131 



dancy they have. In the fleete the yeare 1587, they brought 22053 

 , quintalls of ginger to Seville : but the naturall spice that God hath 

 given to the Weast Indies is that we in Castill, India a pepper, and at 

 the Indies, Axi, as a generall word taken from the first land of the 

 Hands, which they conquered. In the language * * of Mexico, 

 Chili/' 

 Again : — 



"Of grapes, vignes. olives, mulberies, and kanes of Sugar." 



In " Interesting Tracts relating to the island of Jamaica" (St. Jago 

 dela Vega, 1800). The planters of Withywood [Vere] complain that 

 they cannot sell their indigo at Port Royal, as they were undersold by 

 the pirates encouraged by the Governor (Earl of Carlisle), 1680. 



Again : — 



In " Inductions to Sir Philip Howard, Governor [who never came]" 

 " We do hereby authorize you to forbear, if you shall think fit, the 

 taking advantage of any penalty or forfeiture against any of the 

 present planters or inhabitants of the said island, for not m inuring 

 or planting of their lands according to their time heretofore limited 

 and appointed them for the same, &c." 1685. 



Again : — 



Dec, 4 [1664]. "About this day appeared first the comet which 

 was the forerunner of the blasting of the cocoa trees, ani after which 

 time they generally failed in Jamaica, Cuba and Hispaniola." 



II. — The Pine Apple. 



The Pine-apple is a native of tropical America, but it is scarcely 

 possible to decide whether it is truly indigenous in Jamaica ; other 

 plants belonging to the same Natural Order (Bromeliaceae) are every- 

 where abundant. If not a true native, it was probably brought from 

 the mainland by the Arawaks, and later by the Spaniards It appears 

 on the Coat of Arms as if it were a natural product. Large patches 

 of the " Cow-boy" Pine grow wild in the district of Yere in Claren- 

 do%__The plants attain a height of five feet, and grow in dense 

 thickets, so that it is difficult to get at the fruit which are somewhat 

 freely produced. The soil in the district seems to be admirably adapted 

 for the growth of this plant. 



Joseph Acosta in his " Naturall and Morall Historie of the Bast 

 and West Indies" (London 1601) says (p. 762) : " The first Spaniards 

 named many things at the Indies with such Spanish names as they 

 did most resemble as Pines, Concombres, and Prunes, although they 

 be very different fruits to those which are so-called in Spaine. The 

 Pines or Pine-apples, are of the same fashion and forme outwardly to 

 those of Castille, but within they wholly differ, for that they have 

 neither apples nor scales, but are all one flesh, which may be eaten 

 when the skinne is off, it is a fruit that hath an excellent smell, and 

 is very pleasant and delightful in taste, it is full of juyce and of a 

 sweet and sharpe taste, they eate it being cut in morsells, and steeped 

 a while in water and salt. Some say that this breedes oholer, and 

 that the use thereof is not very healthful. But I have not seene any 

 experience thereof that might breed beliefe. They grow one by one 

 like a cane or stalke which riseth amongst many leaves, like to the 

 lillie, but somewhat bigger. The apple is on the toppe of every 



