The Fruit,
Leaves, Bark, And Roots Have All The Taste And Flavour Of Cinnamon; But
The Best Consists Of The Shell Or Nut Which Contains The Seeds.
In the
whole of that country vast numbers of these trees are found wild in the
woods, growing and producing fruit without care; but the Indians cultivate
them with much attention in their plantations; and these cultivated trees
produce a much better cinnamon than those trees which grow wild.
This
cinnamon is in great request among the natives, and is exchanged by the
inhabitants of Zumaco with the neighbouring tribes, receiving in return
provisions and other things of which they are in want.
Leaving the greater part of his people in the country of Zumaco, as has
been already said, Gonzalo penetrated into the country with much
difficulty, accompanied by the most vigorous of his men, and guided by the
Indians, who frequently gave him false accounts of the country in advance,
on purpose to get him away from their own district. Thus the people of
Zumaco informed him that the country beyond theirs was well peopled and
had abundance of provisions; but he found it extremely barren and very
thinly inhabited. Having penetrated to the province of Coca upon a large
river of that name, he remained there about six weeks, waiting the arrival
of the rest of his people from Zumaco, all the while treated in a friendly
manner by the cacique of the district.
After his troops were all assembled at Coca, Gonzalo marched along the
course of the river, till at last he arrived at a place where it fell over
a cataract of above 200 fathoms making a noise that could be easily heard
at six leagues distance.
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