Ch.IV. south AMERICA. 557 



In grains and other produdts which require a ho ^ 

 and moid temperature, the country is very fruitful ; 

 but one of the chief occupations of the country peo- 

 ple here, is the culture of tobacco, which, being of an 

 excellent kind, is exported in rolls all over Peru. 

 Sugar-canes alfo thrive well here ; and confequently 

 cotton. But the dread of the wild Indians, who have 

 often ravaged their country, difcourages them from 

 planting any more than what juft fuffices for prefent 

 ufe ; they being here in the fame unhappy fituation as 

 in Quixos, the villages having in their neighbourhood 

 bands of thofe favage Indians. And when they ima- 

 gine them to be furtheft off, are often fuddenly af- 

 faulted by them, fo that they mull be ready at every 

 inftant to take arms. 



Among the infinite variety of trees which crowd the 

 woods of this country, one of the moft remarkable is 

 the ftorax, the gum of which is of a moft exquifite 

 fragrancy \ but is rare, the trees growing in places at 

 fome dirtance from the villages *, and it is dangerous 

 going to them, by reafon of the favage Indians, who 

 lie in wait like wild beafts. The like may be faid 

 with regard to the mines of Polvos Azules, or 

 Ultra-marine, from which, by reafon of that danger, 

 very little is brought ; but a finer colour cannot be 

 imagined. 



The territory belonging to Macas alfo produces 

 cinnamon trees, which, as the reverend Don Juan 

 Jofeph de Loza y Acuna, prieft of Zuna, a perfon of 

 eminent learning, and perfectly verfed in natural 

 hiftory, told me, is of a fuperior quality to that of 

 Ceylon, here known by the name of Spanifh cinna- 

 mon ; and this was confirmed to me by many other 

 perfons of judgement. This cinnamon vifibly difi'ers 

 from that of Quixos, which, as the fame perfon in- 

 formed me, proceeds from the full expofure of the 

 Maca trees to the fun, its rays not being intercepted 

 by the foliage of any other trees near them j and thefe 



A a 3 alfo 



