The royal commentaries of Peru : in two parts / written originally in spanish by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega; rendred into english by sir Paul Rycaut.

BooK vnl. Royal Commentaries. Flour of I'vfayz the Sfanifh Women made Biskets and Fri tters, and other Diíl 1 es, both Jbt healthfull, and people that were fick ; fo'r tht Phyficians-in rhat Coun- rrey forbid Whearen bread t,s> all cho~ that are fick, :md preftrí_be chemno other diet, rhatt "vhar is' made of Mayz. Of this Flour, \\i ich water, rhéy brew clieir Dí·ir&; which rhe Indians know hbw to make fower afrer a cercain manner, rhac ir betomes excellem Vinegar. O'f che Canes before che Mayz is ripe, rhey make rare F{'0ney ; and afrér it is ripe, che Canes being dri'éd, are gob'd feeding for aU Cartel. · Sorne Indians, \Vhó love to be drunk, lay Cár.1. (l:eeping in rhe water, un. tiil- it Be growri, and thén they grind it, and bbil it in rhe fume water, and aftero war<ls drawit off, and keep it untill it be fi'ale : This is the füongeíl: drink rhey have, -and which prefendy makes t'hem drunk, they call ic Vinnapu, and in· other L-an'guáges Sefra. Tbe Incas forbad it, betaufe it was fo violent ánd frrong, rbough ndw, che)' fay, it is come in ufe agai·n amonga foh1e top: 1 ng fellows. All tl)ffe' a'feS,' as we h'ave faid; tl1ey have of tfüs Cara, beíiqés many otliers in Medicines arid PBy6cR:, and in Plafters, as we have memmned in che ocher parr. · Tlie next fort of Oran'e, which is ripe in che Ha'rvéíl: of chat Countrey, is that whicW ~hey call fl..r!..intra, or fmall Rice, ?ecaufe 'irr fdrm and rnlour it mtlch refem- 1.:>les -ir. ThiS- Pla'n't in the íla·lk or blat!e, is ver}'. like our'Spinage, che leaf being very render, arld n'ni-ch 1 iifed by che Spaniards and IAdians in aH their beiiled Difhes. arlcl i~ put ifüo a.U rheir Broths and Potages. The 'Jndians .alfo in füofe Coumries, wMdi do m:>t pródiice Iqayz, make t'heir Drinks of this f2.!!i ntm ; and the Indian Phylieians trnrke ufe of toe Flour of it in all thejr Medicines for rhe fick. In the yeár 5 90 tney ferit me fome of die Seeds of this f2.!!inua inro Spain , which ~ fo\vei:l ai llilvers tín:J~s afro feafm:1s, but nevet carne up. -Beíldes,ehis Grane, rliey have three or four forrs in Peru o[ Fetches, like Kidney-beans, wh.ich they put in" to their boiled Meats, called Purutu: they are in Shells or Pods, like our Lupine~ in Spain, though bigger and whiter, caijed Tarvi : They have alfo a fort of thefe: Beans which are not to be eaten, called Chuy, of clivers colours : they are ufed for Coumei-s in play by Men in years, and Boys in their common fport ; the va-: riety of which, for brevity, we omit. · CH A P. X. Of fu/fe .and Roots which grow uhrler ground. T Here are tilany other things which ·are produced under ground, and yet aré' - eíl:eemed for excelleht nouriíhment in che barren Countries, wnich yield no plenty or quantities of Cara : The chief Diíh of all is Papa, which being boiled, or baked, ferves them for Bread, and whích they put into all their Difhes ': To cohferve it, rhey dry and wirher it in the Sun, or Froíl:, and call it (as we have faid ) Chuna : There is another forc which they call Oca, ofa very pleafam taíl:e, it is loiig, and thick as a Man's rriiddle finger ; it is very fweet', being eacen raw; théy bbil it with tbeir Meat ; and to keep it, they dry it in the Sun ~ and it is fd' rlelic4te, t~at ívitho°:t either Sugar ?tHo~ey it feems a Confel'v~, and t~en it is cálleel Cavi. There is arlocher fo!'t hke this m che fhape, but.not m the raíl:e, be- ing very bitter, and cannot be eaten unlefs it be boiled, and then they cal! it A n- mu. The Indian¡ Iay that it is an Enerny to procreation : but thofe who would iiot.Joffi their appetiée Í:b Cotirtíh!p, holditig in their hands :i. wand, or fHck, at the t ime c'hey eat it, can· ( as they fay) find no Jmrt or prejudice bj ü. I have often he~rd t~em co talk and difco_utfe fo tliis purp?(e, arid feen them pra~ife it ; .bue I believe 1t was rather by way of jeíl:, or merriment, than out of behef of th1s old Womans íl:ory. Thofo