iji The 3^atural and MoraK 



toit, a great tree, which ferves onely to fhadow it , and 

 they call it the mother of Cto0.There are places where ' 

 they are like to the Vines and Olive trees ospajnc*fh& 

 province where there is greateft abundance for the traf- 

 tike of Marchandife, is Guatiwal/aJfiheve growes none 

 in Peru, but Coca y wherein they hold an other great fu- 

 perflition, which feemes to be fabulous. In tructh the 

 trafHcke of Coca in Poto&t doth yearely mount to above 

 halfea million of peeces, for that they vfc foui^Jjcoir 

 and : tgnne 2 or foure fcore and fifteene thoufand baskets 

 every yeare . In the yeare , one thoufand five hundred 

 /f f) jeightythree, they fpent a hundred thoufand. A basket 

 of Coca in Cufio is woorth two peeces and a halfe , and 

 three-and in Fttoziit is readily worth foure peeces,and , 

 five Tomixes, and five peeces tried. It is a kinde of mar 

 chandife, by the which all their Markets and Faires are 

 made with great expedition. This COCA whereof they 

 makefuch account, is a {mall greene leafe, which grow- 

 cth vpon fmall trees about a fadojne high, and in hote 

 and moyft grounds; every foure moneths it cafts forth 

 this leafe , which they call Trejmitaf or Tremoy it re 

 quires great care in planting, beeing very tender , and 

 much more to keepe it, when it is gathered . They laic 

 it in order in long & narrow baskets, and fo lade theyr 

 fheepeofthe Country, which go in troopes^vith one, 

 two, or three thoufind baskets of this marchandife. 

 They bring it commonly from the Andes and vallies, 

 where there is an extreamc heate , and where it raines 

 continually themoft part of the yeare: wherein thc/- 

 ditnf endure much labour and painc to entertaine ir> 

 & often many dic-fqr that they go from the Stem and 

 colde places to till and gather them in the Andes . And 

 therefore there hath beene great queftion and diverfity 



of 



