96 The Natural Historic 



this Vine are shaped like Hemlock, and fall off in the Winter. 



The Small Bamboo is another kind of Vine, grows in wet 

 low Grounds, and is seldom thicker than a Man's Finger; 

 the Stem is like the Sweet-brier, full of Prickles and Joints, 

 but very rough. These Vines bear small Black-berries, their 

 Root is like a round Ball, which the Indians boil (as we do 

 any Garden Root) and eat, which they say is good and nour- 

 ishing. When these Roots have been out of the Ground for 

 some time, they become exceeding hard, and make Heads 

 for Canes, on which several Figures may be cut. I know of 

 no other uses made of them at present. 



Prickley Bind-weed, or Sarsaparilla, is a kind of Prickley 

 Vine, not unlike the former, it groweth plentifully in several 

 Places, but especially on dry Lands, or the Banks of Rivers. 

 It has many Branches set full of sharp prickles with certain 

 clasping Tendrels (like several of the other Vines) with 

 which it taketh hold upon Shrubs, or whatever is next to it. 

 One single Leaf groweth at each Joint, like that of Ivij, fre- 

 quently mark'd with little white Spots, and guarded or bor- 

 dered about the Edges with crooked sharp Prickles. The 

 Flowers are of a whitish colour, and fragrant smell. The 

 Berries are like those of the wild Vine, green at first, and red 

 when they are ripe, and of a biting Taste, wherein is con- 

 tain'd a black Seed, like Hemp, the Roots are long, and gi'ow 

 deep in the Ground. It is good against Catharrs, all manner 

 of Defluctions, Gout, and Pox, being of a Sudorifick Nature. 



The Indian Figg-Tree, commonly call'd the Prickley-Pear. 

 This strange and admirable Plant, call'd Ficus Indica, grows 

 in great plenty, especially on the Sandbanks and dry Land, 

 and seems to be nothing but a multiplicity of Leaves; that is, 

 a Tree made of Leaves, without Body or Boughs, for tlie 



l^eaves 



