STUDY XI. 301 



moft frequented by men of that defcription. All 

 the world knows that the vefTel is there conftructed 

 of it's timber, that it's leaves are formed into 

 fails, that the trunk ferves for a maft, that the 

 hempen fubftance called caira, which furrounds 

 it's fruit, is wrought into cordage, and when the 

 whole is ready for fea, a cargo of cocoa-nuts is the. 

 lading. It is farther remarkable, that the cocoa- 

 nut, before it comes to perfect maturity, contains 

 a liquor which is an excellent antifcorbutic. 



Is it not, then, a miracle of Nature, that this 

 fruit, replenifhed with fuch milk, fhould come to 

 perfection on the barren ftrand, and within the 

 warning of the briny Deep ? Nay, it is only on the 

 brink of the Sea, that the tree which bears it ar- 

 rives at it's higheft beauty ; for few are to be feen 

 in the interior of countries. 



Nature has placed a palm-tree of the fame fa- 

 mily, but of a different fpecies, on the fummit of 

 the mountains of the fame climates : it is the 

 palmift. The item of this tree is fometimes above 

 a hundred feet high, is perfectly flraight, and 

 bears on it's fummit, all the foliage which it has, 

 a bunch of palms, from the midft of which ilfues 

 a long roll of plaited leaves, refembling the ftaff 

 of a lance. This roll contains, in a fort of coria- 

 ceous fheath, leaves ready to moot, which are very 



good 



