62 PALM WINE. [169 1. 



In the center of this great Knot (houqvet), and at the 

 Summet of the Trunk, is what we call the Cahbidge. One 

 cannot see it, being hidden by the Boughs that rise a little 

 all about it. This Summet consists of tender Leaves, which 

 closely embrace each other, joyn together, and form a Mass 

 something like that of a Cabbage Lettice, or common Cab- 

 bage ; 'tis about two Foot high if the Tree is large, and of 

 the same bigness with the Trunk. The large outside Leaves 

 of this Mass are white, soft, pliable, and as strong as Buff, 

 which it resembles. They will serve also for Linen, Satin, 

 for Napkins, Table Cloths, and anything what you please. 

 The Membrana or inside leaves are tender and brittle, like 

 the Heart of a Lettice : They are good to eat raw, and 

 tast like a Filberd ; but we made an admirable Eagout of 

 them when we Fricasi'd them with the Fat and Liver of a 

 Turtle. We put them also in our Soops. 



We come now to the Liquor, or rather the Nectar of the 

 Isle of Rodrigo. 'Tis call'd Palm-Wine all over the Indies : 

 There are two ways of drawing out the Juice. We make a 

 hole in the Trunk of the Tree at al)out a Mans height, as 

 big as ones two Fists. We presently put a Pot or other 



study of the botany of this island. He says that Leguat probably 

 included in his description two kinds of palm — Dicfyosperma album, 

 now very abundant in the island, and Ilyophorbe Verschaffeltii. Part of 

 his remarks would apply to one of these and part to the other, while 

 his allusions to the fruit as big as a hen's egg, and the prickly scales 

 on the trunk, would agree well with neither. " As pointing in this 

 direction, I think,'' says Balfour, " we may take his remark, 'some have 

 a smoother bark than others,' for the bark Hyophorle Ver^cha ffiilii is 

 much smoother than that of Dictyosperma album." 



This palm, Hyophorbe Verschafftlth, called Pahniste marroti {i.e., wild 

 Palmiste) by the Creoles, grows to a height of 25-30 feet and is spread 

 over the whole island, but never occurs on the coralline limestone. It 

 begins with a stem 6-12 ins. diameter at the base, bulging after a few 

 feet, reaching 12-24 ins. in the middle, thence contracting upwards. 

 If the tree be lofty, there may be a second i^entricosity. (Cf. Philo- 

 sophical Trans, of the Royal Society, vol. clxviii, p. 375 seqq. ; Flora 

 of Mavritiys and the Scychdks, by J. G. Baker, F.L.S.,1877, p. 383.) 



