“I was desirous to see that hearbe so celebrated of the
Indians, so many yeares past, which they doe call the _Coca_,
which they doe sow and till with muche care and diligence,
for because they doe use it for their pleasures, which we
will speake of. The _Coca_ is an hearbe of the height of a
yerd, little more or lesse, he carrieth his Leaves like to
_Arraihau_, somewhat greater, and in that Leafe there is marked
another Leafe of the like forme, with a line very thinne, they
are softe, and of Coulour a light greene, they carrie the seede
in clusters, and it commeth to be so redde when it is ripe,
as the Seede of _Arraihau_, when it is ripe. And it is of the
same greatnesse, when the hearbe is seasoned, that it is to
be gathered, it is knowen in the seede, that it is ripe, and
of some rednes like to a blackekishe coulour, and the hearbe
beyng gathered, they put them into Canes, and other thinges,
that they may drie, that it maie be kepte and caried to other
partes. For that they carrie them from some high Mountaines,
to others, as Marchaundise to be soulde, and they barter and
chaunge them for Mantelles, and Cattell, and Salte, and other
thinges whiche doe runne like to money amongest us, they doe
put the seede into _Almaciga_,[135] and from that thei do take
them up, and set them in another place, into Earth that is wel
laboured or tilled, and made as it is convenient for to put
them, by their lines and order, as we doe put here a Garden of
Beanes, or of Peason.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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