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 11. R~al Commentdrie!. the Break of day, or the Dawning·, f4cari, befides other proM \Vdrds to denote Noon, Midnight, and other Hours. . Lightning, Thunder and 'rhunder-bolts ( ás we have faid ) they gave ohely one denominacion of Y/lapa; and that though they did not acknowledge chem for Gods, yet they t1onoureél them as Servaots of the Sun ; as they alfo did the Rain- bow, and becJ.ufe chey obferved that the beautifull variecy of ics Colouts was an etfeét of the Sun-beains refleéting on a Cloud, they placed it in their &nnersj and rnade it che Arms of their lncM. That which we call che Milky-way ; they fanfied to be an Ewe giving fück to a Lamb; and have often thewed me; pointing to it, Seeíl: thou not there the Head of the'Sheep? and there the Head and Leg.s of rhe Lamb ? But my imagioation was never fo füong as to fanfie a creature there ohhat figure. . The force of cheir Aifiro]ogy did never reach fo far as to m(lke Predi&iolls from the Sun, or Moon, or Comets, · or Conjunéüons of Srars, unlefs it were of fome. thiog of great and ootorious imporcance, fuch as the Deach of their K.Ulgs, or the DdlruéUon of Kingdoms; but rath~r deduced cheir Progoofiicat ions fro~ their Dreams, or che encrails of the Beafü, whicb they offered in Sacri .6.ce ~ Bue the fuperílition d1ey had o( their Dreaim was fo idle and vain, chat w e !h all omit to mencion thern; the like th~y hnagin ed o f the Scar Vmm, which becauíe it ap.~ IB:ars at the beginning of che night, a.nd agai.n rifes with the mornin~. they fan.. fted, that being fo bright and bea utiful l beyond ~he ocher Srars, tM Sun was pleafed'to give it a double courf~, making i( in the-Eveajng tQ follow blm, and in the Moming to precede, and be the meífeng~ to advife füs approach• When they faw the Sun fet wichin th.·e Sea, ( as theY mar every uighc- obíerve to the Weílward from the Coaíl: of Pe.tu) tbey fa.nued ttrat che Waters were parted by che force of his tire and heat ~ atid thac being a good f wimmer, be plunged himfelf into theWaves, and dived quite through tbe Sea to appe. ·~ ~ext morniog in the·Eaft. Artd,fo much íhall fuffice to ha'l/e fpoken of tneir Afir()' Jogy.; .te~ us now ~roce,ed, 3od ~~ what kno"'.ledge ~h ey I~d attained·in Phyfidr end Med1clnes, wluch tbey adwinillred to meir íi~ m the.ir f~veral difeafes. CH A P. XII. ) O[ their Phyficl<_ a~zd -Medicines~ and haw they' applied the111• • T Hey had gained fo much know1edge..·in Phyfick; as to know; that Bleeding and Purging were two neceífary evacuations : the Bloud they~rew from the Legs; Armes ór For(lhead ~ ·and becaufe they were nQt acqu.ainted wlJh die . f\natomy of the Veins, •·they opened that which was neareft to the pain ~ Their · Lancet was made ofa íharp-pointed Flint,fet at the end af a finall Cane ~ whkh be· l,ng laid on che Vein, with agemle fillip cuts it wíth lefs pain than our ordinazy Lan- cees. do : And as they are ignoram how the Veins branch them(elves through the whole body, fo likewife are they unacquainted wich the particular hu~oUrs..1 füch as Flegm, Choler and Melancholy, and con[equently have not the Judgment t() . apply the motl fpecifick Medicines to purge them : They mofl Collllnoofy gur- ged, when they found a Plerhory of, humoprs, mher than when the difeafe ha.d prevailed upan them : che lngredienr which they ufod in their Putges, was. a forc of white root, in fafhion of a fmall Turnip; of which, they fay, t·here is Male · and Female; of both which they mix an equal proportion to tbe quantity of a1> bout two ounces, which they beat to a Powder, and take it in water 0r their Q!'":.. dinary drink, without other H€rbs or Drugs; and then th~ Patlenc fets· hirofelf · in the SW1, thar his h~at and bleffing may contribute to its operatioo. In an. hou~ ..