The Natural Hiffory of Jamaica, 137 
fome few veins vifible on their upper furface, like thofe of Water-Plan- 
rane, and fometimes a litrle defeét or norch at the upper end of the Leaf. 
At the top of the Stalk is a jointed, red Foot-Stalk, fuftaining a flender 
four Inches long Spike, Fulus, or Ligula, like that of Opbiogloffum, or {ome of 
the Long-Peppers, being {weet {melling, and fharp to the raft like them, and 
withal fomewhat balfamick. 
The Plant, if rubd, {mells very gratefully. 
There is a variety of this, with {maller and more pointed Leaves, which 
I gathered in Barbados. 
It grew.in a Wood near Mr.Butchelor’s Houfe, and in feveral thick arid tall 
fhady Woods of this Ifland, and in Barbadoes on rocky grounds. 
It is hot in the fourth Degree, and dry in the third. [ct is drunk with 
Cocoatlee, and gives it a good taft, it flrengthens the Heart, heats the Sro- 
mach, gives a {weet Breath, attenuates gro{s and thick Humours, refifts 
Poyfon, the //iac Paffion and Colick, is Diuretick, helps the Catamenia, and 
expels the dead Child, helps the Birth, opens Obftructions, and Cures 
pains from cold. It takes of the cold of Fevers, and fuch like. Hrern.nd. 
XXI. Piper longum minimum, herbaceum, fcandens, rotundifolium. Cat. p. 45. 
Serpentaria rep:ns Americana, dittamni crerici villofts foliis apicébus nonnibil fr 
nuatis. Pluken. Alm. p. 343: | , 
This has a jointed, round, {mooth, juicy Stalk, like that of Purflane. 
The Joints were an Inch and a half diftant one from the other, and from 
each of thefe went {cveral fibrils, into the Barks of Trees, or ground, thus 
drawing its Nourifhment, and propagating its felf for feyeral Fect in length, 
by either climbing Trees, or creeping along the furface of the Earth. Ar 
each joint, was, on every fide of the Stalk, one Leaf, alternatively, ftand- 
ing on three quarters of an Inch long red Foot-Stalk, almoft round, being 
more than an Inch long, and about three quarters of an Inch broad, {mooth, 
of a yellowith green colour, juicy, and having Ribs like thofe of Water- 
Plantane. On the tops of the Branches ex alis fol. came feveral two or three 
Inch long, round, green jx/i ortops, {mall, having {ome brown {pots onthem, 
and being exaétly like the tops of Moufe-Tail. 
It grew onthe larger Trees, and ground, in the Woods between Guanabhoa 
and Colonel Bourdens Plantation. : 
I fhould not have thought Dr. Plskenet’s Title abovementioned, to have 
belonged to this Plant, had not he pofitively faid it, p.177. of his Mantiff. 
XXII. Yaruma dz Oviedo Cat. p. 45. Tab. 88. Fiz.2. & Tab. 89. Ame 
Layba per uaes of an Anonymus Portugal of Brafile, Purchas, lib. 7. cap. 4. 
, 1308. 
. This is well defcribed and figured by Alarcgrave and Pifo, and grows eves 
ry where in the Carébes and Famaicain the Woods, and is generally, being 
a quick grower, the firft infefting clear'd grounds, being for the moft part 
Without Branches, though fometimes it has them, 
It is ufed for the making of Bark-Logs or Floats, the Stalks being empty 
and light to lie under heavier Timber, and float it downthe Rivers to the 
Towns, where it may be uleful, and Peter Martyr, as well as Lopez de Gomara, 
tells us thata Lwcays Indian Carpenter, fill’d one of thefé Frees (after having 
hollowed it, and ftopt the’ ends) with Maiz, and Gourds with water; and 
with another Man dnd Woman went to Sea, in order to go to their own 
Country (whence they had been carried, and made Slaves in Hifpaniola,) 
and that they were unfortunately met and carried back when two hundred 
Miles onwards in their Journey. 
Nw The 
