nieuhoff's brazil. 867 



the bottom, and fmall by degrees, till about the middle of the tree they quite difappear ; 

 thefe fcales being nothing elfe but the remnants of the branches, which fall off by de- 

 grees, as the tree grows higher ; and continue only towards the top, fpread round about 

 the ftem, like the African date-tree, but much finer. Each of thefe branches is about 

 two or three foot long, flat on two fides, and covered with fmall thorns ; they grow to 

 a vafl: thicknefs. At the end of each branch grows one fingle leaf, which is very large 

 and green, plaited like a fan, and about the middle divided into feveral other leaves, 

 like thofe of the common date-tree ; each of thefe laft is about two foot long. Betwixt 

 thofe branches, on which grow the leaves, fpring forth other branches of four or five 

 foot in length, and thefe again are full of other white fprouts, which flowers, with three 

 pale yellow leaves ; thefe produce a fruit of the bignefs of an olive, which is green, bit- 

 ter, and not eatable, but turn black when they ripen, which is in February. The Bra- 

 zilians call this fruit Tirade, and eat it raw ; but our people never took any fancy to it. 

 With the leaves they cover their huts, and make baflcets of them. The palm-tree called 

 Pindava by the Brazilians, has inftead of the bark a white and rough wooden fubfl;ance, 

 which contains a fpongy fulphureous fubllance, out of which the Brazilians prepare a 

 ftrong lee. This tree is for the refl: but of fmall ufe, being rather efl:eemed for orna- 

 ment's fake, by reafon of its height and fine fpreading branches, which however furnifli 

 the inhabitants with leaves to cover their huts, and to make baflcets of; the Portuguefe 

 plant them near their walks and harbours, and round their churches. The leaves of 

 this tree do not hang downwards like thofe of the cocoa-tree, but fl:and upright. Juft 

 by thefe leaves fprout certain branches, on which hang bunches of flowers, which pro- 

 duce the fruit, refembling in fliape and bignefs one of our largefl: hen-eggs, being fharp 

 at the end, and faftened to the bunch on the other like the pine-apple. The outfide is 

 of a green yellow colour, inclining to a chefnut ; being compofed of a hairy fubfliance 

 like that of the cocoa-nuts, but not near fo thick, fcarce exceeding in thicknefs two egg- 

 fhells. Under this fliell is an infipid faffron yellow pulp, which, however, is ufed by 

 the negroes, who eat it with farinha. Within this pulp is a hard nut, of an oval figure, 

 not unlike the cocoa-nut, of the fame thicknefs, but without holes ; it contains a pith or 

 kernel, as white and big as a walnut, but is not near fo fweet as the cocoa-nut ; they are 

 eaten both by the natives and fl:rangers, who are furniflied with them throughout the 

 whole year, and called by the Brazilians, Inajamiri, i. e. the fmall cocoa-nut. The ker- 

 nels of thefe nuts furnifh them likewife with a white cooling oil, which is ufed inftead of 

 our oil of rofes, and when frefti drawn mixed among their fallads, but when decayed, 

 in their lamps. The fiiell affords an oil of the fame nature, but not altogether fo cool- 

 ing. Out of the top of the tree flows a fine and odoriferous gum, ufed here inftead of 

 gum-arabic ; they alfo pick a certain pith or marrow out of the top, which has a tafte 

 like our walnuts, and, when eaten ^ith bread and fait, is accounted very nourifliing. 



There alfo grow cocoa-trees in Brazil, called by the natives Inajaguacuiba, and the 

 fruit Inajaguacu. They are very different from the juft-now-mentioned Pindava-tree, 

 their trunk or ftem being feldom ftraight, but commonly crooked, fometimes from 

 feven to fourteen foot thick, and fifty foot high ; it is without branches, having only 

 fifteen or twenty leaves round the top, each of fifteen foot long. They have alfo good 

 ftore of the common date-trees both male and female. The vaft quantity of pifmires 

 wherewith Brazil abounds, are great enemies to all the produds of their grounds, which 

 they endeavour to deftroy by fire and water ; it is further to be obferved, that fome 

 fruits as well as creatures, which are accounted venomous in Europe, are commonly 

 eaten in Brazil ; as, on the other hand, certain things are poifonous there, which are 

 not in Europe. For they have a kind of frogs, and fome fiflies, which are extremely 



5 s 2 poifonous } 



