3i6 Mr. WAFERS "Defcription 



alfo the Floods run over a broad Plain ; and for the 

 Time make it all like one great Lake. The cooleft 

 Time here is about our Chriftmas, when the fait* 

 Weather is coming on. 



Of the Trees, Fruits &c. in the Ifthmus of 

 America. 



Trees,£^. A S this Country is very woody, fo it contains 

 great Variety of Trees, of feveral Kinds un- 

 known to us in Europe, as well Fruit-Trees as ou- 

 tliers. 



Cotton- The Cotton-Tree is the largeft of any, and grows 

 Trees. j n g reat p] ent y in moft parts of the Ifthmus ; but I 

 \ do not remember that I have feen it in the Sambal- 

 loes 9 or any other of the adjacent Ijlands. It bears 

 a Cod about as big as a Nutmeg, full of Ihort 

 Wool or Down, which when ripe burfts out of the 

 Cod, and is blown about by the Wind, and is of 

 little ufe. The chief Advantage that is made of 

 thefe Trees, is by forming them into Canoas or Pe- 

 riago's ; which laft differ from the other as Lighters 

 and fmall Barges do from Wherries. The Indians 

 burn the Trees hollow ; but the Spaniards hew and 

 chizzel them ; and the Wood is very foft and eafy 

 to work upon, being fofter than Willow. 

 Cedar. The Cedars of this Country are valuable for their 

 heighth and largenefs ; there are very ftately ones 

 on the Continent, but I remember not any in the 

 Iflands. They grow towards each of the Sea-Coafts, 

 but efpecially towards the North. The Wood is 

 very red, of a curious "fine Grain, and very fra- 

 grant. But thefe are put to no better ufe than the 

 Cotton-Trees, ferving only to mak^ Canoas and Pe- 



riago's : 



