7 



and have commonly in their dwellings some one of them,, for mainten- 

 ance of life ; it growes in the fields, and hath great and large leaues, 

 at the end thereof is a strong and sharp point which serues to fasten 

 little pins, or to sew as a needle : and they draw out of this leafe, as 

 it were, a kind of thred which they use. They cut the body, which 

 is best when it is tender, wherein is a great hollownesse, by which 

 the substance mounts from the roote, and is a liquor which they drinke 

 like water, being sweete and fresh. This liquor being sodden, turnes 

 like wine, which growes to vinegar, suffering it to soure, and boiling 

 it more, it becomes as honie, and boiling it ha]fe it serves as sirrope, 

 which is healthfull enough and of good taste ; in my judgement it is 

 better than sirrope of raisons. Thus do they boil this liquor, and use 

 it in diuers sorts, whereof they draw a good quantitie, for that in some 

 seasons they draw daily some pots of this liquor. There are also these 

 trees in Peru, but they are not so profitable as in New Spaine. The 

 wood of this tree is hollow and soft, and serues to keepe fire, like 

 to the match of a harquebuze, and preserues it long : I have seene 

 the Indians use it to that end." 



The Prickly Pear, or Tunna, next this, is one of the commonest pro- 

 ductions of New Spain ; it often attains a size equal to our apple trees, 

 and its extraordinary leaves, covered on the edges with its golden 

 flowers, or scarlet fruit, add much to the beauty of the landscape as 

 it is also so well described by Purchas, we insert his account without 

 hesitation. 



cc The Tunall is another famous tree in New Spaine, if we may call 

 a tree a heape of leaues gathered together one upon another ; it is the 

 strangest fashiond tree of all other ! For first there growes one leafe 

 out of the ground, then another vpon it, and so one vpon one, till it 

 cometh to his perfection ; but as the leaues, grow vp, and on the sides, 

 those vnderneath doe become great, and loose in a manner the form of 

 leaues, making a body and branches, which are sharpe, pricking, and 

 deformed, so as in some places they doe call it Thistle. There are 

 Thistles, or wild Tunalls, the which doe carrie no fruite, or else it is 

 very pricking, without any profit. There are likewise planted Tunalls, 

 which yielde fruite much esteemed among the Indians, the which they 

 call Tunas ; and they are much greater than plumbes, and long. They 

 open the shell which is fat, and within it is meat and small graines, 

 like to those of figges, which be very sweete ; they have a good taste, 

 especially the white, which have a pleasing smell, but the red are not 

 vsually so good. There is another sort of Tunalls, which they esteeme 

 much more ; although it yeeldes no fruit, yet it bears another commo- 

 ditie and profit, which is of the graine, for that certaine small wormes 



