Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/235

Rh of Religion: That upon the Conquest of the Spaniards they were most of them destroy'd, and the AttArt [sic] lost with them, only they held some Traditions yet of a few Ingredients, that were made use of in this Business. They took Butter of Goats Milk some said Hogs Grease was mingled with it) which they kept in the Skins for this purpose; in this they boiled certain Herbs; first a sort of wild Lavender, which grows there in great Quantities on the Rocks: Secondly, an Herb called Lara, of a very gummy and glutinous Consistence, which now grows there under the Tops of the Mountains only: Thirdly, a kind of Cyclamen or Sow-bread: Fourthly, wild Sage, growing plentifully in this Island: These with others bruised and boiled in the Butter, rendered it a perfect Balsam. This prepared, they first unbowelled the Corps (and in the poorer sort, to save Charges, they took out the Brain behind, and these poor were also sew'd up in Skins with the Hair on, whereas the richer sort were, as was said before, put up in Skins so finely and exactly dressed, as they remain most rearly pliant and gentle to this Day.) After the Body was thus ordered, they had in Readiness a Lixivium made of the Bark of Pine-trees, with which they washt the Body, drying it in the Sun in Summer, and in Stoves in Winter, this repeating very often. Afterward they began their Unction with the Balsam, both without and within, drying it again as before. This they continued till the Balsam had penetrated into the whole Habit, and the Muscles in asl parts appeared through the contracted Skin, and the Body became exceeding light: Then they sew'd them Rh