68 



A True and ExaB Hijiory 



Poyfon tree. 



Cajfavie. 



Coloquinti- 

 4a. 



Cajfia-fiflw 

 la. 



which colour is eafily difcerned , the reft of the kernel being fo per- 

 feftly white. Take out that film, and you may eat the nut (afely, 

 without any operation at all, and 'tis as fweet, as a Jordan- Mmondi, 

 This film is perfedly difcernd, when the nut is new. gathered , but I 

 havelook'don them which have been longer kept , after I brought 

 them into E^i^/^W, and I find the Carnation colour quite gone^butthe 

 kernel retains ftill his operation, both in Vomit and Purge. 



The leaves are ftiap'd not much unlike a Vine leai, but thrice as big, 

 and much thicker, and fuller green. 



Thepoyfoned tree, though I cannot commend for her vertues, 

 yet for her beauties I can. She is almoft: as large every way as the Lo- 

 cuft, but not of that manner of growing , her leaves full out as large 

 and beautiful, as the Lawrels, andfo like, as not to be known afiin- 

 der. The people that have lived long there, fay, 'tis not wholfom, to 

 be under the (hade of this tree. The fellers, as they cut them down, are 

 very careful of their eyes , and thofe that have Cipers, put it over their 

 faces 5 for if any ofthefap fly into their eyes, they become blind for a 

 month. A Negro had two Horfes to walk, which were left with him 

 by two Gentlemen 5 and the Horfes beginning to fight , the Negro 

 was afraid, and let them go j and they running into the wood toge- 

 ther, ftruck at one another, and their heels hitting fome young trees 

 of this kind, ftruck the poyfonous juice into one anothers eyes, and, 

 fo their biindnefs parted the fray, and they were both led home ftone 

 blind, and continued fo a month, all the hair and skin pilling off their 

 faces. Yet, of this timber we make all, orthemoftpart, of the Pots 

 we cure our Sugaring for, being (awed, and the boards dry ed in the 

 Sun, the poyfon vapours out. 



And as this tree's poyfon in her fap,fo the Mantionell's is in her fruit, 

 which they account as high a poyfon, as that of the Caflavie. Thefi:uit 

 is like an apple John^ and 'tis faid to be one of thofe poyfons, where- 

 with the Indian Caniballs invenome their Arrows. 



And now I havenam'd the Caflavie, 'tis fit it come in the rank of 

 poyfons, though with good ordering it makes bread. 'Tis rather a 

 (hrubthanatree, the fprigs, few of them bigger than a broom-ftafF, 

 crooked and ill ftiap'd ^ but no matter for that, for the leaves are fo 

 thick as to cover them 3 and they grow in tufts or bunches, and ever 

 an odd one, as, 5. 7. 9. or 11. every leaf an inch broad, and fix orfeven 

 inches longs dark green, and turning backward from the forefide. 

 Their Roots I have fet down already, their bignefs, and manner of 

 growth, with the ufe of them. 



Coloquintida is as beautiful a fruit, as any you can fee, of the big- 

 nefs of an Oftracheseggs a fruit of fo ill a tafte, as a (poonful of the 

 liquor mars a whole pot of pottage ^ the rind fmooth , with various 

 greens, interlac'd with murries, yellows, and faint Carnations. 



Next to this fhall be the Caifia fiftula, which is a tree that will grow 

 the moft, intheleafttime, of any that ever I knew : I fet one of the 

 feeds, (which is but a imallfeed) and in a years time, it grew to be 

 eight foot high, and as large and big intheftem, as an ordinary Rat- 

 toon you walk withall ; The leaf of this tree is like that of an Afti, but 

 much longer, and of a darker colour, the fruit, when 'tis ripe, juft of 



the 



