A M E%1 C A. 



V. 



%6% A M h Kl C A. Chap 



ting of Travellers : To which purpofe there are likevvife Inns built near the 

 Spring Fuente it Otzuhib*, which gutties out of a high Rock. 



"Not far from hence is the Populous Village Chetula, where a fmall number of 

 Spaniards dwell amongft thoufands of Indians, who chiefly make ufe of Mules to car- 

 ry their Loads. 



Sect. IV. 



Guaxata. 



Situation and 



U.icrntiou 



viGuaxata. 



s 



Divifion." 



languages. 1 



Poifonous 

 Herb. 



BEtween Los Jngelos and Guatemala, lies the Biflioprick of Antiauera or Guaxata 

 largely taken ; it hath on the North, the Bay of ^Mexico-, on the Souther* 

 del °Zur ; on the Eaft , Jucatan and Cbiapa which is one of the Provinces of 

 Guathnala . on the Weft, Tlafcalla. 



The Countrey extendeth it felf upon the South Sea about an hundred Leagues 

 in length, but from tr>e Sea to the Borders of Tlafcalla, one hundred and twenty ; 

 Eaftward not above half fo much ; having a good Air, and a Soil no lefs fruitful, 

 efpecially in Mulberry.Trees , and abundance of Silks, which the Countrey 

 affordeth, more than any other Province of America befides ; nor is it lefs rich 

 in Mines of Gold and Silver , there being fcarce a River in the whole Countrey, 

 but the Sands of it are faid to be Tinftur'd more or lefs with that yellow Metal- 

 alio Cryftal and Coppercfs. It y ieldeth like wife great plenty of Cafiia and Cocbinele, 

 two rich Commodities . and the People generally, if they would take pains, might 

 be the wealthieft, 'tis thought, of any other in America : But whether it be through 

 any voluntary contempt of Riches, or through any natural floathfulnefs, as yet 

 they feem to Pine in the midft of plenty, living, for the moft part of them, little 

 better than from Hand to Mouth - neverthelefs, exceeding liberal of what they 

 have, efpecially to fuch as bear the Habit of Religion, and attend the fqrvice of 

 their Souls i maintaining in a plentiful and good manner, as 'tis faid, no lefs than 

 one hundred and twenty Convents of Religious Men, of feveral Orders, in this 

 onely Province-, befides Hofpitals, Schools for the training up of Youth, and o- 

 ther places of publick Charity ; it is faid alfo to have three hundred and fifty Vil- 

 lages,and near as many brave Countrey Houfes. It is fub-divided into many parti- 

 cular Provinces ; which, becaufe they are many and but fmall, in comparifon of 

 fome other, we may call Wapentakes, or Hundreds, rather than Provinces : The 

 principal whereof are thefe that follow, i»fe i . Mifleca. 2. Tutepecque. ^.Zapoteca. 

 4. Gua^acoalco. 5. Gue^taxatla : and 6. the Valley of Guaxata, from whence Corte^zf- 

 ter the Conqueft of Mbc/Vo, had his Title given him by the Emperor, Marauefs of 

 the Valley. It is the richeft and moft pleafant part of the whole Province, extended 

 in a continued Trad together, full fixteen Leagues or more, lying about fourfcofe 

 Southward of Mexico, znd wanting neither Mines of Gold and Silver, nor any other 

 of the prime and beft Commodities of the Ne^World. 



In this Countrey they fpeak thirteen forts of Languages, of which the Mexican is 

 moft us'd. 



Amongft the Plants which grow here, is an exceeding Poyfonous Herb, which 

 kills thofe whofoe're pluck it, though a long time after, that is to fay, if it be of a 

 Years growth, it kills not before the Years end . if a Moneth old, at the Moneths 

 end • if a Day, on the fame. 



This Countrey formerly fuffer'd alfo many inconveniencies by Earthquakes, 

 but of late they are fomewhat abated, which the Spaniards afcribe to Martialis, Pro- 

 tector of the Cathedral at Jntequera, 



Mifiea 







