowledge, notwithstanding all their search 

 and dilligence. There have beene some curious men of our 

 1 Eucarceladas. 



