THE PHILIPPINE ISLANI>ft. "fS 



He is tied in the dwelling-house by the foot, and 

 attended with the utmost care. Their love of 

 fighting, and the courage of these animals, is caused 

 by the abstemiousness to which they are subjected. 



The palm-wine, or rather brandy, is now, as it 

 was in the time of Pigafetta, the favourite beverage 

 of the Indians. We find the manner of procuring 

 it first described by Marco Polo. The flower spatha 

 of the cocoa-palm, before it opens, is tied together, 

 the point cut off, and a vessel of bamboo fastened 

 to it, which receives the juice as it issues out. This 

 juice is collected twice a-day, and when such a 

 source dries up, another spatha ripens on the same 

 tree to supply its place. From this juice, which, 

 when taken fresh, is very cooling, a different process 

 produces wine, vinegar, brandy, or treacle.* Many 

 cocoa-trees become evidently unfruitful by too 

 luxuriant growth; to avoid which, it is custom- 

 ary to make deep incisions in the trunk. But 

 when a tree has in this manner become useless, it 

 is felled, and the cabbage or unfolded leaves in tlie 

 middle of the crown afford a very pleasant dish.t 



A particular kind of musa (Pisangy Banana)^ 



* The sweet treacle of the Pelew islands is procured in this 

 manner, only from the cocoa-palm. Fermented or distilled 

 liquor seems not to have been introduced there. 



\ We have particularly observed, in Guahon, the unfruit- 

 fulness, or, according to the Spanish expression, running mad 

 {tornar loco) of the cocoa-tree, and the remedies employed 

 against it. 



