The Tree Guaiaba.
The Tree Guaiaba hath a pale smooth Bark, thick Boughs, hard and glittering Leaves, Flowers consisting of five Leaves, not unlike a Peacock’s Plume, long Apples, woolly without, and within full of a pale red Pulp and eatable Stones; the Root, which spreads it self very much, is sweet, and when boyl’d cures the Bloody-flux. This Tree grows in most places, especially in low Grounds, the more because the Kernels which the Birds picking out let fall on the Ground, spring up in new Trees.
The Spanish Fruits, as Peaches, Cittrons, Figs, Pomegranates, Pears, Quinces, and Oranges, grow also here in great abundance, but when ripe are subject to rot.
Moreover, the Fields abound with Wheat, Barley, and Maiz; the Pastures afford plenty of Grass for Oxen, Horses and Sheep, which bring forth Lambs twice in fourteen Moneths.
The Ocean and Rivers store of Fish; the Stream Barbara us’d formerly to produce Gold also.
In moist Grounds the Inhabitants find abundance of Salt-petre, the best that is for the making of Gun-powder.
The Inns Tambos.
For the Accommodation of Travellers, Inns call’d Tambos, are built near the High-ways, exactly five Leagues distant one from another, where all sorts of Provisions are sold at a set Price.
The Nature of the People.
The Natives antiently went Cloth’d in a Frock without Sleeves, as wide on the top as at the bottom, and pleited their long Hair. They are strong, well proportion’d in Body, and subtile enough to learn any Art, but treacherous, inconstant, and inclin’d to Drunkenness: They were very hard also to be brought to receive the Roman Religion, so that most of them would not suffer themselves to be Baptiz’d till they lay a dying: They also drove a great Trade in Cotton, Wooll, and Cloth.