148 



A great number of these nuts ave exported evefy 

 year to Peru, where they are highly esteemed. 

 The oil obtained from thein by expression is well 

 tasted aiid much used. The country people 

 make use of the sheaths as bags for little ai tides 

 of dresSj and with the leaves manufacture baskets 

 and thatch their cabins. The buds, if cut when 

 young, yield great quantities of sap, which is 

 thick, and furnishes a more agreeable sirup than 

 that of the sugar caue ; but the tree commonly 

 dies after this operation. 



The date is fji.nd in the province of Copi-^po; 

 but I know not wiicther it is indigenous or wa** 

 brought thither from some other place. The 

 islands of Juan Fernandez produce a species of 

 palm called clionta. The trunk, like that of 

 most other palais, is hollow, and the wood is 

 black and as hard as ebony. Another tree, 

 which I have called ;.'?] e/r; mur,a, resembles the 

 palm, and grows in great quanliiics in the marshes 

 of INiaule ; the leaves proceed directly from 

 the top of the trunk, and arc large and green 

 like those of the banana ; the fniit is disposed in 

 four clusters like those of tlic vine, and the re- 

 semblance is so perfect, that were it not for a 

 sharp and astringent taste, it juigat readily be 

 .mistaken for a grape. 



Thi^ p^hiiCii (pinns Arauciina) called b_;' the 

 -Spaniards ///iO de la lie) ra, re-eiiibles the fir marc 

 than the pine, although in sonic respects it dillers 



