4 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 98 



nut originated in the Pacific Islands. Opposed to this theory is the 

 fact that none of the endemic palms of the islands or of the Asiatic 

 continent is related to the coconut, whereas on the American con- 

 tinent, and especially in South America, are scores of closely related 

 genera and hundreds of species, composing the coconut family. 



Cocos Island was described by Wafer as "a very charming place," 

 "so called from its coco-nuts, wherewith 'tis plentifully stored," the 

 impression of abundance no doubt being drawn largely from the 

 native palms growing on the hills in the interior of the island, readily 

 seen from the ship but not easily visited ashore. The coconut palms 

 no doubt were confined to the lower ground, near the landing place, 

 which would seem to have been cleared and planted by previous 

 inhabitants, in view of the many coconuts featured in Wafer's narra- 

 tive. All coconut palms had disappeared when Cocos Island was 

 visited by Henry Pittier, in 1898 and 1902, in the interest of the 

 government of Costa Rica. 



To quote further from Wafer ' : 



Tis but a small island, yet a very pleasant one; for the middle of the island 

 is a steep hill, surrounded all about with a plain, declining to the sea. The 

 plain, and particularly the valley where you go ashore, is thick set with coco- 

 nut trees, which flourish here very finely, it being a rich and fruitful soil. They 

 grow also on the skirts of the hilly ground in the middle of the isle, and 

 scattering in spots upon the sides of it, very pleasantly. But that which con- 

 tributes most to the pleasures of the place is, that a great many springs of 

 clear and sweet water rising to the top of the hill, are there gather'd as in a 

 deep large bason or pond, the top subsiding inwards quite round ; and the 

 water having by this means no channel whereby to flow along, as in a brook 

 or river, it overflows the verge of its bason in several places, and runs trickling 

 down in many pretty streams . . . 



Nor did we spare the Coco-nuts, eating what we would, and drinking the 

 milk, and carry several hundreds of them on board. Some or other of our 

 men went ashore every day ; and one day among the rest, being minded to make 

 themselves merry, they went ashore and cut down a great many coco-trees ; 

 from which they gathered the fruit, and drew about 20 gallons of milk. Then 

 they all sat down and drank healths to the King, queen, &c. They drank an 

 excessive quantity : yet it did not end in drunkenness ; but however, that sort 

 of liquor had so chilled and benum'd their nerves, that they could neither go 

 nor stand : Nor could they return on board the ship, without the help of those 

 who had not been partakers in the frolick : nor did they recover it under 4 or 



5 days time . . . (pp. 175, 176). 



If this account be credited, the coconut palms of Wafer's time 

 must have survived from an earlier settlement of people on the island, 



2 Wafer, Lionel, A new voyage and description of the Isthmus of America. 

 Pp. 191-193- 1699. 



