262 FORESTS, 



CHAP. xxx. Of great forrests at the Indies, of Cedars, of 

 Ceyvas, and other great trees. 



Although from the beginning the earth did bring foorth 

 plants and trees by the commandement of the Lord, yet 

 hath it yielded more in one place than in another and 

 besides the plants and trees, which by the industry of man 

 have beene transplanted and carried from place to place, 

 there are many which Nature it selfe hath brought forth. 

 I do beleeve, that of this sort there are more at the new 

 world, which we do call the Indies, either in number or 

 diversitie, than in the olde, as Europe, Asia, or Affrike. 

 The reason is, for that the climate at the Indies is generally 

 hot and moist, as we have declared in the second Booke, 

 against the opinion of the Antients, which causeth the 

 earth naturally for to bring foorth an infinite number of wild 

 plants, whereby the greatest part of the Indies is inhabit 

 able, being almost impossible to travell by reason of the 

 woodes and thicke forrests that are there, which they labour 

 dailie to cut downe. It hath bin needefull (passing through 

 some partes of the Indies, especially where they newly 

 entred) to make their way, in cutting downe trees, and 

 pulling vp bushes, so that fas some religious men have 

 written that have tried it) they coulde not sometimes have 

 passed above a league in a day. One of our brothers (a 

 man worthy of credite) reported vnto vs, that being straied 

 in the inountaines, not knowing which way he shoulde passe, 

 he fell among such thicke bushes that he was forced to go 

 vpon them, without setting foote to the ground, by the 

 space of fifteen e whole dayes : and to see the Suime, or to 

 niarke some way in this thicke forrest full of wood, he was 

 forced to climbe to the top of the highest trees to discover. 

 He that shall reade the discourse of his travell, how often 

 hee was lost, and the wayes he passed, with the strange 



