636 / 1070
60:i
Royal Commentaries.
,
BooK
III.
which caíl:s out Fire, like the
Volcano,
where they found plenty of Proviíions;
but the Coumrey was
fo
wet, that for the fpace of tw,o Months rhey rernained
there it never ceafed one day frorn raining, which was fuch a darnage to thern,
that
;11
cheir Cloths became rotten by the moifiure.
·
In
that Province, called
Cumaco,
which is firnate under rhe Equinoél:ial, or ve–
ry near it, che Cinnamon grows, of which tbey went .in fearch;
the Trees
,whereof are tall and lofcy, bearing a leaf, as bigas rhe Laurel, with a fmall fort
of Fruit , which grows in Cluíl:ers like the Acorn. Thefe Trees grow wild in
the Mountains, and produce a forc of Fruir, but not fo good as that which is
gathered from chofe Trees, vvhich the
lrJdians
plant, and cultivare in their ovvn
Grounds; and vvhich having gathered, they lay it up in their fiores, and trade
vvith it, into neighbouring Countries, though not into
Peru;
vvhere they ufo
no ocher forts of Spice than the
Vchu,
called by the
Spaniards Axi
,
and by us
red Pepper.
CH A P.
11
J.
O{the great Dijficulties, and Hardfhips, fu~ained by
Gon–
zalo Pi~arro,
and hi-5 Companions; how they made
a
Bridge of Wood, and
a fort
of Ferry-Boat,
to
pafs
the
great River.
T
HE
Sp.fxiards
found, that in
Cumaco,
and the Countries thereunto adjoining,
the
Jndians
went naked, without any Clochs, onely rhe Women for Modefiy–
fake wore a little flap before them; the Climate is fo exceílively hoc, chac they
need no Clochs, and
is
fo fübjeét to Rains, that they would become rotten in a
íhort time, as we have mentioned before; and indeed rhe
Spaniards
confeís, thac
thofe
Indians
<lid well not to trouble themfelves with care for Clotbs, which
would onely be troublefome, withouc any ufe.
Gom,a/o Piyarro
leaving che greateíl: part of his People in
C11macu,
took wirh
him a íinall party of fuch as he e!leemed mo!l aétive, to try and fearch for fome
País, leading out of théi Coumrey; for as yet the way for an hundred Leagues
togerher, had been nothing but Mountains, and Defarts, and
Vv
oods, ,Yhich
they were forced to·lq.y open by the Harcher, and füengrh of rheir Armes; and
fomecimes rhe
Jndians ,
who were their Guards, deceived them, carrying them
out of rhe way by Moumains, and Defarrs, and difficult paíiages, where they
fuíl:ained Hunger, and Cold , wirhout orher fuíl:enance than Herbs, and Roors,
and wild Fruir, and conduél:ed chem by by-ways, to avoid rhe Counrrey of
their Friends and Confederares; bue in cafe they happened
to
lead them aright,
then rhey were e!leemed and applauded for good Guides.
.
With fuch Labours and Suffrrings as thefe, which may rather be fanfied rhan
defcribed, they carne ar length to chat Province which is called
Cuca,
which was
more populous, than any rhey had formerly paffed , and where provifions were
plentifull. Here the Chief Lord came forrh in a peaceable manner
to
welcome
them, and afforded them Provifions, which was the chief thing of which they
ftood in want; chere is a great River which paffes through this Coumrey, and
is che largeíl: ofchofe which, falling in together, make that River which fome call
Ore/lana,
and others
A1arannw.
In