4000003871

Royal Commentaries.

BooK

111.

large it hath a mighty fwing and fall in the míddle; and therefore they lore the

Rop~s of che Basket very eafily, and by degrees, untill it comes to the middle,

which

the loweíl: pare .of che Cable ; a:nd chence by main force they draw it up–

wards. There are·certain

Jndians

who live near thac place, and are appointed by

the Councrey for that work, and are very aflifl:ant and helpfull to Paílengers with–

ouc any confideracion of ifltereíl:, or payment whatfoever. Sorne Paífengers who

have uíed chac kind ofFerry, putting cheir legs and feer in che basket, have with–

our other help chan cheir armes and bands onely forced themfelves upwards upon

rhe Cablé.

I remernber, when I was a Boy, thac I paífed chis way chree or four

rimes ; but being very young, che

Jndians

carried me on their backs ; in che fame

manoer chey trap[port their Cartel on che ocher fide ; bue chis is done with much

more crouble : For bue few of chem can país at a time, and chofe of the leífer

fort, füch as Sheep, Goats and Kids, wbich they tye faíl: within che basket ; and

as for Mules, Horíes, Afies or Cows, they are of too greac a burthen for chis fort

of Ferry, bue are driven about to che great Bridges, orto fhallower places, where.

che River is fordable.

This kind of paífage che

Jndians

call

Vrug_a,

and is onely

made uíe of by che Councrey people, that have occafion ro país from one fide

to che other; but in che great Roads the convenience is better.

The

Jndiam

all along che Coaíl: of

Peru,

Fifh in their little Boats made of

Rufhes, and adventure four or five Leagues out at Sea in them, and farrher if oc–

caíion requ_ire ; for that Sea

called che Pacifick, being calm for che moíl: pare,

and noc fubjeét to bad weather ; bue when they carry things of great burchen,

they u[e Floats made of Timber. The Fifher-men, when they go to Sea, kneel

down in cheir Boats, and

fit

on their legs, and fo row with a Paddle made of

large Cane, cleft cowards the end ; for in that Countrey they have great Canes,

which are as bigas a Man's chigh ; of wbich we fhall crear more largely hereafter.

This Cane they bold with boch hands, one being placed acche top, and the orher

in the miéldle ; and che end being made bread in che fhape of an Oar, chey Row

their Boat forward ; che Boat being very light, feels every íhoke of the Oar, and

turns, chen chey change _che ha!1d to_ che ot!1er fide, and fo fhifc ic over again,

which moves rhe Boat w1th an mcred1ble fw1ftnefs.

Then for rheir Fiílm·y, when tbey go to take great Fiíl1, tbey ufe a Fifgig in

che fame manner as they ílrike Whales wich in

Bifcay.

To chis Fifgig, which is a

fharp Spear ac che end of a Sraff, chey faíl:en a line ofabouc

20 , 30

farhom in

lengch, che end of which they cye to che head of che Boac; che Fifh being íl:rook

the

Indian

vears bis Line, and gives him Rope as faíl: as he can ; and when he hath

given it all out, he then plays wich che

Fifh

uncill it is quite t.ired; and fo ma–

íl:ering ir, they take ir, and fome of them are of an incredible bignef. They

Fifh alfo with Nets and Hooks ; bue they make no great marrer of their Fifh~

ing in that manner ; for their Nets being [mal! and manageable by .one Man, can

never inclo[e any number; and their Hooks being

ill

made, not knowing che

uíe of Sreel or Iron, they cake very few with thac Are ; for though they have

Mines of both Merals, yec rhey know not how ro fepat'are and purifie che Ore :

Their Boacs of Rufhes are not able to beat' Sail, becauíe chey have no Keel, nor

hold in che water, and perhaps make berrer way ,, ith a Paddle, than wirh a Sail;

.rhough on' rheir Floats made ofWood, they fet upa Sail, which ferves them be–

fare che Wind.

Theíe are che Ares which che

Indians

have invenred (or making lhort Voyages

on che Seas, and for pafling fwifc and rapid currents; the which have received

little improvemenr, for they were in uíe when I was rhere, and believe they ·have

íl:ill cominued in che fame manner withQut alreracion; for rhey beinga poor fórc

of miferable people, of mean dejeél:ed

pirits, fo!low the old road, not afpiring

to greacer marters, t!Jan a fupply of. rheir necefliues:

che Hiíl:ory of.

Florida,

che Ílxch Book, treatmg_ rhere of t~eir

Canoe's,

we have touched upon chei.r contri–

vanees to Pafs ancf Nav1gare on Rivers, which have a

wift and rapid current

rhat now we fhall not enlarge farrher chereupon, bue rather proceed to che o–

ther Conqueíl:s of che

Inca, Capac Yupanqui.

HAP.