180 



* c Fruit of palm-tree pleasant to our thirst 



And hunger both." 



Though one would imagine a liquor of that kirn!,, 

 would not be very proper to quench thirst. 



I find of the nu mber of Sicilian plants, says a 

 late writer, the cinnamon, sarsaparilla, sassafras, rhu* 

 barb, and many others commonly thought not to be 

 natives of Europe. The palma christi too that plant 

 so much celebrated of late, from the seed of which 

 the castor oil is made, grows in many places of Si* 

 cily in the greatest abundance. Our botanists have 

 called it Ricinus American us, supposing it only to 

 be produced in that part of the world. 



But the most uncommon of all the vegetable pro-, 

 ductions of Sicily are some of the trees that grow on 

 the sides of Mount ^Etna. Three ol these are nearly 

 of one size ; but one is rather taller than the other 

 two. It rises from one solid stem to a considerable 

 height; after which it branches out. I measured it 

 about two feet from the ground, and found it seventy 

 six feetround. All these grow on a thick, rich soil, 

 formed originally of ashes thrown out by the moun- 

 tain. 



The Balfcam-tree grows on rocks, and frequently 

 on the limbs or trunks of other trees. This is occa- 

 sioned by birds scattering or voiding the seeds, which 

 being glutinous like those of Mistletoe, take root 

 and grow ; but not finding sufficient nourishment, the 

 roots spread on the bark till they find a decayed 

 hole wherein is some soil. Into this they enter and 

 become a tree. But the nourishment of this second 

 spot being exhausted, one or two of the roots pass 

 out of the hole, and fall directly to the ground, though 

 at forty feet distance. Here again they take root^ 

 and become a much larger tree than before. They 

 iiourish on the Bahama islands^ and many other of 

 the hot parts of America* 



