GRAMINACEOUS PLANTS. 297 
tained in a brown-looking vessel, smooth and glossy; he serves 
also some wine of an extremely agreeable flavour. Towards the 
end of the repast his host offers him certain succulent comforts, 
and he is made to taste some excellent spirits. The astonished 
traveller asks who in this desert country furnishes him with all 
these things. ‘My cocoa-nut tree,’ is the reply. ‘The water I 
presented you with on your arrival is drawn from the fruit before 
it is ripe, and some of the nuts which contain it weigh three or 
four pounds. This almond, so delicate in its flavour, is the fruit 
when ripe. This milk which you find so agreeable is drawn 
from the nut; this cabbage, whose flavour is so delicate, is the top 
of the Cocoa-nut, but we rarely regale ourselves with this delicacy, 
for the tree from which the cabbage is cut dies soon after. This 
Wine, with which you are so satisfied, is still furnished by the 
Cocoa-nut tree. In order to obtain it an incision is made into the 
spathe of the flowers. It flows from it in a white liquor, which is 
gathered in proper vessels, and we call it palm-wine ; exposed to 
the sun, it gets sour and turns to vinegar. By distillation we 
obtain this very good brandy which you have tasted. The sap 
has supplied the sugar with which these preserves are sweetened. 
These vessels and utensils have been made out of the shell of the 
nut. Nor is this all: this habitation itself I owe entirely to these 
mvaluable trees ; with their wood my cabin is constructed ; their 
leaves, dried and plaited, form the roof ; made into an umbrella, 
they shelter me from the sun in my walks; the clothes which 
cover me are woven out of the filaments of their leaves. These mats, 
which serve so many useful purposes, proceed from them also. 
The sifter which you behold was found made to my hand in that 
part of the tree whence the leaves issue; with these same leaves 
Woven together we can make sails for ships; the species of fibre 
that envelops the nut is much preferable to tow for caulking 
: ships ; it does not rot in the water, and it swells in imbibing it; 
it makes excellent string, and all sorts of cable and cordage. 
ie Finally, the delicate oil that has seasoned many of our meats, and 
| that which burns in my lamp, is expressed from the fresh kernel.’” 
oe stranger would listen with astonishment to the poor Indian, 
- having only his Cocoa-nut tree, had nearly everything which 
. Was Necessary for his existence. When the traveller was disposed 
