251 BRAZILIAN NUTS. 



LIB. iv. likewise moist and oylie. It is a good meate ; they vse it 

 also in feasting, for lack of almonds to make marchpanes, 

 and such other things. 1 They call them Almonds of the 

 Andes, for that these Cocos growe aboundantlie vpou the 

 Andes of Peru ; they are so strong and hard, as to open 

 them they must beate them with a great stone, when they 

 fall from the tree. If they chance to hit anie one on the 

 head, he hath no more need of any surgeon. It is an in 

 credible thing, that within the hollow of these Cocos, which 

 are no bigger than the rest, or little more, there are such a 

 multitude of these almonds. But as touching almondes and 

 other fruites, all trees must yeelde to the almonds of Chach- 

 apoyas, which I cannot otherwise call. It is the most pleas 

 ing, delicate, and wholesome fruit of all that I have scene 

 at the Indies ; yea, a learned Physician did affirrne, that 

 amongcst all the fruits at the Indies or in Spaine, none 

 came neere these Almonds in excellencie. There are both 

 greater and lesse than those of the Andes, but all are fatter 

 than those of Castillo. They are very tender to oate, and 

 they have much iuyce and substance, and are oylie and very 

 pleasant : they grow vpon high trees, bearing great leaves. 

 And as it is a pretious thing, so nature hath given them a 

 good covering and defence, being in a huske somewhat 

 bigger and more pricking than a chesnut. Yet when this 

 huske is drie, they easily draw foorth the graine. They say 

 that the apes, who are very greedie of this fruit, and 

 whereof there is aboundance in Chachapoyas of Peru (which 

 is the onely countrey, to my knowledge, where these trees 

 doe growe), fearing they should pricke them, and yet desirous 

 to draw forth the almond, they cast them from the toppe of 

 the tree against the stones, and having broken the huske, 

 they open them to eate the fruite at their pleasure. 



1 &quot; Macjapanes.&quot; 



