e 
144 
The Natural Hiftory of JAM AIC A. 
It cannot be the true Platanus of Pliny that cafting a great Shade, 
this none when they grow fingly, but when they grow in Groves or very 
thick, neither had his P/atanus any Frutt. 
Rochefort’s, De Brys,and moft other Figures of this are fabulous, but it 
is very well figur’d in the Hortus Malabaricas. 
Becaufe of the Sign of the Crofs in this Fruit, the Spaniards and 
Portuguefe will not fuffer ir to be cur with a Knife, but eat it with 
their Teeth. | 
Martyr’s Reafon, that this cannot be the Mixa of Pliny, becaufe no 
Wine is made of it, is falfe; for Wine is made of itevery Day, by 
the Addition of Water, which that Author did not think of, but thar 
%was to be made of the Juice ofthe Fruit as ordinary Wine, which 
is impoflible. . 
Ward, ap. Hakl. p. 3. p-758. found this at Serra Leona, Pretty, ib. p. 
S04. at Cape-Verde Tiles, at Puna, ib. 812. and at Chacallo eightecn 
Leagues from Corientes, 815- and in the Ladvones, Pretty, je. 2. 417. 
where the Men (of Capul) go naked only wear a Strop about their 
Waftes of fome Kind of Linen of their own weaving, which is made 
of Plantain-Leaves, cc. ib. 819, and in Fava, $21. 
Oviedo in his Summary, ap. Eden. p. 208. fays that the Fruit keeps fil. 
teen Days if gather’d green; andthatthe Ants infeft them, ib. and in 
Coron, lib. 8. cap. . that this Fruit never did any Harm, being of good 
Digeftion, that {mall Boiling ferves it, andthat ’ts a Year in growing, 
if fplit a-crofs and dryed inthe Sun or Oven, it is pleafant like Figs . 1S 
good at Sea for fifteen Days when gather’d green ; a great Quantity of 
Water comes out of it oncutting it ; Ants covetit fo as to be trouble- 
fome, and they root it out; Tcmas de Berlanga carried them firft trom 
Gran Canaria in 1516, they came from the Eaft as he was inform’d. 
Smith met with this Tree in the Summer-Ifles. p. 171. but it had been 
planted there being brought from the Weft-Indies, 184. and the Inhabi- 
tants had found a Way by pickling and drying them, to bring them for 
England. Obfervations of the Sammer-TIfles, p. 45. 
Ligon, p. 1§- found them in the Cape-Verd \fles and in Barbados, p. 22. 
where Plantain-Drink is made of this Fruit and boiling Water which 
is as ftrong as Sack, p. 32. The Bodies of them, are Food for Swine, p. 
. Every Negro has a large Bunch allowed him or two little ones 
on a Saturday Night for a Week, p. 37. They are better fatisiy’d with 
thefe than Loblolly, Bonavift, or Potatoes, 7b. 43. and p. 80. where is 
a Figure of this Tree which is fabulous. 
Rawolfe takes Notice of them about Tripoli, p. 1. cap. 4. and that the 
Fruit fills mightily and gripes, and was therefore forbidden by Alexander 
the Great, The middle Rib which is great and ftrong, keeps them up 
and hinders their breaking. 
Hernan Lopez de Caftameda, cap.g. fays they grow at Mombaffa: Terry, 
p- §. in Mohelza. 
They grow in the Moskito-Indians-Country, and in moft Places of 
the hor Weft-Indies. Dampzter. 
Nicols ap. Purchas. lib. 6. cap. 13. p- 1255. faw this Tree in Sta. 
Lucia. 
An Axonymus Portugal of Elvas, p. 10. or apud Purchas p. 1529. on 
St. Fago at Cuba, Robt. Thomfon, ap Hakl. p. 454. about Mexico. 
Mouces which we call Adam’s-Apples, Mr. Cefar Frederick, ap. Fiakl, 
p. 227. p. 2,mentions to grow in Andemaon. 
Plantans 
