Chap. IV. <J M E%_IC A. 415 



along upon the Sea-Coaft, being for the moft pare a meer Level without any Hill* 

 at all. The Sierra, as they call it, or HiU-Qountrey , is that part of Peru which is part- 

 ly mountainous and partly plain, fertile and well inhabited in both. The Andes zrc 

 fo'high, rocky, and inacceflible, that they are fcarce inhabited at all but by Salva- 

 ges, fave onely upon the skirts of them. The Plains from the Sea-fliore to the 

 fffll Countrey, ate for the moft part about ten Leagues over or broad, Upon which 

 it fcarce raineth all the year long. The HM-Countrey is commonly twenty Leagues 

 in breadth where narrower!: ; and from September to jtpril hath Rain, the reft of the 

 Year generally being fair Weather . but on the Andes, which take up all the reft 

 of the Countrey of Peru, it raineth almoft continually all the year long. In the 

 Hill'Countrey their Summer begins in April, as is faid, and ends in September ; but in 

 the Plains it begins in October, and ends in May ; fo that in the fpace of a day a Man 

 may feell both Summer and Winter . be fcorch'd with exceffive Heat in the Morn- 

 ing, and yet well nipt with Cold before Night. The Andes generally are cover'd 

 with thick Woods and wild Forrefts.Thc Htll-Countrey is for a great fpace naked and 

 open j the Plains in many places fandy and dry, and would be much more fcorch'd 

 with Heat than they are, but for the neighborhood of the Sea, which affords them 

 many cooling Gales from the South and South-Weft Winds, whofe property, al- 

 though it be natural in other parts to be tempeftuous, to bring Rain and foul Wea- 

 ther, yet here there is nothing but Serenity and fair Sun-fhinedays all the yearlong, . 

 although thefe Winds blow almoft without ceafing upon the Countrey, and no 

 other at any time, whereas the Sierra, or Hill'Countreys have Wind from every Coaft, 

 and fuch as bringeth all forts of Weather with it, Rain, Hail, Froft, Snow, great 

 claps of Thunder, tyc. The Countrey affordeth not fo much Cattelof the breed of comm*ii- 

 Europe as fome other Provinces oijimericaJaux, in ftead of Kineand Sheep,the Woods country, 

 and Paftures are replenifh'd with multitudes of the V'xcugnes and Pacos, which are of 

 no lefs Profit and Service. The Pacos here arc faid to be as big as fome young Hei- 

 fers of two* years old, bearing a Fleece like Sheep, and their FlefTi no lefs pleafant 

 than the Mutton of Europe. But the great Wealth of this Countrey lies out of fight 

 in the bowels of the Earth, v/^,. in thofe rich and (as they may feem) incxhauftible 

 Mines both of Goldand Silver, which, as 'tis well known, the Countrey of Peru 

 affordeth more than any other Province of America befides. The Sierra opens into 

 large Valleys, amongft the chiefeft whereof are Xauxa, Andaguailas , and Tucay, all 

 of them well inhabited and fruitful. Below Cufco the Mountains Andes and thofe 

 of Sierra run a greater diftance than elfe where one from the other, leaving the great 

 Plain Qallao in the middle. Moreover, feveral fandy Wilds, without Water, Herbs, 

 Trees, or any living Creature, except Birds, extend from Tumbe^to Taparaca. From 

 the Valleys flow feveral Rivers into the Southern Ocean. On the Mountain Pira 

 is a Fountain call'd Pnchio, which fprings ifi the Night, but is quite dry in the Day* ^JT^X 1 

 time. Alfo near the chief City Quito in the Valley Cbilo, is a Fountain whofe Wa- Another 

 ters boyl fafter or flower according as any one fpeaks fofter or louder . and when tlwf ° urv 

 not a word is fpoken, it ftirs not at all. If any thing exceed this for ftrangenefs, Amoft won . 

 it is a Rock in the Province Qoncuchos, which is all compos'd o*f black and white dcrfulRod£ - 

 Stones, which arc fo neatly plac'd by Nature, as if Art had done a Mafter-piccc, 

 in the exact placing of them one between another : but the chiefeft thing belong- 

 ing to it worthy of admiration, is a wonderful power either to heal or hurt i for 

 if the black Stones in this Rock be touch'd by any, they caufe immediate Death ; 

 whenas the white ones cure all manner of Sickneflcs, and being digg'd out, leave a 

 Seed behind them, out of which grow new Stones to fill up the empty place. 

 Iuca Garcilaffo y Extracted from the Peruvian Kings,tells us concerning Plants,Thac 



he 



