THE MORA. * 129 



in January; and then at the end of every branch bimches of 

 large, glossy, purple-red flowers make their appearance, afford- 

 ing, as one may well imagine, a magnificent sight. 



In British Honduras the Mahogany-tree {Swietenia Ma- 

 hagoni) is found scattered in the forests, attracting the wood- 

 man's attention from a distance by its light-coloured foliage, 

 and its magnificent growth. Such are its dimensions, and such 

 is the value of peculiarly fine specimens, that in October 1823 

 a tree was felled which weighed more than seven tons, and at 

 l^iverpool was sold for 5251. The expense of sawing amounted 

 to 7501. more : so that the wood of this single tree, before pass- 

 ino- into the hands of the cabinet-maker, was worth as much as 

 a moderately sized farm. 



'Heedless and bankrupt in all curiosity must he be,' says 

 Waterton,* 'who can journey through the forests of Gruiana 

 without stopping to take a view of the towering Mora [Mora 

 excelsa). Its topmast branch, when naked with age, or dried 

 by accident, is the favourite resort of the toucan. Many a time 

 has tliis singular bird felt the shot faintly strike him from the 

 gun of the fowler beneath, and owed his life to the distance 

 betwixt them. The wild fig tree, as large as a common English 

 apple-tree, often rears itself from one of the thick branches at 

 the top of the mora ; and when its fruit is ripe, to it the birds 

 resort for nourishment. It was to an indigested seed passing 

 through the body of this bird, which had perched on the mora, 

 that the fig tree first owed its elevated station there. The sap 

 of the mora raised it into full bearing ; but now, in its turn, it 

 is doomed to contribute a portion of its own sap and juices 

 towards the growth of different species of vines, the seeds of 

 which also the birds deposited on its branches. These soon 

 vegetate and bear fruit in great quantities ; so, what with their 

 usurpation of the resources of the fig-tree, and the fig-tree of 

 the mora, the mora, unable to support a charge which Nature 

 never intended it should, languishes and dies under its burden ; 

 and then the fig-tree and its usurping progeny of vines, receiv- 

 ing no more succour from their late foster-parent, droop and 

 perish in their turn.' 



Our stateliest oaks would look like pygmies near this ' chief- 

 tain of the forests,' who raises his dark green cupola over all 



^ ' Wanderings,' p. 5, 

 K 



