845 JAMAICA. 



nap, and was eafily fecured. The fame gentleman mentions, that 

 a ftcer, having fuddenly dropped down dead, was opened, and 

 feveral handfuls of this feed found in his ftomach ; to which he 

 doubtlefs owed his death. It appears from hence, that, although 

 dangerous in a large quantity when received into the flomach, yet 

 the feeds might be, on fome occafions, fafely ufed after the manner 

 of tobacco, and produce the fame effeds as opium, which fome 

 flomachs cannot bear in the fmalleft dofe. 



244. Bay BERRY, or Wild Clove. — Caryophyllus. 



This is common to moll: of the Weft-India iflands, and grows to 

 a confiderable fize. It fills the woods with the fragrance of its 

 leaves, which nearly refemble thofe of cinnamon ;.and the berries 

 .agree with the Oriental clove very much both in form and flavour. 



245. Stinking Eryngo, or Fit-Weed. — Eryngium Fcetidum. 



All the parts of this plant are reckoned very powerful anti-hyfle- 

 ricks, and moft ufed by the Negroes and poorer Whites on all oc- 

 cafions of that nature. It is chiefly adminiflered in decodions, or 

 infufions. 



246. Wild Olive. — Non-defcrtpt. 



The tree commonly known by this name is remarkable for its 

 durability in the earth, or under water. A melafles ciftern, made 

 with it, after lying fourteen years, being taken up, was found en- 

 tirely firm and undecayed. The wood is finely grained; and {o 

 hard, as to turn the edge of the workman's tools. I have fet it 

 down as a non-defcript, not knowing to what clafs it is referable, 

 nor having feen any more of it than the wood. But I fufped it is 

 the olive-mangrove, or bontia, of Browne, p. 263. 



f Spanish Elm, or r — Gerafcanthus. Browne, p. 170. 

 ^'' 1 Prince Wood. \ — Cordia,foHis ovatis, intcgerrimis. L. Sp. 



This is efteemed one of the befl timber-trees in the ifland. The 



wood is of a dark-brown colour, and gently ftriped. It is tough 



and claftic, and tafily worked. The tree rifes to a confiderable 



height, but fcldom exceeds twenty or thirty inches diameter ; cf- 



2 pccially 



