COOK — THE COCONUT PALM IK AMEKICA. 279 



very much, and then straynynge it, they drawe a mylke thereof, much better and 

 sweeter then is the mylke of beastes, and of much substaunce: The which the Chris- 

 tian men of those regions put in the tortes or cakes which they make of the grayne 

 of Maizium wherof they make theyr breade, or in other breade as we put breade in 

 porrage: So that by reason of the sayde mylke of Cocus, the tortes are more excellent 

 to be eaten withowt offence to the stomake. They are so pleasaunte to the taste, 

 and leaue it aswell satisfyed as thowghe it had byn delyted with many delycate dysshes . 

 . . . This brute was cauled Cocus for this cause, that when it is taken from the place 

 where it cleaueth faste to the tree, there are seene two holes, and aboue them two 

 other naturall holes, which altogyther, doo represente the giesture and fygure of the 

 cattes cauled Mammone, that is, munkeys, when they crye: whiche crye the Indians 

 caule Coca. a 



Eden's version of Oviedo also affords a clue to the mystery of 

 Sloane's statement regarding the introduction of the coconut into 

 America, upon which De Candolle appears to have placed so much 

 reliance. It was Oviedo, instead of Peter Martyr, who reported the 

 planting of dates in Santo Domingo, but these were not coconuts, 

 but true dates from Spain, as the context shows: 



Suche frutes as are brought owt of Spayne, into this Ilande, prosper maruelously 

 and waxe rype all tymes of the yeare: as herbes of all sortes very good and pleasaunt 

 to bee eaten. Also many pomegranates of the best kynde, and oranges bothe sweete 

 and sower. Lykewyse many fayre Lymones and cedars: and a great quantitie of 

 all such as are of sharpe, sowre, and bytter taste. There are also many fygge trees 

 whiche brynge furth theyr frute all the hole yeare. Lykewyse those kynd of date 

 trees that beare dates: and dyuers other trees and plantes which were brought owt 

 of Spayne thyther.& 



The substitution by Sloane of Peru for Panama, in the passage 

 already quoted on page 276, may have been a mere slip of the pen, or 

 a typographical error, for it does not appear that coconuts have ever 

 thriven in Peru, in ancient times or modern, or that Sloane had any 

 warrant of fact for his statement. Finally, we have the evidence of 

 the passage just quoted, to show that Sloane confused the coconuts 

 that were already in America with the true dates that were brought 

 by the Spaniards from Spain. The only indication of historical 

 warrant given by De Candolle for his theory of the Spanish intro- 

 duction of the coconut into America proves to be entirely without 

 foundation. 



REPORT BY COLUMBUS OF COCONUT^ N CUBA. 



Eden's version of Oviedo definitely asserts the existence of the coco- 

 nut palm in the West Indies, as well as on the continent, and Oviedo's 

 larger history includes the coconut in an account of the numerous 

 native species found in the island of Santo Domingo, but De Candolle 

 seems to have noticed only the mention of the special abundance of 

 the coconut palms on the Pacific coast of Central America, which he 



Oviedo in Arber, op. cit., p. 225. & Oviedo in Arber, op. cit., p. 239 



51004°— vol 14, pt 2—10 2 



