334 



is called the palma real de los Llanos *. Other 

 palm-trees rise to the South of Guayaval, espe- 

 cially the piritu with pinnate -f* leaves, and the 

 murichi (moriche), celebrated by father Gumilla 

 under the name of arbol de la vida £ It is the 

 sago-tree of America, furnishing " victum et 

 amictwn |# flour, wire, and thread to weave 

 hammocks, baskets, nets, and clothing. It's 

 fruit, of the form of the cones of the pine, and 

 covered with scales, perfectly resembles those of 

 the calamus rotang. It has somewhat the taste 

 of the apple. When arrived at it's maturity, it 

 is yellow within and red without. The araguato 

 monkeys eat it with avidity ; and the nation of 

 Guaraounoes, whose whole existence, it may be 

 said, is closely linked with that of the murichi 

 palm-tree, draw from it a fermented liquor, 

 slightly acid, and extremely refreshing. This 

 palm-tree, with large shining leaves, folded like 

 a fan, preserves a beautiful verdure at the 

 period of the greatest drought. It's sight alone 

 produces an agreeable sensation of coolness, and 



* This palm-tree of the plains must not be confounded with 

 the palmareal ofCaraccas and of Curiepe with pinnate leaves. 

 Nov. Gen., p. 305. .? 



f Perhaps an aiphanes. 



X Muriche, or quiteve, mauritia flexuosa. See above, 

 chap, ix, vol. iii, p. 211. { Gumilla Orinoco illustrado, 1745, 

 vol. i, p. 162—172. Giii, Storia Amer., vol. i, p. 168. 



% Pliny, lib. xii, c. vii. 



\ 



