UTILITY OF THE PALM-TREK. 107 



the chaparro, which affords shade, is considered a highly 

 valuable plant. The coiypha spreads through the Llanos of 

 Caracas from Mesa de Peja as far as Guayavol; farther 

 north and north-west, near Guanare and San Carlos, its 

 place is taken by another species of the same genus, with 

 leaves alike palmate but larger. It is called the 'royal 

 palm of the plains' (palma real de los Llanos).* Other 

 palm-trees rise south of Guayaval, especially the piritu with 

 pinnate leaves,t and the moriche (Mauritia flexuosa), cele- 

 brated by Father Gumilla under the name of arbol de la vida, 

 or tree of life. It is the sago-tree of America, furnishing 

 flour, wine, thread for weaving hammocks, baskets, nets, 

 and clothing. Its fruit, of the form of the cones of the 

 pine, and covered with scales, perfectly resembles that of 

 the Calamus rotang. It has somewhat the taste of the 

 apple. When arrived at its maturity it is yellow within and 

 red without. The araguato monkeys eat it with avidity; 

 and the nation of the Guaraounos, whose whole existence, it 

 may be said, is closely linked with that of the moriche palm- 

 tree, produce from it a fermented liquor, slightly acid, and 

 extremely refreshing. This palm-tree, with its large shining 

 leaves, folded like a fan, preserves a beautiful verdure at the 

 period of the greatest drought. The mere sight of it pro- 

 auces an agreeable sensation of coolness, and when loaded 

 with scaly fruit, it contrasts singularly with the mournful 

 aspect of the palma de cobija, the foliage of which is always 

 grey and covered with dust. The Llaneros believe that the 

 former attracts the vapours in the air ; J and that for this 

 reason, water is constantly found at its foot, when dug for 

 to a certain depth. The effect is confounded with the cause. 

 The moriche grows best in moist places ; and it may rather 

 be said that the water attracts the tree. The natives of the 

 Orinoco, by analogous reasoning, admit, that the great 

 serpents contribute to preserve humidity in a province. 

 " lou would look in vain for water-serpents," said an old 



* This palm-tree of the plains must not be confounded with the palma 

 real of Caracas and of Curiepe, with pinnate leaves. 



t Perhaps an Aipkanes. 



j If the head of the moriche were better furnished with leaves than it 

 generally is, we might perhaps admit that the soil round the tree pre- 

 serves its humidity through the influence of the shade. 



