Ch. III. S O U T H A M ERICA. 345 

 it with a kind of chalk or whitiili earthy called mam hi. 

 They put into their mouth a few cuca kaves, and a 

 fuitabie portion of mambi, and, chevv'ing thefe toge- 

 ther, at firft fpit out the faliva which that mandu- 

 cation caufes, but afterwards fwallow it; and thus 

 move it frqm one fide of the mouth to the other, till 

 its fubilance be quite drained*; then it is thrown away, 

 but immediately replaced by freili leaves. This herb 

 is fo nutritive and invigorating, that they labour whole 

 days without any thing elfe ; and on the want of it, 

 they find a decay in their ftrength : they alfo add, 

 that it preferves the teeth found, and fortifies the 

 ftomach. 



In the fouthern provinces of Peru great quantities 

 of it are produced, being cultivated by the Indians ^ 

 but that growing wild in the neighbourhood of Cufco 

 is accounted the beft of any. It makes no fmall ar- 

 ticle in trade, particularly vaft quantities of it are 

 carried to the mine-towns, that the owners of the 

 mines may have where vvithal to furnifh the Indians, 

 w^ho otherwife could not be brought to work, or would 

 not have ftrength to go through it. 



This coca is exadly the fame with the betel of the 

 Eaft Indies. The plant, the leaf, the manner of ufing 

 it, its qualities, are all the fame : and the eaftern na- 

 tions are no lefs fond of their betel than the Indians of 

 Peru and Popayan are of their coca but in the other 

 parts of the province of Quito, as it is not produced, 

 fo neither is it ufed. 



In- Pailo, one of the moil fouthern diilridls of Po^ 

 payan, are certain trees which yield a refin called 

 mopa-mopa; and of this is made a varnifn, which be- 

 fides its exquifite beauty will bear boiling water, and 

 even acids. The method of applying it is, to diffolye 

 fome of the refin into one's mouth, and then wet the 

 pencil with it; afterwards it is dipped in the colour 

 which is to be laid on, and when dried has all the 

 luitre of the Chinefe laque, but with this fuperior 

 5 quality ) 



