The Htjlory of BookL 



about ten pound. From the firft bearing the Tree is never 

 found without fruit, for it bears new every moneth. The 

 fhell is fo hard and thick that it may be polifh'd, and figures en- 

 grav'd upon it, and made into Cups^ Bottles, and other Vef- 

 fejs. | It is encompafs'd with a thick covering which is all of 

 filaments. 



When the Coco-nut is opened, there is firft met with a meat 5 

 white asfnow, which is extreamly nourifhing, and tafteslike 

 an Almond'. There is fomuch of this marrowy fubftance in 

 every fruit as may well fill an ordinary difti. It is very firm- 

 ly fattened within theftiell, and in themidft of it there is a 

 large glafs full of liquor, clear and pleafant as perfum'd Wine : 

 fo that a man may be well fatisfi'd with one of thefe fruits at a 

 meal. It is only this water which is turned into feed, and 

 among other vertues hath that of clearing the face of all 

 wrinkles, and giving it a bright and Vermilion colour, lb it 

 Jbe warned therewith as foon as the fruit is fallen from the 

 Tree. 



Who defires a particular account of the Cocos and its ufes, as 

 well in Phyfickas Houfe*keeping, may read the large defcrip- 

 tion of it made by Francis Pyrard, in his Treatife of the Ani- 

 mals, Trees, and Fruits of the Eafi-Indies. 



Some from the neernefs of the names do fometimes confound 

 the Cocos with the Cacao, which grows in the Province of Gua- 

 timala, neer New-Spain, which is alio a famous fruit all over 

 America, for its being the principal ingredient in the compofi- 

 tion called Chocolate. This drink taken moderately caufeth 

 Venery, Procreation and Conception, and facilitates Delive- 

 ry, preferves Health, and impinguates : It helpeth Digeftion, 

 Confumption and Cough of the Lungs, Plague of the Guts, 

 and other Fluxes, the Green-Sicknefs, Jaundife, and all man- 

 ner of Imflammations and Oppilations : It cleanfeth the Teeth, 

 and fweetneth Breath, provokes Urine, cures Stone and Stran- 

 gury, expells Poyfon, and preferves from all infectious Dif- 

 eafes j all which vertues are attributed to it by feveral credita- 

 ble Authors. 



The Cacao which was to be feenin the Caribbies, in the year 

 one thoufand fix hundred forty nine, in a Garden of an Inhabi- 

 tant of the Ifland oisante Croix, which was then in the hands of 

 the Englijh, is a Tree much like an Orange-tree , lave that it 

 grows not up fo high, and that it hath larger leaves. It is com- 

 monly planted in thady places, even under other Trees, that 

 they may keep off the heat of the Sun from it, which might 

 otherwife occafion the withering of its leaves. Its fruit is 

 about the bignefsand neer the figure of an Acom % or a middle 

 fiz'd Olive, and grows in great long cods, or hulks, which are 

 ftreaked in feveral places with little partitions along ihe fides. 



CH " 



