272 BUREiAU OF AMERICAN ETHNO'LOGY [Bull. 137 



hatan wo°deu). It is boiled and used as food throughout most of 

 the Gulf region. 



Reference is also made to the use of berries found growing upon a 

 marsh plant. 



Sacqvenvmmener a kinde of berries almost like vnto capres but somewhat 

 greater which grow together in clusters vpon a plant or herb that is found in 

 shalow waters : being boiled eight or nine hours according to their kind are very 

 good meate and holesome, otherwise if they be eaten they will make a man for 

 the time franticke or extremely sicke. (Hariot, 1893, pp. 28-29.) 



Beverley (1705, bk. 2, p. 14) describes this as a kind of arum, which 

 would identify the plant as the "poison arum," or Virginia wake- 

 robin {Peltandra mrginica)^ and by inference tend to identify the 

 "Coscushaw" described above with Orontium aquaticimi^ unless, as 

 is possible, the Indians gave different names to the berries and root 

 of the former. 



Hariot thus describes the persimmon : 



Medlars a kind of verie good fruit, so called by vs chieflie for these respectes : 

 first in that they are not good vntill they be rotten : then in that they open at the 

 head as our medlars, and are about the same bignesse: otherwise in taste and 

 colour they are farre different: for they are as red as cheries and very sweet: 

 but whereas the cherie is sharpe sweet, they are lushious sweet. (Hariot, 1893, 

 p. 28.) 



Following is almost the only mention of the prickly pear east of the 

 Mississippi River: 



Metaqvesvnnavk, a kinde of pleasaunt fruite almost of the shape & bignes 

 of English peares, but that they are of a perfect red colour as well within as 

 without. They grow on a plant whose leaues are verie thicke and full of prickles 

 as sharpe as needles. Some that haue bin in the Indies, where they haue seen 

 that kind of red die of great price which is called Cochinile to grow, doe describe 

 his plant right like vnto this of Metaquesunnauk but whether it be the true 

 Cochinile or a bastard or wilde kind, it cannot yet be certified ; seeing that also 

 as I heard, Cochinile is not of the fruite but founde on the leaues of the plant; 

 which leaues for such matter we haue not so specially obserued. (Hariot, 1893, 

 p. 28.) 



Hariot (1893, p. 28) also mentions two kinds of grapes, one evidently 

 the famous scuppernong, besides strawberries, mulberries, huckle- 

 berries ("hurts or hurtleberies"), and crab apples ("applecrabs") 

 (Malus)^ also wild peas and "a kind of reed which beareth a seed almost 

 like vnto our rie or wheat, & being boiled is good meat." This last is 

 presumably the cane which bears seed irregularly, not every year. 

 Whenever the "grain" from this was available, it was resorted to 

 throughout the southern country. Another possible identification, 

 however, is with the wild rice. He mentions chestnuts and two kinds 

 of walnuts, the second evidently the hickory : 



Chestnvts, there are in diuers places great store : some they vse to eate rawe, 

 some they stampe and boile to make spoonemeate, and with some being sodden 



