HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



47 



and rather round, but angular; within which there 

 are kernels as large as filberds, and white, but covered 

 with a yellowifti pellicle. The kernel has a bitter tafte, 

 and the fruit always grows attached to the bark of the 

 tree. When the trunk is cut, the Ule which diftils 

 from it is white, liquid, and vifcous ; then it becomes 

 yellow, and laftly of a leaden colour though rather 

 blacker, which it always retains. Thofe who gather 

 it can model it to any form according to the ufe they 

 put it to. 



The Mexicans made their foot-balls of this gum, 

 which, though heavy, rebound more than thofe filled 

 with air. At prefent, befides other ufes to which they 

 apply it, they varnifh their hats, their boots, cloaks, 

 and great coats with it, in the fame way as wax is ufed 

 in Europe, which makes them all water proof : from 

 TJle, when rendered liquid by fire, they extract a medi- 

 cinal oil. This tree grows in hot countries fuch as 

 Ihualapan and Mecatlan, and is common in the king- 

 dom of Guatemala (^;). The Quauhxiotl, is a mid- 

 dling tree, the leaves of which are round, and the 

 bark reddifh. There are two inferior fpecies of it, the 

 one yields a white gum, which, when put in water, 

 gives it a milk colour. The other drops a reddifh 

 gum ; they are both very ferviceable in dyfenteries. 



In this clafs of plants we ought to give a place to the 

 fir, the Higuerilla (which refembles the fig), and the 

 Ocote, a certain fpecies of pine that is very aromatic, 

 on account of the oils which they yield j and Brafil 

 wood, logwood, indigo, and many others, on account 



of 



{() In Michuacan there Is' a tree, called by the Tarafcas Taranta^usj of the 

 fanje fp«cies as the Olquahuitl j but its leaves are different. 



