7o8 JAMAICA. 



myrrh, and formed an admirable medicine (externally applied) for 

 cleaning and healing the worft ulcers, even when the bone has been 

 rendered carious; this they called moceber\ and the tinfture in frequent 

 ufe, made from thefe two fubftances, was borrowed from this Indian 

 difcovery. 



The method of preparing the common, or horfe aloes, is not fb te- 

 dious, nor does it require fo much care ; for in manufafturing this 

 fort, all the leaves are cut off, fevered into junks, and thrown into the 

 tubs, there to lie till the juice is pretty well drained out; they are then 

 hand-fqueezed, and the liquor mixed with water in the proportion of 

 about one quart of water to ten quarts of juice; after which, it is put 

 into convenient boilers,^ and evaporated to a due confidence, which may 

 eafily be known by dropping a fmall quantity from time to time upon 

 a plate, and obferving the thicknefs as it cools, it is readily difcovered 

 by the touch, or the eye, after a little experience: when the juice is 

 brought to the proper ftate, it is emptied into large (hallow coolers, 

 and afterwards into fmall barrels. 



As the droffy refinous part of the aloes is not foluble in water, it has 

 been found, when combined with other mixtures, an excellent prefer- 

 vative to fhips bottoms againft the worm, and was firft applied to this 

 ufe by the Indians. The fhips trading in the Eaft and Weft Indies 

 are particularly fubje£l to the annoyance of this worm, which fre- 

 quently burrows through all the planks that lie below the furface, eC- 

 pecially in harbours. The rcfult of feveral experiments, tried by a 

 perfon at Bermudas upon different forts of wood, proves, that a mix- 

 ture of one ounce of aloes, allowed to two fuperficial fquare feet of 

 plank, is the juft proportion. There are various coats with which It 

 may be incorporated ; one of the beft Is, 6 lb. of pitch, i lb. of Spanifh 

 brown or whiting, and one quart of oil ; or the like proportions of tur- 

 pentine, Spanlfti brown, and tallow, may be ufed. Such a coat, incor- 

 porated with aloes, will preferve a fhip's bottom for eight months, pro- 

 vided it is made tenacious and binding, and is not rubbed off by any ac- 

 cident. About I 2 lb. wt. is fufficient for a vefiel of 50 tons burther, 

 and fo in proportion; according to which, about 3001b. wt. v\ill be 

 found enough for a firft-rate man of war. 



In preparing the aloes to be more effectual for this purpofe, a larger 

 portion of water may be mixed with the juice when fet on to boil, viz, 

 two quarts of water to every one gallon of juice ; and after fufllclent 



boiling. 



