66 APPENDIX. 



from the colour of its flowers or of its fruit, both equal in 

 colour to coral. 



Its fruit is a red bean, with a black fpot in the middle of 

 it, which is inclofed in a round capfula, or covering, of a 

 woody nature, very tough and hard. This bean feems to 

 have been in the earlieft ages ufed for a weight of gold 

 among the Shangalla, where that metal is found all over 

 Africa ; and by repeated experiments, I have found that, 

 from the time of its Jbeing gathered, it varies very little 

 in w eight, and may perhaps have been the very bell 

 choice that therefore could have been made between the 

 collectors and the buyer's of gold. 



I have faidMiis tree is called Kuara, which fignifies the 

 Sun. The bean is called Carat, from which is derived the 

 manner of efteeming gold as fo many carats fine. From 

 the gold country in Africa it palled to India, and there came 

 to be the weight of precious Hones, efpecially diamonds ; fo 

 that to this day in India we hear it commonly fpoken of gold 

 or diamonds, that they are of fo many carats fine, or weight. 

 I have feen thefe beans likewife from the Well -Indian iflands.. 

 They are jull the fame fize, but, as far as I know, are not yet 

 applied to any ufe there. 



WALKUFFA. 



