' ovalle's historical relation of chile. 85 



Thefe ftones are found in the oldeft Guanacos ; and the reafon is, that their natural 

 heat not being altogether fo ftrong as the heat of the young ones, they cannot convert 

 into their fubilance all the humour of the herb they take to remedy their indifpofition ; 

 and fo nature has provided, that what remains may be depofited in that bag, and be 

 made a ftone to cure in men the fame infirmities : according to this notion one may 

 obferve, that the ftone is compofed of feveral coats, fome thicker and fome thinner, 

 according to the quantity of matter that is gathered together at each time, juft as a wax 

 candle is made by feveral coats given it at feveral times to form its bignefs. 



It is likewife a thing well experienced, that in thofe countries, where there are 

 moft vipers and other poifonous animals, thefe ftones are moft plentiful ; and the 

 caufe is manifeft, becaufe thefe animals, and the deer-kind, do beat fo much ground 

 for their livelihood, they are more expofed to venomous creatures, which, when trod 

 upon, wound them forely, and they run naturally to their remedy in thefe herbs; 

 and as they do this more frequently in thofe parts where they receive moft damage, by 

 confequence there are more of thefe ftones engendered. 



From hence it happens, that in thofe parts of Cuyo, there is a greater quantity of 

 thefe bezoar-ftones to be had, than in that which we call properly Chile>; for there are 

 many vipers and poifonous creatures, of which Chile is very free, as we have faid : 

 ;and yet there are taken fome ftones here, but the greateft part come from Cuyo ; to 

 which likewife it is of fome confideration, that there are bred more Guanacos and ftags 

 than in Chile ; for that country being not fo populous, and having fuch vaft plains, 

 thefe animals have room enough for food and for increafe : but it is not fo towards 

 the fea-fide of Chile, for that being very populous, and full of cattle and flocks, 

 there is no room for the wild ones, except upon the edges of the Cordillera, from 

 whence they come 4own into the plains fometimes. 



The bignefs of thefe ftones is in proportion to the animal that breeds them ; the 

 moft certain rule is, that if they are little, there are many in the bag, and fewer if 

 large ; and fometimes, when very large, there is but one. I carried with me to Italy 

 one that weighed thirty-two ounces ; and yet that was not it which made it the moft 

 valuable, but its virtues and fliape, for it/ was a perfed oval, as if it had been turned 

 by a turner : the Indian who found it had feventy pieces of eight for it ; becaufe when 

 a great ftone is found, it is not fold by weight, but according to the eftimation of 

 the owner, and the bigger the dearer. 



The virtue of thefe bezoar-ftones is very well known and experienced ; and people 

 of quality take them, not only in the time of theft* ficknefs, but alfo in health, to pre- 

 ferve it : the way of uling them is to put them whole into the veffel that holds either 

 the wine or water, or into the glafs out of which one drinks, and the longer they ftay 

 in, the more virtue they communicate. And if a perfon be not much indifpofed, 

 there is no need of uling them any other way ; but if any one fliould be attacked 

 by any diftemper of confequence, and' be fick at heart, or be affefted with melancholy 

 fits, it would have more virtue to grate a little of the ftone to powder, and 

 drink it ; whatfoever way it is taken, it comforts the heart, purifies the blood ; and 

 the ufmg of it is looked upon as a prefervative againft all infirmities. 



There are alfo bred in the Pampas, or the plains of Cuyo, many hares ; and one 

 fort, called Chirichinchos, whofe flelh taftes like that of fucking pigs. But the greateft 

 increafers are the Guanacos, and the deer. It has been faid already, that in Chile there 

 are but few, for the reafons alledged ; but there is great quantity of wild cows and 

 wild mares, which came at firft from fome which went aftray, by the negligence of 



10 the 



