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DRINKS.
283
the
Spaniards,
Coca,
being
that
which
is,
and
hath
been
a
considerable
part
of
the
Riches
of
Peru,
and
such
as
hath
yielded
great
benefit
to
the
Merchants.
And,
indeed,
the
Indians
did
justly
esteem
it
for
the
rare
Virtues
and
Qualities
of
it,
which
the
Spaniards
have
not
onely
approved,
but
have
also
discovered
several
other
specifick
and
medicinal
Qualities
belong-
ing
to
it.
Bias
Valei^a,
who
was
a
very
curious
Person,
and
one
who
had
resided
many
years
in
Peru,
and
came
from
thence
thirty
years
after
my
departure,
hath
wrote
Very
largely
of
the
many
Virtues
of
this
Herb,
and
such
as
he
hath
found
out
by
his
own
experience.
His
words
are
these,
*
The
Cuca
is
a
'
small,
tender
Tree
or
Bind,
about
the
height
and
'
biegness
of
a
Vine
;
it
produceth
not
many
Branches,
*
but
is
full
of
delicate
Leaves,
of
about
the
breadth
and
*
length
of
a
Man's
Thumb
;
it
is
of
an
excellent
smell,
*
and
very
fragrant
;
the
Spaniards
and
Indians
do
both
*
give
them
the
name
of
Ctcca
;
the
which
is
so
much
*
esteemed
by
the
Indians,
that
they
prefer
it
before
*
Gold,
or
Silver,
or
Pretious
Stones.
They
plant
and
*
manure
them
with
great
art
and
diligence,
and
gather
*
them
with
great
care,
pulling
them
leaf
by
leaf,
and
'then
lay
them
to
dry
in
the
Sun,
and
so
the
Indians
*
eat
them
dry.
**
'
The
Virtue
and
Benefit
of
this
Cuca
is
plainly
*
observable
in
labouring
Men,
who,
having
eaten
it
are
'
much
refreshed,
and
often
labour a
whole
day
in
the
*
strength
of
it,
without
any
other
nourishment.
The
'
Cuca
moreover
preserves
the
Body
from
many
in-
*
firmities
;
and
our
Physicians
make
use
of
it,
being