OF FOREST-TREES. 



369 



most aged Oak : so as Fr. Hernandes, Garcilasso de la Vega, and BOOK iv. 



the Palm-tree resembles an indulgent mother, environed with greater and smaller 

 children, at the same time feeding these and bearing others, a rarity not experienced in 

 other trees. 



" The emolument of the fruit Coco is very extraordinary, for divers ways it proves good 

 meat ; while the kernel is yet in water, and full of liquor, the nut green, and not come to 

 maturity, the natives drink it as an exquisite regallo, being sweet and recreative, afford- 

 ing a good cup of wholesome water called lanha ; arrived to a greater consistence, like 

 that of cream, they eat it with spoons, then called cocanha : come to the last perfection, 

 it is eaten, is savoury and well-tasted ; but being extremely hot, and of hard digestion, 

 much of it is unwholesome, the nut Barca excepted, which is savoury and harmless. The 

 thin rind which covers the kernel, black and good in medicine. This nut grated, and ^put 

 into the hollow joints of canes, called bambus, is boiled, and of it is made cuscus t. The 

 gratings steeped in water and squeezed, the milk they yield makes a kind, of broth, 

 frequent amongst them, called cerul, which is very delicious : the nut Coco is eaten 

 other/ different ways, which deservedly advance the esteem of this provision. The two 

 rinds taken off, the kernel divided into two parts, and exposed to dry in the sun, when 

 dried is called copra; of this, great quantities go for the inland country, and where 

 no Olive-trees grow ; oil made of which is toothsome, wholesome, and good for wounds 

 and sores. This copra eaten with igra, (a sort of coarse Muscovadoes sugar, made of the 

 sweet of the Palm-tree, as shall immediately be related,) is a great dainty with the Indians. 

 And that no part of the Coco may seem not valuable, and declaring the obligation human 

 life hath to the Palm-tree, the outmost rind, called cayro, not unlike tow, well macerated, 

 and drawn into threads, affords all sorts of fine thread, and ropes big enough for the 

 greatest vessels and ships, which are in great esteem for good and secure cables ; they will 

 endure stretching, and rot not in salt-water; these advantages have they above cables 

 made of hemp. The second rind, the immediate cover of the Coco, when green, is eaten 

 like chardons, is tender, crackles in the mouth, and of the same effect in the stomach, 

 blacks the lips and fingers like chardons ; when ripe is very hard and thin, called 

 charetta, and made up for divers uses ; charked, it admirably tempers iron, and is accord- 

 ingly esteemed by artificers. Besides the related, divers other emoluments accrue from 

 the Palm-tree and her fruits ; the Palm-tree alone being sufficient to build, rig, and freight 

 a ship with bread, wine, water, oil, vinegar, sugar, and other commodities. I have sailed 

 in vessels where the bottom and the whole cargo hath been from the munificence of the 

 Palm-tree ; I will take upon me to make good what I have asserted. The vessels are by 

 the natives called pangayos, on which I have coasted the land of Melinde, and gone into 

 the Red Sea : they venture not far from shore, being weak, without any binding of iron, 

 unable to endure any stress of weather or beating of the waves, therefore launch not out 

 into the main ocean. The Palm-tree yields plank, though weak and spongy, as if made 

 pf tow : the planks are sewed together with fine thread, made of the outmost rind of the 



Other travellers* speaking of the Coco, Aloes, and Wild Pine 



• Vide Rail. 

 H. PI. 1. xxi. 

 cap. vii. 



+ A paste like the Italian vermicelli, 



• 



