The Natural Fiiflory of Jamaica. 2409 
of the Fruit, the Juice being {queez’d out and kept for ufe ; but becaufe ’tis 
ftrong, it intoxicates and heats the Blood. Pifo. : 
Pifos Figure isbad, as is PYernandez’s, if this be it he means, to which 
the Defcription in every thing agrees, but in the fhortnefs of the Stalk. 
Jo de Laet thought it the fame. 
The Fruit helps Ulcers in the Mouth from heat. era. 
It is antifcorbutick, and good in Fevers, Laet. 
VI. Aloe Tucce foliis. Cat. p.118. An Aloe Americana non pinifira Tacce 
feliis Domini Bobart. Pluken. Alm. p.19 2? Tucca Virginiana foliis er ambitum 
apprime filatis, Ejufd. ib. p.3962 Tuecafolia filamentofa cr bulbofa. Ejufd. ib 2 
Aloe Pita ditta. Herm, par. Bat. cat. p.3 2 Silk-Grafs. 
This has long arundinaccous Leaves, and grows in the Caymanes. 
This [ fuppofe to be what Zery tells us the Savages in Brafil made ule of 
for Filhing-Lines, and Bow-Strings, and Dw Tertre fays, is made into Stock. 
ings and Hamacks. They make a running Knot faft to a Tree, and fo 
draw the Leaf through, firft one way, and then another, and keep the Flax 
intheir Hand. TZertre. 
In the Spanifb Galeons that were taken at Vigo, was a good quantity of 
a kind of this, or Hemp, or Flax, the fibers whereof were three Yards long, 
and very ftrong. It was of a grayifh colour; and | am told is brought to 
Spaincto be wrought, either there or in /taly, into Point called Punta da pita. 
In the Eaft-Zndies, in the Kingdom of Orixa, near the River Ganges, grows 
a Plant, wich yields fibers as Flax or Hemp, or this Alocs. ‘The fibers are 
whiter than chofe of the Aloes, and finer, and of thefe mention is made in 
FHaklayt, in the two following places. 
Cloath of Herbs, which is a kind of Silk, which groweth amongit the 
Woods, without any labour of Man, and when the Bole thereof is grown 
round as big as an Orange, then they take care only to gather them. Freé 
derick ap. Hakl, p.2. p.r30 2 
In Orixa is Cloath made of Cotton, and great ftore of Cloath which is 
made of Grafs, which they call Yerua, it is like a Silk, they make good 
Cloath of it, which they fend for Zedia, and divers other places. Fitch. ap. 
Fahl. p. 237. 
VIN. Aloe vifci in modum arboribus innafcens. Cat. p. 119: 
The Leaves of this are very large, and like thofe of Aloes, always ready, 
and fit to retain che Rain water, {everal Stalks rife up from among them a- 
bout three Foot high, their tops being Cones or Spikes a Foot long, befet 
very thick on every hand with an Inch long Foot-Stalks, fuftaining cach {e- 
veral Heads, fometimes lower, and fometimes higher. They are oblong, 
roundith, in the middle biggeft, and have each a red top, and three prickles 
going out thereat. l 
it grows on the large Arms and Truncs of great Trees efpecially thofe de- 
ih through Age. 
In fcarcity of Wells or water in dry Countries, Travellers come to this 
for relief, it being capable to hold much pure water, able to extinguifh their 
Thirft. The beft Polypody grows on this. 
= The Thread lies on the Surface, whereas in the other Aloes it lies within: 
entre. 
This feems to be mention’d by Xvivet, viz. Thus {ceing my felf at the 
laft caft, 1efpied a great Tree, in which grew a thing of thick long Leaves, 
called by the Indians Caravala; as big as the Neft of an Eagle, | got me 
into that, ¢c. Knivet. ap. Purchas, lib. 6. cap.7. 9. 2. p.t2L0. Where he hid 
fiimfelf in ic from the Zndians fhooting at him. 
Sie VIW. Orchis 
