( 200 ) 



number of tliefe filaments in a fingle nut, wo muR not reckon then* 

 by thoufands, but by hundreds of thoufands. 



That which is the kernel of this nut, and is commonly called the 

 Cocoa-nut, is a very white fubflance, about half an inch thick, clofely 

 joined to the whole in':erior part of the fnell ; the remainder of the 

 cavity contains a watery juice, which is what I never obl'erved 

 in any other feed, when come to maturity. For nuts and chefnuts 

 are entirely compofed of folid parts, which we call the kernel, 

 though before they come to maturity the matter inclofed in them, 

 is no n:iore than a watery and flimy fubftance. 



Upon this head, I reafoned with myfelf ; that before the inward 

 fubftance of the Cocoa-nut is full grown and ripe, the fliell becomes 

 harder than thofe of any fruit known in the northern climates ; and 

 I concluded that when the fliell is grown perfedlly hard, it cannot be 

 afterwards increafed in fize, nor can the kernel it contains receive 

 ajiy addition to its fubflance : and therefore, that part of the nu- 

 tritive juice which is of a Avatery nature, and cannot be converted 

 into kernel, mufl; remain in the center of the nut. 



I afterwards fell into converfation with two mafters of fiiips, who 

 had vifited both the Eafl and Wefl Indies, and had been often em- 

 ployed in collefting Cocoa-nuts. They informed me, that when the 

 fhells of the nuts were fo foft that they could be cut with a knife, 

 there was nothing to be found in them except a lymph, or thin liquor, 

 of a very pleafant tade, which information confirmed me in the 

 opinion 1 have before related. 



At another time, upon a different invefligation of the Cocoa-nut, 

 1 prelTed from the pulp or white fubflance of it, fuch a quantity of oil 

 as fixed me in aflonilliment. 



After this, upon opening a Cocoa-nut which I had kept for the 

 fpace of feven months in my cabinet, I obferved thofe three foft 

 places in the fhell which are called eyes, and from one of which the 



