434 A VOYAGE TO Book VL 



which we have fpoken elfewhere, and which grows in 

 great plenty, the latter is not however the produdtion 

 of this tree nor has the plant, on which it grows, 

 any thing in common with it. 



The climate proper for quiniia is alfo adapted to 

 the produce of a little plant, which the Indians call 

 palo de luz. It is commonly about the height of two 

 feet, confifting of ftalks which grow out of the ground, 

 and proceed from the fame root. Thefe ftems are 

 ftrait, and fmooth up to the top, from which grow 

 little branches with very fmall leaves. All of thefc 

 nearly rife to the fame height, except the outer ones, 

 which are of a lefs fize : it is cut clofe to the ground, 

 where it is about three lines in diameter ; and being 

 kindled whilft green, gives a light equal to that of a 

 torch, and, with care taken to fnufF it, lafts till the 



v/hole plant is burnt. 

 * 



In the fame places grows alfo the achupalla, con- 

 fifting of feveral ftalks, fomething refembling thofe of 

 the fabila ; and as the new flioot up, the moft outward 

 grow oki and dry, and form a kind of trunk, with a 

 great number of horizontal leaves, hollow in the mid- 

 dle ; and this, when not very large, is eatable like 

 that of the palmitos. 



Towards the extremity of the part where the rufh 

 grows, and the cold begins to increafe, is found the 

 vcgteable called puchugchu, with round leaves grow- 

 ing together fo as to reprefent a very fmooth bulb, 

 having nothing in them but the roots : and as thefe 

 increale, the outv/ard cafe of leaves dilates into the 

 form of a round loaf, ufually a foot or two in 

 hcig!)t, and the fame in diameter: on this account 

 t-icv are alfo called loaves or onions. When in their 

 vigour, they are of fo hardy a nature, that a ftamp 

 with a man's foot, or the tread of a mule, makes no 

 irnprcffion on them ^ but when once fully ripe, they 

 are cafily broken. In the middle ftate, betwixt the 

 full ftrength of their refiilance and the decay of their 



roots 



