WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES — VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 277 



little larger, white ; and when ripe, red ; and when the right time 

 comes, they fall and turn black, the color they have as exported and 

 when we see them. Every year they bear fruit twice ; but the really 

 heavy crop for export comes every 3 years ; this is the big yield, which 

 they call monson. These clove trees usually grow on the mountain 

 ranges and heights, where in those regions the clouds cover them 

 now and then ; they neither grow nor bear in plains or valleys ; if 

 there are any there, their fruit is not worth considering. 



797. Although cinnamon grows and bears on many islands, the 

 chief crop comes from the islands of Ceylon and Matier. The cinna- 

 mon tree is very similar in all respects to the pomegranate, but is much 

 taller, handsomer, and more graceful. The cinnamon is its bark, 

 which splits and peels with the intensity of the sun's rays, and so 

 they tear it off and put it to cure in the sun. The cinnamon flower 

 is very fragrant and they distil and get a perfumed liquid from it 

 which is much sweeter and more refreshing than that from orange 

 blossoms. 



798. In Bandan and other islands near it in 4° S., is the chief 

 headquarters of the nutmeg or spice-nut production. This grows on 

 a small tree like a pin oak ; the nuts are like acorns, and the cups 

 at their base are mastic (mace?). These islands grow other aromatic 

 products also. 



799. Pepper grows in many of the spice islands of that archipelago 

 but its chief and most abundant center of production is in Zeinda, 

 50 leagues NW. of the island of Timor and lying in 20° S. ; this 

 island is over 50 leagues in circuit. Both this and all the other islands 

 abound in spices and other luxuries, some of course more than others. 



[Chapter Of the Diversity of Languages Existing in the World 

 and How the Natural and Holy Language Which God Gave Our First 

 Fathers, Was Confounded, and of the Origin of the Disorder Due 

 to So Many Languages. 



800. [Seeing that in this first part I have treated of the kingdoms 

 of New Spain and of what pertains to its district, and of the diversity 

 of tribes and of languages so diverse to be found there and in the 

 district of Peru, and what pertains to them, I shall write briefly in 

 the subsequent chapters on the following subject : what the duration 

 was of the natural and holy language which God our Lord gave our 

 first fathers, [till when it lasted], how it became corrupted, and 

 in what manner the nationalities were scattered over the world's 

 provinces; and in particular about the tribes and languages which 

 were discovered and found in all the regions of Colonia, as it should 



