104 The Natural Hiftoryof JAMAICA. 
XXXVI. Vitis, fructu minore, rubro, acerbo, folio fubrotundo minus laci= 
mato, {ubtus alba lanugine tecto. Cat. fam, p. 171. Tab. 210. Fig 4. Rai. 
Hift. Vol. 3. Denar. p. 68. Vitis Vulpina Virginiana, Pox-grape trom Vire 
ginia. Tradefcant. p.77- An Vitis Vinifera fylucftris Virginiana alba 
ejufd.ib? Vitis Vulpina ditta Virginiana nigra. Pluk. Alm. p. 392. An Vi- 
tis Vulpina ditta Virginiana alba. Ej. ib? An Vitis Americana folijs Cyla- 
mini, uva corymbofa atinis nigricantibus. Plum. Tournef. Inft. p. 614. pl. A- 
meric. p. 18? 
Water-With. 
This Plant has a Trunc as thick as ones Leg, as to Manner of Growth, 
Bark, Heighth, oc. exaCtly refembling ‘the ordinary Vine, having its 
Branches cover’d with a white Down, and here and there Twigs, op- 
pofite to which are five or fix Inches long Clavicles; the Twigs have 
here and there Leaves ftanding on Inch long Footitalks, they are cor- 
dated and roundifh near the Shape of our Vine-Leaf, but not fo much 
ferrated, corner’d or indented about the Edges, two Inches over, foft, 
green on the Upper Side, and very white underneath. The Fruit isa 
pretty large Bunch of fmali Grapes, about the BignefS of Corinths, red 
or deep Purple colour’d, round, ot a pleafant acerb or auftere picquant, 
Tafte. . i 29! 
It grows onthe red Hills by the Road going to Gwanaboa, among the 
Woods; and in feveral other Places, of this Tfland, the Fruit being ripe | 
in September. 3 7 
The Fruit, tho? fomewhat auftere, with its fweetifh Piquancy is not 
unpleafant, and is very much eaten as well by Way of Difert.as made 
into Tarts. 
This Vine growing on dry Hills in the Woods where no Water is to 
be met with, its Trunc if cut into two or three Yard long, Pieces, 
and held by either End to the Mouth, there iffues out of it fo plen- 
tifully, a limpid, innocent and refrefhing Water or Sap as gives new 
Life to the droughthy Traveller or Hunter, whence this is very much ce- 
lebrated by all the Inhabitants of thefe Mlands, as an immediate Gift 
of Providence, to their diftrefs’d Condition. ) 
This was found in Colwmbus his fecond Voyage, but the Fruit sot 
liked by them, as Peter Martyr relates. 
The Stalks and Leaves are adftringent, cold, and dry, they excite 
Appetite, cure the Ring-worm, repel Tumors, extinguifh Heat, cure 
Inflammations of the Eyes, Fevers, and the Pain of Ulcers; they dry 
up Matter, Hernandez, who wonders the Indians made no Wine of 
the Fruit, when they made fo many other Sorts of Liquors with which 
they .were drunk, he thinks thefe Vines might be made very good 
by Culture, and Xémenes aflures us that they grow very plentifullyjin Flo- 
vida, and wonders they did not cultivate them there. — FE 
The Indians of E/panola made no Wine of thefe Grapes, which Go- 
mara Wonders at, they being given to Drunkennefs. . da bed oc 
The Vine grows wild, in , Arabia, Ifle des Rats, &er-Theveto: 
The Juice mix’d with, Ou cures yellow. Eyes ; the Root. mix'd with 
Coco-Nut-Mulk and. Oil, cures Boils,, Puftules and, Carbuncles ; the, Juice 
of the Root with Sugar is Cathartic, evacuating Phlegm. H. 1. 
This 
