THE WONDERS OF VEGETATION. 73 



ing with fatigue, the exhausted traveller beheld a hut 

 surrounded by trees with tall straight stems, sur- 

 mounted by a bunch of great leaves, some standing 

 upright, others hanging down gracefully and present- 

 ing a beautiful and elegant appearance. Nothing 

 else near this cabin spoke of cultivation. Encouraged 

 by this sight, the traveller made a last struggle, 

 reached the hut, and was kindly received under the 

 hospitable roof. First his host offers him a slightly 

 acid drink, which quenched his thirst and refreshed 

 him. When the stranger had rested himself awhile, 

 the Indian invited him to partake of his repast, 

 and -he served different dishes on a brown platter 

 shining brightly and highly polished ; he offered him 

 also a wine possessing an extremely pleasant flavor. 

 Towards the end of the repast he brought a quantity 

 of excellent comfits, and invited him to try an excel- 

 lent kind of brandy. The traveller in astonishment 

 asked the Indian how, in the midst of this desert, he 

 came by all these things. 



" I get them from my cocoa-nut trees," answered 

 the Indian. " The water which I gave you on your 

 arrival was drawn from the fruit before it had be- 

 come ripe, and sometimes the nut contains three or 

 four pounds of it. This palatable nut is the fruit at 

 its maturity ; this milk, which you find so pleasant, 

 is drawn from the same ripe fruit ; this delicate cab- 

 bage is made from the top leaves of the tree ; but we 

 do not often indulge in this, as the tree, when its top 

 is thus cut off, dies soon after. This wine, which 

 pleases you so much, is also got from the cocoa. We 



