281 The ^jtturalland Mcralt 



wholefome fruit of all that I have fecne at the Indies f/ 

 a learned Phyfitian did affirme , that amongeft all the 

 fruits at the Indies, or in Sfaive, none came neererhefe 

 Almonds in excellence . There are both greater and 

 leflTethari thofe of the Andes ,b\\t all are fatter than thofc 

 Q$Ca/fa/lt. They arc very tender to eate, and they have 

 much iuy ce and fubftance $ and are oy lie and very p!e- 

 tant : they grow vpon high trees, bearing great leaves. 

 And as it is a prcdous thing, fo nature hath given them 

 a good covering and defence, beinginahuskefbme- 

 what bigger, and more pricking than a chcfnut. Yet 

 when this huske isdrie, they eafily dravve foorth the 

 graine * They fay, that the Apes who are very greedie 

 j ^ of this fruit , and whereof there is aboundance in Cha- 



chapoyatofPerft (which is the onelycountrey (to my 

 knowledge) where thefetrees doe growe) fearing they 

 fhouldpricke them, and yet defirous to draw forth the 

 almond, they caftthem from the toppe of the tree a- 

 gainftthcftones, and having broken the huske, they 

 open them toeate thefruite at their pleafure. 



Ofmtny and Aiverfe flowers, andoffifne trees which 



jeddonely A flower, and hew the Indians 



do vft them CHAP. 27. 



He Indians are great lovers of flowers, and in new 

 Sfainc more than in any other part of the worlde, 

 & therefore they are accuftomed to make many kindes 

 , of nofcgaies , which there they call SuchiUtswiih fuch 

 1 prety varietie arid art^ns nothing can be more pleafing. 

 ^ TheyTiave ii~cuftomeamongft them , that the chicfcft 

 man offer their SttchiRos or nofcgaycs in honour to No- 

 blemen,and to their ghcfts- 1 nnd they prcfented vs with 



fuch 



