— ¥ — 
168 ‘Tbe Natural Hiftory of ) Jamaica. | 
Pifo in the firft Edition fays thefe Leaves are nor eatable, but in the {econd - 
that they are. | 
The Roots are boil’d, and taft musk’d or f{weer. Marcer. 
Pijo’s Figure is not good. 
XLII. Arum faxatile majas, foliis rotundioribus, frudta purpureo. Cat. p. 63. 
An Arum Americanum, folio ampliffino, flore c trudtu rubro. Plum T, ournet, 
Inf. p.1592 vel An Arum Americanum, acinis amethyfinis, parvo flore. Ejufa. 
ih. p. 160? 
Three or four Leaves {pring from the fame Root, ftanding on Foot long 
Foot-Stalks, being like the Leaves of Cuckow Pint, onty Jarger, and 
rounder ear’d, being two Foot Jong, or from the Foot-Stalks end, to the 
rounde({t point oppofite to it, and one Foot broad, from one round Bafe to 
the other, fomething of the fhape of a Heart, and having great Ribs run- 
ning from the Foot-Stalks end, as from a common Center. The i lower 
and fruit, comes in every thing, after the fame manner, as in the ordinary 
Arum, only the Acini, or Berries, are plac'd ina very comely order, ona Foot 
long Veftle, being larger below thanat top, and are of a brownifh or purple 
colour. 
It grows on the Rocks in the fhady Woods, on the red Hills near Gya- 
aatea, and near F/ope River, in the Mountains of Lizuanec. 
XLII. Aram caule geniculato, canne Indice foliis, fummis labris deguftantes 
mutos reddens. Cat. p. 63.. Canna Indica venenata, Ourari forte part. 8. Ind. 
Occident.. p. 422. ©. B. pin. p. 184. Plucenet. Almag. p. 79. The Dumb 
Cane. a= | 7 
This rifes to be about five Foot high, by ajointed, very green, fucculent, 
folid Stalk, as big as ones Thomb, without any Leaves ‘till towards the 
top, where come feveral, ftanding on. large Foot-Stalks They are round at 
the Bafe, and from thence decreafe to the point, being fomething like thofe 
of the Cana Indica, only much thicker, and of adarker green colour. A- 
mong thefe Leaves come out the Flowers, at the trop of the Stalk, and 
after them the. Fruit, being. in every thing like thole of the other drums. 
They grow in all moift low Lands and bottoms of this Ifland. 
If one cut this Cane with a Knife,-and put the tip of the Tongue to it, 
it makes a very painful Senfation, and occafions fuch a very great irrication 
on the falivary Ducts, that they prefently fiell. fo that the perfon cannot 
{peak,; and do-nothing for fome time but void Spittle in a great degree, or 
Salivate, which in fome.time goes off, in this doing in a grearer degree, what 
European Arum does in a lefier, and from this its quality, and being jointed. 
this Aram is called Dumb-Cane. ... . - .» : 
Pieces of this. Stalk are cut,,and put into Baths and Fomentations -for 
Hydropick Legs, and are thought very effectual. 
Strangers muft be warned of thefe Canes, they looking like thofe' of 
Sugar. Lzet. | : 
Iris eat by Zadians for want of better Meat. The Root is of more force 
than the Fruit or Leaves ; befides, the firft qualities, being of very {mall parts, 
and opening Obftructions, Fomentations are made of them againft Inflam- 
mations and Obftructions of Hypochondres and Reins ; and the Oil is good 
again{t thofe Evils, and fupplies that of Capers, and Lilies. The Roots 
fliced and boiled in Wine, made into Baths, and ufed to the Feet, it is of 
great ufe again{t old and late Gouts, Pi/o. 2 
