of North Carolina. 81 



not large, seldom being above ten or twelve Inches through. 

 The Flowers and Fruit are very cooling, and of an astringent 

 Nature. 



The Sorrel, or Sower-iuood Tree, so called from it's Leaves, 

 that taste exactly like Sorrel. I have never known any uses 

 made of these Trees, which, are but small, being not quite as 

 large as the former. 



The Pellitory is a small Tree that grows in this Province, 

 especially near the Salts, Sand-banks, and Islands. The 

 Planters use it frequently to cure the Tooth-ach, by putting 

 a piece of the Bark in the Mouth, which is very hot, and 

 causeth much Rheum and Spittle to flow from thence ; and as 

 I am credibly inform'd, is one of the Ingredients that the 

 Indians use when they Husquenaw their young Men and 

 Boys, whereof I shall treat in it's proper Place, when I come 

 to describe the Customs of those People. 



The Myrtle Tree, whereof are two sorts, different in Leaf 

 and Berry. These Trees grow in great plenty in wet swampy 

 Grounds, about ten or twelve Feet high, and bear small white 

 Berries in gTeat quantities, which the Planter's Wives and 

 Children pull in the Months of October and November, at 

 which time they are ripe, and boil them in Water in large 

 Pans, and so skim off the Wax it produces, which is of a 

 greenish colour (but in process of time becomes white) and 

 yields a most fragTant and oderiferous smell. This they 

 strain and make into Cakes or Candles, which are not only 

 very lasting, but grateful and pleasant for Ladies to burn in 

 their Chambers. Some mix half Tallow with them to make 

 Candles, others without any mixture at all, and are more dura- 

 ble in burning than Tallow or Bees-wax ; and the best in the 

 World to burn in Binnacles in Ships that pass the Equinoc- 

 tial Line, and all excessive hot Countries, because they will 



6 L not 



