270 WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 



CHAP, xxxin. Of Beasts bearing wooll, and of Kine. 



I finde there are three kindes of beasts at the Indies, 

 whereof some have been carried from Spaine ; others are of 

 the same kinde we have in Europe, and yet not carried by 

 the Spaniardes ; and others are proper to the Indies, whereof 

 there are none in Spaine. Of the first kinde are sheepe, 

 kiue, goates, swine, horses, asses, dogs, cattes, and other 

 such beasts, for there are of all these kindes at the Indies. 

 The smaller cattell have greatly multiplied, and if they could 

 make profite of their woolls by sending them into Europe, 

 it were one of the greatest riches the Indies had, for there 

 the flockes of sheepe have great pastures, whereas their 

 feeding failes not. In Peru there is such store of pastures 

 and feedings, as no man hath any proper to himselfe, but 

 every man feedes his troopes where he pleaseth. For this 

 reason there is commonly great store of flesh, and very good 

 and cheape, and all other things that come from sheepe, as 

 milke and cheese. For a time they lost their woolles, vntill 

 that some beganne to husband it, and to make cloth and 

 coverings, which hath beene a great helpe for the poorer 

 sort of the countrie, for that the cloth of Castillo is very 

 deere there. There are many clothiers in Peru, but more 

 in New Spaine, yet the cloth that comes from Spaine is farre 

 better, whether the wooll be more fine or the worke-men 

 more expert. In former times there were men that did 

 possesse threescore and ten, yea, a hundred thousand sheepe, 

 and at this day they have not many lesse. If this were in 

 Europe, it were a very great substance, but in that countrie 

 it is but a meane wealth. In many partes of the Indies, and, 

 I thinke, in the greatest part, small cattell do not increase 

 and profite well, by reason that the grasse is high and the 

 soile so vicious, that they cannot feede so well as great 

 cattell. And therefore there is an infinite number of kine, 



