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 IX. Royal Commentaries,. CH A P. XXVII; Of the Olive Plants, and who brought them firfl to Peru. I N the íame Year of 1560. Don Antoniq de Ri/Jera;' an lnhabitant of the Ci~y of ' /0.1 R~es, who had been Procruator General of Peru, and lived fome time there; and going afterwards into Spain, and returning back again, he brought with him frorn Scville feveral Olive Planrs., which he carefully faved, and put up in two gi:eat Jars, and of above a hundred wh~ch he had broughr, there were bue three ílips onely that were alive, the which he plamed in a fruitfull Soil and V al- ley, wherein he having alfo other Fruirs, fuch as Grapes) Figgs, Pomegranats and Oranges, Limes, and the like, with Pulfe, and Seeds of Spain, he fold them publick- ly in the Market-place_ofthat Cicy, which being newFruir, were bought up at any prices, and as 1am informed for certain, that he made above two hundred thoufand Pieces of Eight thereof. Don Antonio de Ribera having planted thefe Olive Tfees' in bis own Land, would noc afford fo much as one Leaf of them to be pl:i,nted in any qther Ground chan his own; and for fecurity of them he guarded them widt' at leaft one hundred Negroes, and thirty Dogs, which wacched bis rich Planea~ tions both by day and night; bue it happening out that fome perfons, more watch- 'full than bis Dogs, andperhaps by.che connivance or confent of the Negroes, (as- ís to be fufpetl:ed) fiole away in che night time one of the three Olive Planes • the which, in fome time after, was feen to flouriíh and gr0w in Chi!i, being above. fix hundred Leagues from che Cicy of Lo1 Reye1 ; and chere for the fpace of three ·Y ears affotded many fprouts for divers Plantations, increafing with chat profperous fuccefS, tbat not the leaft twig was put into 'the ground, bue which took, and in a íhort ~itne became a fair Olive Tree. Don Antcnio de Ribera, for recovery of his Planes, having procured many Ex..: communications againíl: the Authours of ch~ Theft; at the end of three years ic. carne to pafs, that the fame Tree was again reíl:ored, and replanted in che very fame place from whence it had been taken, with that fecrecy, and with that dex-. cericy returned, that the Maíl:er could never detetl: the Perfon who had robbed: him of it. The Olive-plantations have thrived better in Chi!i, than they have done in Peru; the reafon whereof may be, becaufe che Climate of Chili may be . more agreeable to them, being fituate from tliircy to forcy degrees, being almofi of the fame ternperature with Spain; and in Pcru they thrive better in che Hills thari in che Plains. At fidl: chree or four Olives·were a great Treat for a Stranger, bue now at ~his time they bring Oil from Chili to Peru. And chus much íhall ferve to have fpoken conceming the firft plantations of Olives in my Counttey; let us r proce~a to other P 1 lants, Pulí@ and Seeds, wliich were not originally in my Coun... tlíey. ' C HAP. • 39 1