i%z Mr. WAFER V "Defcription. 



the other bitten The Subftance of both is fpongy 

 and juicy. That of the fweeter doth yet incline to 

 a tart, fourifh Tafte, The Indians, however, eat 

 them frequently in a March, tho 5 they are not very 

 delightful. They only fuck out the Juice, and 

 fpit out the reft. The bitter Sore is not eatable, 

 but very medicinal. They are good in Tertian V, 

 and a Deco£lion of them in a Clyfter is an admirable 

 Specifick in the Tortions of the Guts or dry Gripes. 

 The Calabafh Shells are almoft as hard as thofe of 

 the Coco-nuts, but not half fo thick. The Darien 

 CalabaJJj is painted, and much efteem'd by the Spa- 

 niards. 



Gourds, There are Gourds alfo which grow creeping along 

 the Ground, or climbing up Trees in great Quanti- 

 ties, like Pompions or Vines. Of thefe alfo there 

 are 2 Sorts, a fweet and a bitter : The Sweet eata- 

 ble, but not defireable; the Bitter medicinal in the 

 Pafjio Iliaca, Tertian's, Coftivenefs, &c. taken in 

 a Clyfter. But the Indians value both Sorts chiefly 

 for their Shells ; and the larger Sort of thefe ferve 

 them by way of Pails and Buckets, as Calabafhes do 

 for Difhes, Cups and Drinking- Veffels. 



slll^Grafs. They have a Plant alfo which is of good ufe to 

 them, call'd by us Silk-Grafs tho' 'tis indeed a kind 

 of Flag. Tt grows in great Quantities in moift 

 Places on the Sides of Hills. The Roots are knob- 

 bed, and flioot out into Leaves like a Sword Blade, 

 as thick as one's Hand in the Middle of the Leaf 

 towards the Root, thinner towards the Edges and 

 the Top 3 where it ends in a fliarp Point, altogether 

 like our Flags, fave that the Leaf is much broader^ 

 and a Yard or two in Length, and jagged at the 

 Edges like a Saw or fome Reap-hooks, The Indi- 

 ans cut thefe Leaves when of a convenient Growth, 

 and having dried them well in the Sun, they beat 

 them into Strings like fine Flax, extraordinary 

 ftrong, beyond any of our Fkx or Hemp : For the 



Leaf 



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