li/lorie of the Indies, lib. 2, 



and high mountaines which are vpon the bankes, by 

 reafon of her great bredth. We have learned from cre 

 dible perfons, the great and wonderful! bredth of this 

 riverf which in my opinion, defervcs well the name of 

 Emprefle and Queene of all flouds,) which was by the - 

 report of a brother of our company , who being then? 

 yong, filled it in the company of Peter tforfta, with 

 whom hee was prefent at all the adventures of this 

 ftrange entrie and difcoverie and at the feditious and 

 pernicious ads of that wicked T>ugo dAgmrra, , from 

 the which God delivered him to place him in our com- 

 pany.Such are the rivers in that region, which they call 

 the burning Zone, and the drie & parcht vp countrie, 

 in the which Aristotle and the Ancients affirmed there 

 were- neither waters, nor paftures. But feeing I have 

 made mention of the river of Maratww^ to mew the 

 abundance of the waters that are in the burning zone, 

 itfhallnot be from thepurpofe, to fpcake fomewhat 

 of that great Lake which they call Titicac*, which is in 

 the midft of the Province of Col/off. There are above 

 ten great rivers which loofe themfelves entring into 

 that Lake,and yet hath it no ifTue but one final! current 

 of water, although fbme hold it to be very deepe, and 

 offucha fafliion, as it is impoflible to build a bridge 

 over it,for the depth of rhe water, neither can they pafle 

 it by boate for the violence of the current . They pafle 

 it by an artificiall and notable pradice , peculiar to the 

 Indians, with abridgeofftravvlaied vpon the water, 

 the which (being of fo light a fubftancc)finkes not,and 

 yet this paflage is very eafie and fife. This Lake con* 

 tainesalmoftfoure fcoreleagues , thirtiefivc in length, 

 and fifteene in bredth at the largeft place. There are 

 many Hands which in olde time were inhabited and 



tilled. 



