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.

n. Royal Commentaries. C H A P. XXIII. Of the EmeraUs, Torquoifes, and Pearls of that Coun trey. T HE pretious Stones found in Peru, in the time of the l ncM, were Torquoi- fes, Emeralds·,. and Cryíl:al of the fineíl: fort, though they were not ac- quainted with che manner how to work it : the Emeralds grow in the Mountains of the Provine~ .of .MAnta, which is. within the Jurifdiétion of Puerto Viejo; but yet the Spaniaras have not been able, with all their endeavours, to find out the quarry of them, which is th<i! reafon thac· they are fo [caree and rare ; füch of ,them as are found, are the beíl: of that l\ind in all Peru : Howfoever frorn that, and other parts of the mjl-Indies, they have brought füch great quantities of them into Spain, as have made therri cheap, and difeíl:eemed : qowfoever the E- rneralds from other parrs are not to be compared with ,thofe of Puerto Viejo ; the which grow in their Qg_arries, a'nd take their tinél:ure from the nature of the Soil . · from whence rhey are produced, ripening there with time, like.fruic in their' pro- per feafons : The Ernerald, when it firíl: begins, is of a palifb whire, parcaking of a grey colour mixed wirh a green; then as it'grows ripe, or towards itsJJerfeétion, it rnkes at one end a tinél:ure of green, perhaps at that end firíl: whicó points to- wards the Eaíl:, after which that pleafant colour difperfes it felf over all theStone; fo rhat as rhe Stone is when ic comes from itsQuarry, fo it remains for evet after: .I faw in Coz.co, amongíl: many Emeralds, two e[pecially of fingular note, being of a perfeél: round íhape, as bigas ordinary Nut~, and bored through-the middle; one of thefe Stones was cor,nplete, and in ali pares perfeél: ; the o.ther in che mid- dle, and at one of che corners, was perfeót, and e~tremely beaurifull ; the other twó pa_rts, or corners, were not fo pleaGng, bein_g not come to their full bea1._1ry and perfefüon, howfoever were not much íhort of che beíl:; but the other which was oppofüe to ir, was foul, and little worth, having received bue a íaint green, and .fuch as appeared worfe, by the beautifull lufüe of che . oth~rs, fo that it feemed a piece of green-glafs joyned to the Emera ld. Wherefore the Maíl:er of that Stone cut offthat part from the other, for which he was much blamed by curi9us and inquifitive Men ; who were of opinion, that for proof and evidence, rhat the Emerald grows by degrees to perfeétion in the Q!arry; he ou_ght to have permit- ted them to remain wgether; and that the curiofity of thething would have been more valuable than the Stone it fel( I then being a Boy, they gave me that pare which was cut off to play with, which I íl:ill keep, not being·of any value. The Torquoife is a Stone of a blew colour, fome of them of a more deep azure, and finer than the others, but not fo much eíl:eemed by the Jndians as the Emerald. , 34 1 Pearls were not much ufed or worn in Peru, though they had a knowledge of them: the reafon was, becaufe the l ncao, who were always more tender of the wel- fare and fafery of their people, than of their improvements in that which we call Riches, forbad them to expofe themfelves to 'that danger which is required in fifhing for Pearls, wbich cherefore were not in ufe amongíl: 1 them. Since thac time they are become fo common, that Acojla. reports thus of them, which words · we !hall rehearfe verbatim. " Since we have undertaken (faith he) to treat 9f the " principal Riches, which are brought frorn the lndies, we muíl: not omit Pearls, " which the Ancients called Margarites ; the value of which were at firíl: fo great, (e that they were eíl:eemed Jewels fit and worthy onely for Princes and Royal Per~ " fons : but now they are become fo common, that even Neger Wornen wear " Strings of them. Then afterwards in anorher part of thisChapter, he proceeds, " and fays, That Pearls are found in divers pans of che lndies; bue the place, ''. where they abound moíl: , is in the South-Sea, ábour Panama, where thofe Iílands ~~ are, which are called che Pearl-Iílands: but the beft and greate!t quanrity i~ found