n8 ^ The Jtyturatt and Moratt 



and infmitegreatnes,and( vrc may fay) (hall be divinely 

 imployed. And ft) the difcourfeof naturalhhings,may 

 ferve for many good confiderations , although the fee- 

 blenes and weakenes of many appetites , arc common 

 ly accuftomed to ftay at things lefle profitable , which 

 is thexlefire to know new things, called curiofitie. The 

 Difcourfeand Hiftorie of haturall things at the Indies 

 (befidcs the common content it gives,) hathyetano- 

 therbenefite, which istotreare of things a farreoff, 

 the greateft part whereof were vnknowne to the mod 

 excellent Authors of that pro feffion , which have bin 

 .among the Ancients. And if wee fhould write thele 

 natdrall things ofthe/W/w, (b amply as they require^ 

 being foftrange, I doubt not butvvemight compile 

 workse, no le& then thofe of Plime, Theopbrattesjnd 

 Arittotlt* But I hold not my felfe fufficlent, and al 

 though I were, yet is not my intent^ but to note fome 

 naturall things whichlhaue fc-ene and knowne being 

 at the Indies &\ have received from men worthy of ere- 

 dit 5 the which feeme rare to me , and fcarce knowne in 

 Europe. Byreafbn whereof, Twill pafle over many of 

 them briefly,ether bicapfe they are writen of by others^ 

 or elferequirealonger difcourfe then I can now give* 



Of the winces, their difference?, properties, 

 gentraU. CHAP. 2. 



HAving difcourfed in the two former Books of that" 

 which concernes the heavens, and the habitation 

 of the Indies in general^ it behooves vs now to treate of 

 the three e!ements 5 rure, water and land, and their com 

 pounds, which be mettaUs,plants and bcafts$ for as for 



the 



