Vol* III. Mifcellama Ctdriofa. 279 



which thro' the fide of the Pit they pafs a hollow 

 Gane, that leads into a Jar, which ftands be- 

 low the level of the Pits bottom ; they fill 

 the Pit almoft full with the forefaid Earth, 

 ,aiic| pour Salt Water thereon, till it be cp- 

 yered two or three Inches with Water, which 

 drains through, into the forefaid Jar, and is 

 afterwards boil'd into Salt. 

 ; Had I not found the Printed News Papers 

 ]aft Year take notice of a lingular Root 

 brought from China by F. Fontaney^ I fliould 

 not have told you, that I have feen one fince 

 I came here call'd Hu-chu-u (which I take to 

 be the fame) whereto they afcribe wonderful 

 Properties of prolonging Life, and turning 

 grey Hairs into black, by drinking its Infu- 

 fion for fome time, infomuch that they fay it's 

 to be had in value from 10 Tael to 1000 or 

 2000 a fingle Root for the larger it is, the 

 more is its value and efficacy : Which is too 

 much Money here to try the Experiment* 

 You have it mentioned in CUyer\ Medicina Sl-^ 

 nica No. 84. under the Name of Ho-xeu-v^ 

 according to the Portugal Spelling : It's like- 

 wifc painted in the 27th Ta.ble of thofe 

 Plants Mr. Petiver had of me. If you'll have 

 the Story of its Difcovery, which I will not 

 warrant for Gofpel, it runs thus. Upon a 

 time a certain Perfon going a Simpling among 

 the Mountains, fell by accident into fuch a 

 fteep Valley that he could by no means get 

 out of it again •, whereupon looking about for 

 fomcthing to fuftain his Life \ in this melanr* 

 choly condition, he efpy'd this Root, of which 

 he made Tryal *, and found that in eating 

 fhereof, it ferv'd him both for Provifions and 



T 4 Gloat h- 



