EXPEDITION TO SURINAM, 



on our journey, embrace the opportunity of introducing Q 

 a fliort defcription of them. The tree on which this ^ 

 fruit is produced is about the fize of a large apple-tree, 

 and is very ftrait, and covered with a brownifli-coloured 

 bark; the twigs are (lender, arched, and knotty, pro- 

 ducing leaves and a pod, which will be beft known by 

 the annexed reprefentation, where A is the leaf of the 

 natural lize ; B the extremity of the branch ; C the fruit 

 green and unripe ; D the pulp, which is brown when in 

 perfection ; and E the purple kernels or ftones that are in- 

 clofed within it. The upper part of the leaves aje a 

 darker green than underneath : tipon the whole, they 

 form a very agreeable fhade, on which account the ta- 

 marind-trees are frequently planted in groves. 



The male and female fpecies bear a remarkable dif- 

 tir>6lion in their colour ; that of the firft having the 

 deepeft hue. 



I fhall not prefume to be minute with refpe6l to the 

 medicinal qualities of thefe or any other vegetable in Gui- 

 ana, which are as amply as I believe juftly defcribed by 

 Dr. Bancroft, in his letters to Dr. Pitcairn, Fellow of the 

 Royal College of Phyficians in London, except in men- 

 tioning fuch efficacy as I have found them to poffefs by 

 iT\y own experience, and which confifts in the pulp; 

 which when preferved is a fnoft delicious refrelliment in. 

 hot climates : it is a laxative, and when diffolved with 

 water, makes a very cooling and agreeable beverage, and 



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