BOOK III. CHAP. VIIT. 769 



hint for the fuccelsful planting them, the fiiade of the fence ge- 

 nerally keeping the ground beneath much more cool and moift 

 than it is ill the opt-'n pafture: the foil is alfo richer, from the 

 mould of decayed leaves and vegetables. Hogs are extremely fond 

 of this fruit j and, when boiled with falt-hfli, pork, beef, or 

 the pickle of falt-meat, it has often furniihed a nourifliing repaft 

 for the Negroes in times of fcarcity. When roafted, it taftes 

 fomcwhat like the chefnut. The bread-nut of St. Anne is an ex- 

 cellent timber, and much efleemed for cabinet-ware. 



91. Arum. 



There are a great number of this clafs in the ifland, of which I 

 (hall mention only thofe mod in ufe. 



Dumb-Can e . — Arutn canna; Indica foliis. 



It is found in almoft all the river courfes among the mountains, 

 and delights in moift, cool, fhady fituations. It takes its name from 

 the property it has, upon being chewed, of benumbing the tongue 

 and dilating it, fo as to obftrudl the fpeech entirely, caufing at the 

 fame time a great efflux of the falha. 



It rifes in joints, and refembles a green fugar-cane; The greeneft 

 and moft fucculent, pounded into a pulp, and mixed with hog's or 

 turtle's fat, and agitated together for feveral days, heated and ftrained 

 through a coarfe cloth, are then boiled up to a confiftence and kept 

 for ufe. This ointment is applied warm, and chafed upon the fwollen 

 parts in dropfical cafes, and a cataplafm of the fame laid over the Jcro- 

 tum; and it is faid to difcufs the watery humour collected in thofe parts. 



The crude juice of the ftalk, thrown into the tache, Is ufed by 

 fome to bring fugar to granulation, when the fyrup is fo vifcid, as 

 not to grain with lime-water alone. 



The acrimony of this plant is much greater in Odober, than in 

 the fpring ; being probably fuller of fap, after the autumnal rains, 

 which caufes a ferment. 



92. PuRPLJE Coco and Tannier. — Arum acaule fiirpureum. 

 This ufeful plant is cultivated from the feed, and generally in ufe 



among the Negroes, who boil the roots in their broths, and find 



them a hearty aliment. 



Vol. III. 5 F The 



