C a p . VI. The Caribby- 1 (lands 



H/fpaniola, have feen in the way which leads from the Plains 

 of the Mountain to the Village, which the French call Mil- 

 plantage , one of thefe Trees which may well afford fhelter 

 to two hundred men under the (hade of its branches., which 

 are always loaden with leaves very thick and bufhy. 



Service-tree. 



THere is in thefe Iflands a kind of Service-tree much diffe- 

 rent from that in France j for it is of an exceflive height, 

 pleafant to the eye, and adorn'd with fair leaves and branches. 

 It bears a pleafant fruit, round as a Cherry, of a yellowiih co- 

 lour, fpotted with little round fpots ; when it is ripe it falls off 

 of it felf : It taftes like a Sorb-apple, and thence it came to be 

 fb cal led : It is much fought after by the Birds. 



The PR1CKLT-P ALU. 



r \ LL thefe Iflands have Palms, nay fomehave four feveral 

 jf\ forts of them. One is called the Prickly or Thorny-Palm 3 

 having that name from the pricklinefs of it, the boal, branches, 

 arid leaves being furnifhed with prickles very iharp, and fo 

 dangerous, that whoever is prick' d thereby will be troubled a 

 long time, if a prefent remedy be not applyed : Thofe which en- 

 compafs the trunk are flat, about the length of a mans finger, 

 of the figure of a Tooth-pick, fmooth, and of a tawny colour 

 inclining to black. The Negroes before they come neer it 

 make a fire about the foot of the Tree to burn up the prickles, 

 which are as fo much armour to it. Its fruit confifts in a great 

 tuft, which contains feveral greyifh, hard and round Nuts, with- 

 in which are kernels good to eat. Of this kind of Palms fome 

 Negroes get a fort of Wine by making incifions in the branches, 

 It is probably the fame Tree which the Brazilians call Ayri. 



FRANC-PA LM. 



THe fecond kind is the Franc-Palm: It is a ftrait Tree of 

 extraordinary height. The roots of this Tree are above 

 ground, round about the ftock two or three foot high, and 

 about the bignefs of a Hoglhead : Thefe roots are fmall pro- 

 portionably to the height of the Tree they fuftain, but they 

 arefoconfufedly fhufled one within another, that they arlorcl 

 it afubftantial fupport. One thing particular to this Tree is, 

 that it is bigger above then below : While it is young the bark 

 is tender, of a dark-grey colour, and mark'd at every foots 

 diftance with a circle, which difcovers very neer how many 

 years it hath been in the ground: But when it is come to its 

 full growth^ it is all over fo folid and fmooth, that there .is 



F 2 nothing 



3? 



