# 252 The Natural Hiffory of the Book Vill. ' 
fecond and third met with the ‘fame Fate inftantly. “A white Perfon, who 
was a Workman on the Eftate, being near at hand, determined, if poffi- 
ble, to bring them up, imagining they were only ina {wooning Fit. To 
this Purpofe he went down to the Bottom of the Ciftern, which was . 
about nine Feet deep, and found the Negroes dead: He went down a fe= 
cond time with a Rope, in order to fling it-round them, and to bring 
them up; but he shad no-fooner reached the Bottom, but a fulphureots 
fuffocating warm Blaft took away his Senfes, and he was taken up for 
dead; however, being blooded, though he ‘was for a long time after- 
wards very fickly, yet he at daft recovered. The beft Method of difli- 
pating thefe noxious Vapours is to admit into them a free Circula- 
tion of the Air, as'well as to pour in, by Gutters, a confiderable Quantity 
of Water. This Plant is delineated in Plate XXIII. Fig. 2. 
The Dump-Cane, 
pet S Plant grows to four Feet high, having, at the Top, two green 
fhining Leaves, about nine Inches long ; between thefe rifes up a 
{mall Spire: The Body of the Plant hath fome Refemblance of a Sugar- 
Cane. From hence, and from the Effeds it hath upon Perfons who igno- 
rantly tafte it, it derives the Name of Dumb-Cane; for as foon as any: 
of the Juice is fwallowed, the Tongue, Fauces, and Ocfophagus, im- 
mediately {well fo prodigioufly, that the Perfon affli@ed cannot {peak 
It fo affects the falival Glands, that it caufes an immediate Salivation. 
If what is thus difcharged, hath the fame Quality as that occafioned by. 
Mercury, and if the narcotic Quality could be corrected, it might, per- 
haps, be of great Ufe in Phyfic ; for it hath been experienced, that {e- 
veral poifonous Plants, whofe Juices were properly corrected, and ex- 
actly dos’d, have been fuccefsful Remedies. 
A Phyfician, who accompanied the Duke of Aemarle formerly to 
Jamaica, fays, that the Juice of the Dumb-Cane, mixed with a certain 
Portion of frefh Fat, is a fovereign Remedy in Dropfies, externally ufed, 
by. rubbing the Part affected with this Ointment, 
The REED. 
april? is a flender long graffy Stalk, creeping upon the adjoining 
Wood, jointed at every fix Inches: From thefe Joints iffue feveral 
{maller Side-branches, cloathed alternately with long tharp-pointed grami- 
_ neous Leaves. The main Stalk is hollow ; the Side-ones {olid. The 
Flowers are fucceeded by feveral {mall grifly-grey Colour Grains, like 
Guiney Corn. 
