150 The 3\(4ttirafl anJMoratt 



many companions that lived in that fort, but now they 

 were all dead, one dying this day, and another to mor- 

 tdw, faying that hee defired nothing more then to die 

 there with the reft,feeing that he found not in himftlfc 

 any difpofition to goe to any other place,nor to takea- 

 ny tafte in any thing . I have vndemoode the like of o- 

 thers>and particularly of one that was of our company, 

 who being then a Secular man , had pafled by thcfe de- 

 farts : and it is a ftrange thing, thequalitieof this coldc 

 aire, which killes 3 and aUb preferves the dead bodies 

 without corruption . I havealfo vnderftoode it of a re 

 verend religious man, of the Order of Saint Deminiktj 

 and Prelate thereof, who hadde feene it parting by the 

 defarts : and which is ftrange, hee reported,that travel 

 ling that way by night, was forced to defend himfelfe 

 againft that deadly winde which blowes there (having 

 no other mcanes ) but to gather together a great num 

 ber of thofe dead bodies that lay there, and made ther- 

 of,as it were, 3 rampire and a bolfter for his head : in 

 this manner did he fleepe, the dead bodies giving him 

 .life . Without doubt this isa kinde of cold to piercing, 

 that it quencheth the vitall heate , cutting off his influ 

 ence; and being (b exceedingcolde, yet doth not cor 

 rupt nor give any putrifadHon to the dead bodies , for 

 that putrifa<5Kon grovveth from heate and moyftnefle . 

 As for the other kinde of ayre which thunders vnder 

 the earth, and caufcth earthquakes , more at the Indies 9 

 then in any other Regions, I wil fpeake thereof in trea 

 ting the qualities of the land at the Indies. We wil con 

 tent our (elves now with what wee have fpoken of 

 the wind and aire, and pafle to that which is to be fpo 

 ken of the water. 



of 



