of the Ifland of Earhcidoes. 



75 



tranfportany from the highlands, by reafoo of the unpaflablenefs of 

 the way es^the body ofthis tree I have feen about 45 or 50 foot high, the 

 Diameter fcldom above 15 or 16 inches, the rind of a pure alh colour, 

 flill of wrinkles, the leaves about two foot and a half long, in bun- 1 

 dies, juft as if you took twenty large flags , with their fiat fides toge- 

 ther, and tyed them at the broader ends. Withthefe bunches they 

 thatch houfes, laying every bunch by himfelf on the lathes,fomewhat 

 to overhang one another, as tiles do. This is a very dole kind of 

 thatch, keeps dry and is vtry lading, and looking up to them on the 

 infide of the room , they are the prettieft becoraming figures that I 

 havefeen of that kiud,the(e leaves grow out no where but at thetops 

 of the trees. ; 



Another kind of Palmeto there is, which as it hath an addition to pj^^^g 

 the name,hathr!kewire an addition to the nature: for I believe there is jioyaL 

 not a more Royal or Magniiicent tree growing on the earth , for 

 beauty and largeneft, notto. be paralell'd^ and cxcells, foabnndantly ; 

 in thole two properties and perfedions, all the reft, as if you had e- , 

 ver (een her, you could not but have fallen in love with her 5 I'm fore 

 I was extreamly much, and upon good and antique Authority: For if 

 Xerxes [^rsLnge L)diuf7 love the Plantane tree, was lov'd for her age, j 

 why may not I love this for her largeneis ? i believe here are more wo- 1 

 men lov'd fbi- their largenefs than their age,ifthey have beauty foran 

 addition, as this hath ^ and therefore! am refolved in that poynt, to go 

 along with the multitude, who tun very much that way : but how to ' 

 Cet her out inher true lhape and colour, without a Pencil, would ask ! 

 abetter pea than rauie 5 yet I will deliver herdimenfionsas near truth j 

 as I can, and for her beauty much will arife out of that. But firft j 

 I will beg leave of you to (hew her in her infancy , which is about ten ! 

 or twelve years old, at which time the is about leaventcen foot high, j 

 her body, and her branches, and that part which touches the ground, [ 

 not unlike an inkhorne,whichl have feen turn'd in Ivory,round at the ! 

 bottome,and bellied at that part v/hich holds the Inke, and the ftem 

 or body of the tree, growisig lefs, as that part which holds the Pens, 

 butturn'd by a more ski'ifui workman 5 and fbme of this body, part 

 tawny, part purple, with Piings of white and green mixt, that go about , 

 her 5 and thcie Rings at fix Inches difi:anc"e. This ftem, to be about | 

 fix foot and a halFhigh, upon which growes the bottome of the i 

 ftalks, thin as leaves of parchment , enwrapping one another fb ! 

 clofe as to make a continued ftem, of the dime bignefs, or two foot and | 

 ahalf above theorher, every ftone of thofe filmes or skins, bearing I 

 a ftalk, which leilensk) infeafibly, from the skin to the poynt, as nonei 

 but the great former of all beauty can make the like. I 



Thefe ftalks or branches, are of feveral lengths, thole that are! 

 the moft inwardjare the higheft, and every one of thole ftalks adorn'd \ 

 with leaves, beginning a little from the filmes to the poynt, and all I 

 thefe Leaves like Cylinders, fharp at either end, and biggeft in the! 

 middle : that part of the ftem which istheenwrappings of the filmes | 

 of a pure grafie green, Ihining as parchment dyed green, andflicktl 

 with a Oick-ftone, and all the branches with the leaves, of a full grafs ! 

 green fpreading every way, and the higheft of them eight foot above j 



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