Tne Natural Hiftory of JAM AICA. 
- This Tree has as large a Trunk as our European Oakes, out of which 
very large Boards are faw’d, not only for Wainfcotand Cabinets, but 
even for the largeft Tables ; this Wood being very much coveted by all- 
People,not only tor its being able to endure thePolifh, but for its Durability, 
andlikewife for its delicate and pleafant variousColours,which are dark. The 
Bark is grey, almolt {mooth, with no deep Sulci in it, and ufually after 
rifing ftreight up Ten or Twelve Foot high, divides it felf into feveral 
Branches, which make a round fine fhap’d Head, rifing Thirty or Forty 
Foot high with their Tops. After fome few Days Rain, the Ends of 
the Branches fprout out three Inches long Juli ofa yellowith green Colour 
made up of {mall yellowApices: And at the fame Time,ufually between the 
Parting or Divarication of twoT wigs, the Fruit grows on theBranch, by al- 
moft no Footftalk,at firft no bigger than a Pin’s Head,round and green, but 
augments to the Bignefs of a Wallnut without Skin, or one of our wild 
orcrab Apples, of a yellowifh green Colour when ripe, and has exact- 
ly their Smell if one come on the Lee Side of the Tree under which 
they lie, having a fmall Hole for the Crown, and a Pulp no thicker than 
a half Crown Piece, which ufually dries away under the Tree, fhowing 
fome Furrows or Channels in it, and turning to a light fungous Matter. 
This Matter being with Difficulty taken off,there appears a roundifh very 
hard Stone, having many fharp Points on each Side of it, in which 
lies in Cells fome flat Seeds fomewhat like thofe of a Melon. 
While the Fruit is ripening, come the Leaves, ftanding without any 
Order on the Ends of the Twigs, on three quarter Inch Footftalks, being 
Inch and half long and Inch broad, a little beyond the round Bafe where 
broadeft, trom thence growing narrower ’till they end in a Point, being 
fmooth, hard and of a yelowifh green Colour. 
It is in all its Parts extreamly tull ofa very fiery and hot Milk in ereat 
Abundance. 
It grows in the low Land, Sandy Woods, near Gullies and Places where 
Water runs fome Times of the Year. 
| Mr. Mohan told me, he knew a Fellow eat four of them, and yet was 
not much hurt by them. 
I do not fay tis the Baxana, as is alledg’d by Dr. Plukenet p: 23, of his 
Mantiffa. 
ae feed on the Fruit when fallen from the Trees, very greedily and 
in great Plenty, and yet neither their Flefh, nor which is more wonder: 
ful, their Milk is in the leaft poyfonows, but eaten indifferently as other 
Milk. F 
This Tree is very much valued for its fine Timber, but Workmen take 
great Care in Felling it that the Milk fhould not come near their Bodies, 
which it very much burns and deftroys, efpecially the Eyes, as you may 
fee by an Inftance of one who had his Fyes hurt and was with fome 
Difficulty cured, of which I have given an Account in my Introdu@ion to 
the firft Volume of this Hiftory. p. CXX, 3 
* Martyr tells us, the Fruit turns into Worms when eaten, and that if one 
fleep under the Shade, their Head {wells and they grow blind, bur if they 
{leep it out they recover their Sight, as likewife that they raife Puftles if 
the Leaves touch the naked Body, which caufe deadly Pain unlefs helped 
by Salt Water or fafting Spictle, that fmelling the’ Wood is deadly, 
and that it cannot be any where carried without great Hazard. The 
Indians tried by the Smoak of this to free themfelves of the Chiefs of the 
Spaniards,when they were afleep. They made theIndiansconfefsthis Defign 
and fome of the Authors of it were punifhed. -The Indians have’an Herb 
whofe {mell faves them from the Harm of this, that they may carry it 
| e ; about 
