z$6 The Hijlory of Book II. 



Now that we are treating of the Houfes and Houfekeeping of 

 the Caribbians^ fome might take occafion to ask. Whether, as 

 we have the ufe of Lamps, Candles, and Torches, they do not 

 alfo make ufe of fome light, and fome artifice in the night-time, 

 to fupply the want of the days light > True it is, they have 

 learnt of the Chriftians to make ufe of the Oil of Fifties, and to 

 put Cotton into Lamps, to light them in the night-time 5 but 

 moft of them have no other light in the night than a kind of 

 wood very apt to take fire, which they have ready in the houfe 

 for that purpofe, whence we call it Candle-wood 5 it is full of an 

 unctuous Gum, which rcakes it burn like a Candle, and being 

 once lighted, it gives a fweet (cent : In like manner the Inhabi- 

 tants of Madagascar ^xA^di of Candles and Torches,in the night 

 time make ufe of certain Gums which eafily take fire, and they 

 put them into earthen Creufets, where they make a delightful 

 and fwect fmelling Fire : Arid if the Fire chance to go out 

 amongthe Caribbians 9 they have the fecret of fupplying that 

 want by rubbing two pieces of Mahot one againft the other., 

 and by that collifion they take fire, and in a flaort time burn 

 De Lery, c. into a clear flame : Thus the Brazilians , infteed of a Steel and 

 *9» Stone, the ufe whereof they have not, make ufe of two feveral 



kinds of Wood^ whereof one is almoft as tender as if it were 

 half rotten, and the other, on the contrary, very hard $ and 

 by that friction and agitation the fire takes in the former : The 

 fame tiding is affirm'd of fome forts of Canes, which may be feen 

 in the Cabinets of the Curious. 



Thofe who have fail'd to the mouth of the River of the 

 Ama%ones relate, that they there faw fome Indians ftrike fire 

 with t wo fticks, but after a manner different from that of our 

 Caribbians % for in that part of the World they have alfo two 

 pieces of Wood, one foft, which they make flat and even like 

 a Bufk, and the other very hard , like a ftick ftiarpened at the 

 end, which they thruft into the foft, which they keep clofo to 

 the ground under their feet $ and they turn the other with both 

 hands fo fwiftly, that at; laft the fire takes in that below, and 

 lets it of a flame: And whereas it many times happens one 

 perfon may be weary of that exerche, another immediately 

 takes the ftick in hand, and turns it with the lame fwiftnefs, till 

 they have got fire. Some may imagine , that thefe ways of 

 lighting fire are modern 5 but there are fome marks thereof in 

 H'M °f Antiquity 9 as may be feen in Theophrafiuf. 



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