748 JAMAICA. 



drawn out as mucli as it will bear, they expofe it ftretched to the fun» 



fhine, and fprinkle it frequently with water. 



It bears wafliing extremely well, with common foap, or the coratoe 

 foap, and acquires a degree of whitenefs equal to the beil artiricial lace. 



There is no doubt but very fine deaths might be m:Ac with it, and 

 perhaps paper. The wild Negroes have made apparel with it, of a 

 very durable nature. 



The common ufe to which it is at prefent applied is rope-mnking. 

 The Spaniards are faid to work it into cables; and the Indians ejnploy 

 it in a variety of different fabrics. It may, perhaps, be of fervice to 

 Great Britain as a manufa>5luring nation, that the inhabitants of thefe 

 colonies are very feldom difpofed to improve what nature offers, or ap- 

 ply many produdlions here to the obvious ufes for which they are in- 

 tended. Neceffity, that great fpur to fuch improvement, is wanting to 

 ftimulate ; or otherwife, they would foon find out methods of turning 

 them to account. 



51. BonacE'Bark. — ^ri^or cortice fjfo, fofns oblongis, ^c. 



Browne, 372. 



This tree is common near Montego Bay, where it grows to a mo- 

 derate fize. The bark makes very good ropes ; it fpreads or dilates 

 like the Laghetto bark, but neither altogether fo free nor regular. 



52. White-Bully Tree, orGALiMETA Wood. — Salich follj- 

 lato arhor^^c, Slo. Cat. 170. 



Achra=, 8. Browne, 201. 



This tree is moft ufually found in the low-lands, efpeclally about 

 Liguanea and Manchineel. The bark of it anfwers all the purpofes of 

 the Jefuit's bark in robufl: conftitutions, when the difeafe proceeds from 

 a weaknefs of the •vifcera, and a grofs undigefted chyle. It is a fafe 

 and convenient medicine to be adminiftered in Great Britain ; but 

 thought not fo fafe nor proper in Jamaica, where thofe fevers that ge- 

 nerally put on the appearance of intcrmittents, are attended with ner- 

 vous fymptoms, and require more aftive and flimulant medicines ; for 

 which reafon the Jefuit's bark is preferred for ufc in this ifland. But 

 as the Jamaica bark is found to anfwer, as a ftrong afiringcnt, all the 

 purpofvS of the Jefuit's bark in the Britifh clin)ate ; and the latter is a 



very 



