df the Iflhmus of America^ 321 



heard that the Wood hath been us'd in fine carved 

 or inlayed Works ; for it is delicately grain'd. 

 But there is danger in cutting it, the very Sap being 

 fo poifonous, as to blifter the part which any of the 

 Chips ftrike upon as they fly off. A French-vmxi 

 of our Company lying under one of thefe Trees, 

 in one of the Samballoes^ to refrefh himfelf, the 

 Rain-water trickling down thence on his Head and 

 Breaft, blifter'd him all over, as if he had been be- 

 ftrewed with Cantharides. His Life was faved with 

 much Difficulty ; and even when cured, there re- 

 mained Scars, like thofe after the Small-Pox. 



The Mabo-Trce, which grows here, is about as Maho« 

 big as an Afli. Another Sort of Maho, which is Trce » 

 more common, is fmaller, and grows in the moift 

 fwampy Places, by the Sides of the Rivers, or near 

 the Sea. Its Bark is ragged like tatter 5 d Canvafs ; 

 if you lay hold on a Piece of it, 'twill rip off in 

 Strings to the Top of the Tree \ the Strings are of 

 a great Length, flender, and very ftrong. Ropes 

 are made of it for Cables, and Rigging for fmall 

 Veflels. The way the Indians order it is thus : 

 They ftrip off the Bark in great Flakes : Out of 

 them they draw greater or leffer Strings as they 

 pleafe. Thefe they beat and clean, and twift into 

 Threads and Cords, by rolling them between the 

 Palm of the Hand, and the Knee or Thigh, as 

 our Shoomakers twift their Ends, but much quick- 

 er. Of thefe they make Nets for fiihing, but only 

 for great Fifh, as Tarpoms, or the like. 



The Tree which bears the Calabafh is fhort and Calabafh* 

 thick ; the Calabafh grows up and down among the Tree. 

 Boughs, as our Apples do. It is of a globular Fi- 

 gure, the Out-fide of it is an hard Shell, holding 

 the Quantity of 2, 3, 4, or 5 Quarts. Thefe 

 Shells the Indians ufe as VeiTels for many Occafions. 

 There are 2 Sorts of thefe Trees, but the Diffe- 

 rence is chiefly in the Fruit ? that of one being fweet, 



Vol. III. Y the 



