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 III. . Royal Commentaries. the Inventi6Jn of Boars, or fuch Canoes, as they u[e in Florida, or the Iíles of Bar- lovento, and other places of the Main Land, which are a fort of Troughs hewed out of Timber, and are all of one piece: but the Wooci in Peru is not fit for this u[e, being fappy, and heavy as Iron, and therefore not boyam, as the namre of fuch floats require : Wherefore they made choice of an0ther fort, of a more light and fpungy Timber, which grows in the Provinces of fl!!.iru, from whence, by order of th~ Inca, many Trees were felled, and brought dowhw the banks of the Rivers. Hereof they made ali their Boats greater or leffer, fome of them were of five, orhers of feven pieces ofWood, which ferved for rhe botrom, tied one ro rhe orher, that in the middle being the biggeíl: : The firíl: Boards on the fide were fornething íhorter than thofe of the Keel ; the fecond above were íhor- ter, and the third íhorter than chofe be\o!ij ; chat fo that being pinched in above, and not all of the fame breadth, tee Veífel would find lefs refül:ence in irs motion through the Water; and the Scern and the He1d of the Boat were both of the fame faíhion: To botb che ends of thefe Boats th~y faíl:ned a Cord, fo thac Paífengers being defirous cu Ferry over, they drew the Cord on oné fide ; and being co recurn, they d.rew that which was faíl:ned to the orher. I remember ~hat 1 paífed a River in one of chefe Ferries ; which becaufe it had been made in a time when the IncM reigned, the people accounted it a Religue, and had it in great efieem and veneration. Befides thefe Ferries, they have other leffer Boars more manageble, made of Canes and Reeds clofely woven, and fhaped upwards íharp, like the Prow of a Boat, thac chey may with lefs refiíl:ence cut the Water: the Mid-íhips .are made broad, ,and wide, and capacious to receive the Loading : One of thefe Bo:m is governed by a fingle Indian, who places himfelf at the Stern, and lying on his breaíl: wirh his hands arid feet on each fide in the water iníl:ead of Oars, he Sculls an~ Steers along,wirh the current to che place he defigns: If the current be very rap1d, they row along che bank of the füver to cake the advantage of a hundred paces upwards, making account that che fwifmefS of the íl:ream will carry them zoo paces downwards before they can reach che orher fide: When a Paffenger Ferries over, they order him ~o lye flat on his face, íl:rerched at length in the Boar, with bis face towards the Ferry-man, and to hold him[elf faft by rhe Cords, and by no means to rife' or für, or fo much as open bis eyes. 1 once croffed a ven} f wift current in one of thefe Boats, which is fomething hazardous; ( though on :finooth and füll waters. chere is no danger) I rhen remember thac the Ferry-man conjured me with al! che Loves ÍlJ the World, thac lwould neither lift l)p my head, nor open my eyes: I being chen but a Boy, was fo affiighted, chat 1 thought either che Earth would fmk, or che Heavens fall : Howfoever, 1 could noc for rny life bue lift up my head, and open at leaíl: one of my eyes co [ee if chere were any enchantment, or fome difcovery of a NewWorld in che matter ; and being in che middle, 1 lifted up my head a little, and feeing che water round, me-thoughts we had fallen from Heaven above; and 1 became fo giddy, that my brains turned, and f wam faíl:er than the Boat, which was carried with a very rapid arld violent fiream ; fo that I prefemly fhut my eyes again, and confeffed that the Boac-man had much reafon for che caution he gave me. They have likewife another fort of Float made of large Gourds, joined and fafined firongly togerher, about the bignefs of a Yard and a half [quare : Here- unto chey fit a Rope in faíhion of a Po!tral to a Horfe's Saddle, wherein the In· dian Boat-man puts his head; with which f\vimming away, he Tows the Boat af- ter him with her Lading, umill he paffes to the other fide of the River, or Arme of the Sea; and if the Lading be heavy, fo that che Boat draws much water, he is then affüled by an Indian or two more, who puíl1 at che Stern, and drive che Boat forward. But in thofe greac Rivers, where the current is very forcible and rapid, fo that they are not pallitble in rhefe Boats of Gourds or Ruíl1es ; and where alfo the banks of the River are [o rocky, chat there is no place to Land eíther on one íhore or che other: there they make ufe of their great Cables made of Canes, called Chahuar, which they rhrow over from the higher pa:ts of the craggy places, fa- ll:ening them to great Trees or firm Roc;:ks: Within this great Cable they put a Cafe, or Basket made of Ofiers, capable to receive three or four perfons ; to each end whereof they fix an Ear, or handle of Wood, chrough which they pafs the Cords for drawing it from one fide to che other; and in regard che Cable is very M large,