306 SCRIPTURE NATURAL HISTORY. 



against one another ; called by the Italians carobbe, or carrobole, 

 and by the French carouges. With the sweet pulp hereof, some 

 conceive that the Indians preserve ginger, mirabolans, and nutmegs. 

 Of the same, as Pliny delivers, the ancients made one kind of wine, 

 strongly expressing the juice thereof: and so they might often give 

 the expressed and less useful parts of the cods and remaining pulp, 

 unto their swine ; which, being no gustless or unsatisfying offal, 

 might be well desired by the prodigal in his hunger.' 



To this account we subjoin from Mr. Taylor the following de- 

 scription of the tree, and also some further particulars of the fruit. 



This tree loves warm situations : it rises very high, on a thick 

 trunk, and spreads out strong, large, and solid branches. Its leaves 

 are wing-shaped, somewhat roundish, three inches broad or more, 

 and rather longer. Its flowers are milk white ; the fruit is in pods, 

 longer and thicker than a finger, somewhat smoothed and flat ; 

 sweet and edible. Pliny says the same. The Egyptians, accord- 

 ing to Alpinus, extract from these pods a very sweet honey, which 

 the Arabs use for a seasoning instead of sugar. This honey also is 

 employed, instead of bee honey for clysters; and some even give it 

 as food to relax the bowels. It is probable, therefore, that the pro- 

 digal ate this fruit in a time of scarcity, as we might do acorns in 

 England. 



