to the Strait cf Magellan. 



79 



The seed resembles pepper, containing each four or five 

 grains, black, longish, and semicircular; and their taste and 

 Savour like that of the bark, but much more pungent and ac« 

 tive. The seed forms clusters of five or six together. 



We planted some young trees of this kind in the soil where 

 we found them, of which we took the greatest care ; but they all 

 dried up when we got into the neighbourhood of the Equinoc- 

 tial ; so that, unless the seeds we brought home shall spring, we 

 shall be disappointed in our hopes of transplanting this valuable 

 tree in Spain. 



The qualities of this bark show that it possesses a corroborat- 

 ing, antiscorbutic, stomachic, virtue. We made use of it as 

 spice or pepper in our soup and broth, which not only gave it an 

 agreeable flavour, but also an advantageous property. The 

 water that filtrates commonly through the roots of this tree, we 

 found acquired from it a digestive and laxative pow.er : so that 

 it is proper to be cautious in the use of this bark in cold cli- 

 mates, or in winter season ; for, even in summer and in warm 

 countries, so far from doing good, it might be hurtful, as it is 

 too irritating. 



In the moist and marshy places we found a kind cf shrubs, or 

 small trees, resembling the cypress, growing up extremely- 

 straight and even. They are covered Avith branches from the 

 very ground : their greatest height from four to five yards ; 

 the greatest thickness of the stem, or trunk, ten to twelve 

 inches. The leaves are like those of the cypress, and of the 

 same colour, and only differ from them in being four-cornered. 

 7^he fruit is small and black. When we saw them, they were 

 dry and hollow, with a seminal powder within them. The taste 

 of the leaves is excessively bitter, even surpassing that of 

 broom. 



In the woods is seen a species of palm, whose stem is about 

 one yard high, and its thickness twenty inches. The branches 

 are placed at the top, opposite to each other, in the manner of 

 the date-tree, but never forming a cluster : the largest of 

 them about one yard, having the leaves joined together, like 

 fern or polipody ; their colour bright-green, and of a disagree- 

 able taste. We did not find any fruit on these shrubs, which 

 abounded in the neighbourhood of streams of fresh water, and 

 which, from their general resemblance, may be considered as 

 belonging to the palms. 



The amariilo (yellow tree or bush), or thorny tree, is in 

 height from two to three yards; its leaves and branches all 

 beset with prickles and thorns ; the leaves and branches of a 



