292 BEZOAR STONE. 



LlB - IY - they shoulde infect the rest, being a very contagious dis 

 ease, and goes from one to another. An Indian that hath 

 one or two of these sheepe is not reputed poore, for one of 

 them is woorth sixe or seaven peeces of assay, and more, 

 according to the time and place. 



CHAP. XLII. Of the Bezoar stone. 



The Bezoar stone is found in all these beasts before men 

 tioned, which are proper to Peru, whereof some Authors of 

 our time have written whole bookes, which they may reade 

 that desire to have a more particular knowledge. For the 

 present subiect it shall be sufficient to say that this stone 

 which they call Bezoar is found in the stomacke and belly 

 of this beast, sometimes one alone, sometimes two, three, 

 and foure. They are very different in forme, greatnesse, 

 and colour, for that some are small like filberds and lesse, 

 others like walnuts, some like pigeons egges, and others, as 

 bigge as a hens egge ; and I have scene some as bigge as an 

 orange. In forme some are round, others in fashion like to 

 lentils and many other formes. For their colour some are 

 black, some white, some grey, dark greene, and others as 

 if they had beene gilded. It is no certaine rule to iudge 

 the best and most fine by the colour or forme. All these 

 stones are made and fashioned of divers films and skins one 

 vpon another. In the province of Xauxa and other pro 

 vinces of Peru they find these stones in divers kinds of 

 beasts, both wild and tame, as in the Huanacos, Pacos, 

 Vicunas, and Tarugas, some adde an other kind, which 

 they say are wilde goates, which the Indians call Gypris. 1 

 These other kindes of beastes are very well knowen in Peru, 

 whereof wee have already discoursed. The Huanacos, or 

 country sheepe, or Pacos have commonly the lesser stones 

 1 Not a Quichua word. 



