“116 The Natural Haftory of J AMAICA. 
Cabbage-Tree. | 
This Sort of Palm has, at coming out of the Earth, a fmall' Hill or 
Protuberance made up of a great many round Ligulz, or Thongs inter- 
woven, as moft others of this Kind ; the Trunc its telf rifes to a hundred 
or two hundred Foot high ; it is about the Thicknefs of one’s Thigh, with 
a grey colour’d fmooth Bark, having fome Marks or Vettigia of the fallen 
of Leaves on its Surface. The Leaves are all round the Top, about fifteen 
Foot long, the Pinnz are very green, feveral Foot long, and thick fet to 
the middle Rib; the Footftalk is five Foot long, and fo broad as to en-, 
compa{s or inclofe the other Leaves Footftalks above it.at Top, for four, 
or five Foot in Length, fo that the outwardmoft Leaves Footftalks in+ 
clofing thofe within it, and they others, at laft they-all furround the 
Gemma or Germen, which is the Leaves not. yet fprouted, and this is what. 
is call’d the Cabbage, which being kept, from. the Light and, Airis very 
tender and delicate. About five or fix Foot, under, the Leaves, near the. 
Top, comes, out a.Foorftalk, three or four Foor Jong, very ttrong and 
very much branch’d, and having Twigs fcatter’d or, f{parfe, at \,is, 
fer on very firmly round: the whole. Tree, being hollow, broad, and 
fwell’d there, and every one of its Branches or ‘Twigs which comeout. 
from the main one alternatively, have a, round Swelling at their Divi- 
fion; the Berries or Fruit {tick to thefe; Twigs without any, Footttalk,, 
are as big almoft as Hazle-Nuts, cover’d with a-yellowifh Skin; the, 
Pulp is thin and infipid, and inclofes.a Nut full of a white, {weet 
Kernel. : ae 
They are very .commoa,in the. mountainous,and unfrequented Parts 
of the Ifland, and becaufe of their Heighth, and ‘Straightnefs are orna-. 
mental, and fuffer’d to. grow, when.other Wood is fell’d. Every Tree from 
which the Gemma or Cabbage is taken: grows .no.more, or being fell’d, 
therefore no wonder if thefe Trees are fcarce near Settlements, and plen- 
tifa én the North Side-of;this Ifland... They grow likewife in: all the 
Cari eS. ee ee 0 ¥ WO 28 ri Mig qin co SG TAM 
~ They ufe the Tops of Palwsetos for Bread, Sir Walter Rawleigh of the Ti- 
vitivas in Gutana, p. 42. ap. Hakl, p« 644... where they manure nothing, but 
eat wild Fruits, Fifh and. Deer, #0.:.; |... .. = ar 
We receiv’d: of them (of Ternate).the; fame Night for.our Provifion, 
Meal, which they call Saga, made of the Tops of certain ‘Trees, tafting 
in the Mouth. like fowr Curds, but melceth, like, Sugar; whereof they 
make certain Cakes, which may be kept the Space of ten Years, and 
yet then good to.be eaten... Sir Francis Drake ap. Hakl, p. 3. p. 740.0" 
p: 741- he met with it in Barateve an Mand there, and in Java Major, ib. 
where Saga fignifies the Bread of the Country. 742. . ) 
Ligon, p. 14. fays this Tree grows in Cape-Verd Ifles, and p. 75. (where 
isa Cut of it) in Barbados, that at about thirty or forty Years old it bears 
Fruit, and at one hundred Years old it comes to Perfection; the Fruit is 
as big as a Gfape, of a purple Colour and fattens Hogs, p. 76. it rifes 
to two or three hundred Foot high, 2b. it is fixteen Inches in Diameter, 
ib. p. 77. the Branch or Leaf is. fifty five Foot long, the Pinne are 
four Ioches diftant one from another, it raifes up the Earth at. Bottom, 
the Wood is hard and tough, the Leaves are eighteen Inches long, éb., 
p. 78. There are Excrefcencies very’ ftrange like Polypodium,. ar, Malte 
upon this Tree, which want skilful Mento find our, their.Virtues, 12. 
P79: 
The. 
