TO VILLA DE ST. SALVADOR. 



83 



Stalks of the leaves, is covered with slender sharp thorns. Mawe 

 mentions this plant, but gives it serrated lanceolated leaves, though it 

 has {etithered f?'OJides, the pin iiulce of which are pointed, smooth, and 

 with an unbroken edge. Arruda (see Roster's Appendix, p. 484.) 

 gives a better description of it, but had not however examined the 

 blossom ; according to Mr. Sellow's account, it seems certain that it 

 does not belong to the genus cocos. Its uses have been already suflBci- 

 ently explained by Marcgraf, Mawe, and Koster. The green phiniilcE 

 have very strong firm fibres ; if the leaf is broken, the upper green 

 part comes off, and the fibres hang loose ; these are twisted, and form 

 strong fine green thread, of which extremely good fishing-nets are 

 made. This palm grows here in abundance, and bears small hard 

 black nuts, which contain an eatable kernel. Of another kind, they 

 take the internal still-folded leaf, when it begins to open at the top, 

 pull off the sheath and separate the leaves, which are joined together 

 by a clammy juice; the leaves are then used to cover houses, and neat 

 lattice- work is also made with them. 



In these dark shady forests we found a great number of noble trees. 

 The ipe w-as profusely covered with large deep yellow flowers, and 

 another big?ionia, with large white flowers, grew in the marshes. 

 High above the crowns of the giants of the forest, towers the proud 

 sapucaya tree (lecythis ollaria, Linn.) with small leaves, and large 

 pendent fruit resembling a pot, which open a perfect lid, and pour out 

 their large eatable kernels. The monkeys, and abo\e all the great 

 red and blue araras (psittacus macao, and ararauna. Linn.) are 

 very fond of them. But without possessing the wings of the parrots 

 or the dexterity of the monkeys in climbing, it is diflicult to get at 

 the fruit of this tree, which hangs verv high ; in general the tree itself 

 is cut down. The Indians ascend it especially by the aid of the cipos 

 or climbing plants, which certainly much facilitate the operation. 

 In another of our excursions we examined the flowers of a fine palm. 



