28z 



A M E<R^I C A. 



Chap. VI. 





^ 



The Root 

 CafianntU- 



The Batata. 



The tVtrd isthe Caxabra, which (hoots upro a great Tree full of prickly Cods ; 

 at the utmoft end grpv*$ a large white. Flower 5 the Fruit, which is as big again as 

 an Egg, ispleafant and cooling. 



The fourth fort hath a ftraight Body full of Prickles, runs lelTer and leiTer to the 

 top ; at the end of the fmall Boughs, each thick Leaf produces another j the Wood, 

 if kindled, burns like a Candle. 



The fifth, nam'd Cumbeba, grows out of fmall Roots, with three or four corner'd 

 thick Leaves, full of Prickles, the Flower fomewhat lefs than the former, the Fruit 

 oval, hard and red, having a white and juicy Pulp : The Prickles of this Qumbeba- 

 Tree are fo fliarp, and flick in fo deep, that they can fcarce be pull'd out. This is 

 that fort of Tunas that produces 'Cochinele, which is a Worm that grows under the 

 Leaves, and is covet'd with a Skin, which being neatly taken offand dry'd in the 

 Sun, as formerly mention'd, becomes a rich Commodity. Jofeph de Acofta tells us, 

 that the Spanijh Fleet, Anno 1 578. carried fo much Cocbinele to Spain, as amounted to 

 two hundred eighty three thoufand feven hundred and fifty Ryals. 



But the laft fort of the Tunas is the Unirumbeba, which hath a ftraight Body full 

 of Prickles, on the top whereof grow divers prickly Leaves, not unlike thofc of 

 the Palm-Tree : It is onely found in barren places, remote from the Sea. 



Moreover, all kind of Fruits tranlplanted hither from Spain thrive very well, 

 as Apples, Pears, Granats, Figs, Peaches, Apricocks, Muskmelons, <src. 



> The Root Caflanuela affords a much better Feeding for^ Swine than Acorns. But a« 

 mongft many other Roots which are found here, as the Xiquimaa, laca, Cochuco,Qari, 

 Totora and Mam, the chief is the "Batata, which is fat,fweet, and windy • it runs over 

 the Ground with a tough green Sprig, the new Fibres taking Root difperfedly up 

 and down, beingyellow without, and within full of milky Juice ; the Leaf refem- 

 bling a Heart, is of a pale yellow colour on the top, and donuy underneath $ 

 roafted in Allies, it eats better than a Turnip : It is divided into three forts. 



The firft, caird Omenapo ■yeima i when boy I'd, fliews like red Betel^ but Dyes of a 

 Skye-colour 5 the innermoft Skin, which is of a dark Red, yieldsan Ink^ike Juice. 



The 



