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One of my guides lately made a trial of the 

 virtue of an herb which is to be met with every 

 where, and the knowledge of which is exceeding 

 neceflary to travellers, not for any good qualities 

 it pofTefles, for I have never as yet heard any attri- 

 buted to it, but becaufe too much care cannot be 

 taken to avoid it ; this is called, Uberbe a lapuce^ 

 or Flea-wort, but this name is not expreffive 

 enough to fhew the effects it produces. Thefe are 

 more or lefs fenfible according to the conftitution 

 of thofe it happens to touch ; there are even fome 

 perfons on whom it does not operate at all ; but 

 fome perfons merely by looking upon it are feized 

 with a violent fever, which lafts more than fifteen 

 days, and is accompanied with a very troublefome 

 fcab, attended with a prodigious itching all over 

 the body ; it operates on others only when they 

 touch it, and then the patient appears as if entirely 

 covered over with a leprofy : and fome have been 

 known to have had their hands quite fpoiled with 

 it. No remedy is as yet known for it but patience \ 

 after fome time it go s entirely off. 



There grows alfo at the Narrows citron trees in 

 the open fields, the fruit of which in fhape and 

 colour refemble thofe of Portugal, but they are 

 fmaller and of a difagreeab'e flavour ; they are ex- 

 cellent candied. The root of this tree is a mortal 

 and moil fubtle poifon, and at the fame time a 

 fovereign antidote againfb the bite of ferpents. It 

 muft be bruifed and applied inftantly on the 

 wound : this remedy is immediate and infallible. 

 On both fides of the Narrows the country is faid 

 to preferve all its beauty for ten leagues up the 

 country ; after which you meet with a fmaller 

 number of fruit trees and fewer meadows. But 



Vol. II. C after 



