Lhe Natural Hiftory of JAM AIC A. 
SS 
and let the Reed continue there from Morning till Evening, and from E- 
vening to Morning. The Fruit of this Tree, call’d Cocos, is as big as 
the Head of a Mans or more. The fir(t Rind of this isgreen, and of the 
Thicknefs of two Fingers, having in it certain Threads, wheréof they 
make Cords, with which they tie their Boats. Under this Rind there isa 
thick Shell, which they burn and make Powder of, and ufe it asa 
Remedy for certain Difeafes. Under this Shell is a white Subitance, like 
the Kernel of a Nut, being a Finger in Thicknefs, which they eat with 
Fleth and Fifh, as we do Bread. It hath the Tafte of an Almond, and is 
ufed in the ftead of Bread, when it is dry’d. In the Midft of this Ker- 
nel is a clear and {weet Water, being very wholefome and cordial. This 
Water fometimes congealeth, and lyeth within the Shell like an Egg. 
When they intend to make Oyi of it, they lay it to putrify in Water, 
and boil it until it be like Oy! or liquid Butter. When they intend to make 
Vinegar, they fuffer only the Water to putrify, and then fet it in the Sun, 
whére it becometh Vinegar, like that which is made of White-wine : 
And when they mingle the Kernel with the Water which is in the midft of 
the Fruit, and train it thro” a Cloth, they make a Milk thereof, like 
Goats Milk. Thefe Date-Trees are like them that bare Dates, but 
not fo full of Knots. With the Juice of two of thefe Date-Trees a 
Family of ten Perfons may be maintain’d with Wine, ufing one 
cight Days, and the other eight Days, for they fhould elfe be dry’d and 
wither’d, Thefe Trees continue for the Space of an hundred Years. 
II. Cacao. Cat. Fam. p. 134. Tab. 1560. Cacaos Pommet, p. 205. Catao Avel- 
bana Mexiana Lob lobo coccineo ex quo Chocolata famofa conficitar [urian. Cacao 
fruttus. Calceolar. Muf: p. 606. Worm. Mu/. p- 191. Abor. 
“Cacavi fera Americana} cujus fructus folliculo inclufus amygdalarum [peciem 
refert. Pluk, Almag. p. 40. Phyt. Tab. 268. Fig. 3. ‘ 
The Cacao Tree. 
This Tree rofe to about 1§ Foot high, with a grey, almoft fmooth Bark, 
anda Trunk as thick as ones Thigh. It hath feveral Branches on ever 
Side, the Ends of them beiag long, fet with Leaves ftanding on half Inch 
long Footftalks, the Fruit is 7 Inches long and two anda half broad in the 
Middle where broadeft, of a yellowith green Colour, hard and pointed : 
Out of the Body of theT ree, orBranch, comes a very fmall Flower, ftanding 
on a half Inch long Footftalk, it is made up of 5 Cap/ular Leaves, 5 crooked 
Petala, feveral Stamina, anda Stylus, of a very pale Purple colour, after 
which follows the Fruit, which when ripe is as big as one’s Fift, bigger in 
the Middle than at the Ends, which are pointed, it has fome Sulci 
and A/perities on its Outfide, is for the moft Part of a deep Purple colour, 
the Shell being about Half a Crown’s thicknefs, and'containing within it 
many Kernels of an oval Shape, each of which is as big asa Piftachia N ut, 
having a thin Membrane without which is a mucilaginous Subftance, in’ 
which it lies. The Nuts themfelves are made up of feveral Parts like 
an Ox’s Kidney, fome Lines being vifible on it before broken, and is hol- 
low within, its Pulp isoyly and bitterifh to the Tafte, made u p of ma- 
ny Strie, which tend fromthe Circumference to the Center. 
They are planted here very frequently, and in the Caribes, fometimes 
Dua Tertre, 
It 
