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 VIII. Royal Commentaries. CH A P. XIII. Of the Tree Maguey, and the Virtues of it. A Mongft the Fruits of this Countrey, ¡we may a~count that which the Spani 0 ards calLWagu~, and the·Jndian~ Chuchau, which ferves for. many ufes to them, as we have elfewhere mentic5ned. Bias Va/era refkons up many Virtues of chis Chuchau, on which we fhall touch in brief. " He fays, that it is not pl~afanc " to light, the Timber being of a pale-coloured Wood, with a bark upon it; ce that they are commonly abouc twenty foot long, and not bigger in compafs than " a Man's arme or leg; the Pich within is light and fpungy, and fuch as Pain~ " ters imd Carvers ufe in their Sculpmres. The Jeaves are thick, and half a Yard ce long, and gro.w all towards the bottom of che Tree, like Garden-Carducy ; " and for thac reafon the Spaniards give it the name of Cardamum, and rnay pro- " perly be fo called, becaufe it be.ats prickles on its leaf; the juice of them is " very bitter, and ferves to take fpots out of Cloaths, it cures Cancers, aífuages ' ' .and cools Inflammations, and cleanfes foars of al! Worms. The fa me fap, or " juice, being boiled with the Roots of that Tree in Rain-water, tákes away all " wearinefs from them, who wafh themfelves with ic, and is a moft Medicinal ' ' and wholforne Bath. Of chefe leaves, when they are taken in their feafon, " and dried at the foot of the Tree, they make Cords as füong as chofe made " with Hemp ; hereof likewife they make Soals for their Shoes, Ropes, Halters " and Head-ftalls for their Horfes, _and other forts of ftrong Work : Thofe that ' ' they cut, b~fore they expofe them to be dried in che Sun, they moiílen and " fieep them firíl: in water, that fo the vifcous humour, which makes them brittle; . " rnay be wafhed away. From this leaf alfo they fpin a finer fort of thread " than the former, with which they rnake ·the Binders for their Heads, which " Jerves them for Lineo , where they" have neither W·ool nor Cotton, arrd fome~ " thing refembles the courfe cloth which is brought out of F!anílers: And from ' ' this they fpin likewife a finer thread than all this, wherewich they make their " Necs to take fmall Birds; for thefe being laid in certain open places between ~' two Hills, and faíl:ned to Trees on both íides, rhey drive and ftighteo che " Birdi into che Nets ; which being dyed green, are nGJt eafüy difcerned by - " them. Thefe Nets are made very long, of fix, eight, cwelve, fifteen and " twenty Yards long. The leaves of chis Maguey Tree are hollow, and capable " to rec ive great quancities of Rain-water, which is wholfome_for divers. dif- ,, ea[es. The l ndi(l/.ns fave it, and brewing it with Mayz, or f2!!inua, or with " che Seed of the Mulli Tree make a very firong liquour; likewife they make ce bmh Vinegar and Honey of ir. The leaves of the Chuchau they grind, and ' ' make fütle cakes of Soap of it, wich which che l r¡dian Women wafhipg their " heads when rhey ach, it takes away all their pain ; it cleanfes Spots and Free- " kles from che sk in ; it makes che Hair to grow, and Dyes them very black. Thus far are che Words of Bfa; Valer a, onely I have·added fornething .of che large.. nefs of their Netswhich he had ornitted. Now we fhall tell you fomething more of che V ir tue of this Maguey, how i~ makes the Hai.r grow, and mrns it black: being done in an unufüal and íl.range manner. . The Indi(l/.n Women of Pmt do all wear long and deíhevelled Hair; which when it is very much and thick, they tye ir up in breads about rhe thicknefs of a Man's thumb; onely che Collas living in a cold Counrrey, cover rheir heads. The .lndian Women do namraHy !ove long and black Hair, which rhey wear withouc. ~ny coveringor drefS; -and when they would dye it of Chefnur-colour, or when it tangles, or falls, in combing, chey boil it in a Pan of water ~ith cercain Herbs ;- one of which fort of Herbs, as Bfa; Va/era faich; was Chuchau , and l think ic was fo, to my beíl: remembrance; for when I was a Boy, I often faw chem ufe it 1 though l did noc much obferve or enquire concerning ir. What I rernember i s~ that I faw che Women put theirHair into a Pan of hot water, which boiled wich ' T t s · fire