Among the many other sorts of Trees which this Countrey produces, the most remarkable is their Tunas, of which, there being five kinds, one is call’d Cumbeba, from whence proceeds that admirable Tincture, commonly known by the Name of Cochinele, which is thus made: On the top of this Tree is found a Worm, which hath the bigness and shape of a great Louse, which so increases, that in one years time a hundred Trees shall be stock’d from the seed of one of these Animals. The Worm it self being white, after the Skin is carefully pull’d off, put in cold Water or Ashes, and so dry’d, becomes Cochinele. The best sort of it is to be had in Tlascala, and that in so great a quantity, that no less than five or six hundred Arrobes of Spanish Measure (each Arrobe is as much as five English Bushels) is yearly Transported thence. The other sort, which grows on the Mountains, and that which is not so carefully gather’d, call’d Chichimecas, Dyes not so well as the right Cochinele. The Tunas also bears a Fruit long and whitish, with a smooth Shell, and full of little Seeds like Figs: The red, which are inferior in taste to the white, colours the Urine red.
Pine-Apples.
The Pine-Apples which grow here differ from the Spanish, for the Pulp is not inclos’d in a Shell: They have a pleasant smell, and a Pulp, which if eaten much of, causes an Appetite, it being of a tartish taste; they keep good a long time when Salted.
Fruit Cacao.
But much more beneficial is the Cacao, with which Fruit New Spain drives a great Trade; nay, serves for Coin’d Money. When they deliver a Parcel of Cacao, they tell them by five, thirty, and a hundred. Their Charity to the Poor never exceeds above one Cacao-Nut. The chief reason for which this Fruit is so highly esteem’d, is for the Chocolate, which is made of the same, without which the Inhabitants (being so us’d to it) are not able to live, notwithstanding it causes Phlegm and Vomiting to those that are strangers thereto. When the English Commander Thomas Candish coming into the Haven Guatulco, burnt two hundred thousand Tun of Cacao, it prov’d no small loss to all New Spain, the Provinces Guatimala and Nicaragua not producing so much in a whole year. The Trees on which this Fruit grows are divided into four sorts, differing in bigness and shape: all of them are very tender, for they will not onely grow in no place but on their usual Ground, but cannot endure the cold Nights Storms, or excesses of Heat; wherefore the Cacao-Trees which grow out of the Fruit that falls off, come to no perfection, except in shady and warm Valleys; which is also the reason why the Planters of New Spain plant the great Leafy Tree Cacaoquanthly (that is, The Mother of the Cacao’s) near the Cacao-Tree, that it may the better grow under the Shadow thereof; in which manner whole Woods are planted: In the second year it bears Fruit, which is first ripe in January, and again in the midst of Summer. Amongst the four sorts the chiefest is Quathuitl, of an indifferent heighth, and full of sharp-pointed Leaves, which are fast to the Boughs without Stalks, and bears a great Flower of a yellowish colour, which falling off, leaves long, tough, and hairy Threds behind them, out of which grows the Cacavently, a Fruit which is oval, heavy like a Melon, of a Saffron-colour, of a fat and thick Juice, a bitterish, yet pleasant taste, and very cooling; being dry’d in the Sun it is thereby made fit to keep; it is likewise highly esteem’d, because the Chocolate is made of the same. Before the Spaniards made themselves Masters of Mexico, no other Drink was esteem’d but that of the Cacao; none caring for Wine, notwithstanding the Soil produces Vines every where in great abundance of it self. But besides the Quathuil, New Spain hath three other sorts of Cacao-Trees, viz. Mecanal, pleasant to behold for its heighth, large Leaves and Fruit; the next is the Xochucaual, which is less than the former; and lastly the least sort, which is call’d Halcacahual. The Fruit of these four sorts of Trees, though differing in shape, yet is all one in power and operation.
The Spaniards to make Chocolate mix Maiz (by the Mexicans call’d Tlaolli) either whole or Ground, or boyl’d before with Chalk. Moreover, they put the red Kernels also in the Drink, which grow in the Fruit of the Achiote-Tree. Of the Kernels, which are dry and cooling, boyl’d in Water, and stirr’d till it comes to a Pap, they make Cakes, which mix’d with the Chocolate, gives it a cleansing power, and takes away all tastes that cause vomiting.
The Pepper Mecaxochite, which grows creeping along the Earth, with long and fragrant Leaves, round Stalks, hairy Roots, and three long Cods which shoot upwards. This Pepper tempers the over-cooling property of the Chocolate. Lastly, it consists also of Xochinacatlis, Tlilxochitle, and the Rozenish Gum, Holli. The Xocinacatli is a Tree with small Leaves, and great Flowers hanging on long Stalks that bend downwards, within of a purple, and without of a dark-green colour, of a sweet smell, and resembling an Ear; and this Flower also gives a pleasant taste and wholsom operation to the Chocolate. The Tlilxochitle runs up to the tops of Trees like Ivy; the Flowers, of a darkish brown colour, cleanse the Nerves, strengthen the Brain, and take away the rawness of the Stomach. The Holli drops out of the Holquabuytle, a smooth barky Tree full of Moisture, which at first appearance is white, then yellowish, and lastly black, which kneaded into round Balls and Roasted, is a remedy against a Loosness and soreness of the Bowels.
Nature of the People.
The Natives of the Countrey are very ingenious in divers mechanical Arts, especially in making of Feather-Pictures, a piece of Curiosity wherein they are held to be incomparably, or rather inimitably excellent; and so industrious at it, that although the Americans generally are not a People over-much addicted to any kind of Labor or Study, yet at this they will sit a whole day together, without either Meat or Drink, onely out of a natural affection they have to the Work, and a desire to be excellent in it; The Countrey indeed affords them great variety of Birds and other Fowl, of most rare and exquisite Colours, which is a great advantage to their Skill, and helps much to the accomplishment of their Work. They Paint likewise very curiously upon their Cottons; and are held to be generally the best Goldsmiths in the World; of most perfect skill in the purging and refining of all sorts of Metals, but especially of Gold and Silver: And yet in other things so strangely stupid and ignorant, that when the Spaniards first appeared amongst them, not a few of them (as ’tis reported) took the Horse and Man both for one Creature; and when the Horse Neighed, they would enquire very seriously what he said.