74 
i U M A T R A? 
to the fliore, where they are planted by the hand of nature, ihoot fortk, 
and bear fnik ; which falling, as it comes to maturity, fp rings up in 
like manner, and caufes a fucceffive reprodu£tion*. Some of thefe iflands^ 
particularly PoohMego, one of the fouthcrnmoft, are uninhabited^ except 
by rats and fquirrcls, who feaft without eoncroul upon the coconuts, un- 
Icfs when difturbed by the crews of veffels froro Sumatra, which go 
thither occalionally, to collect loadings for market. The fea-coconuts, 
which are known to be the produdion of iflands that lie north-eaft of 
Madagafcar, are fomethnes floated as f^ir as the Malay coafts, where they 
are fuppofcd to be natives of the ocean, and were held in high veneration 
for their miraculous effedrs in medicine, till a large cargoe of them was 
a few years fmce brought to Bencoolen by a French Hiip, when their 
chara&r fell with their price* 
Betel nut, and Of the Tenang or betel nut tree, which in growth and appearance is 
©rJImef- unlike the coconut* the natives make large plantations, as well as of 
the Setree^ a creeping plant, whofe leaf, of a flrong aromatic flavor, they 
eat with the betel niu and other additions : a pradice which I fliall 
hereafter defcribe. Chill or cayenne pepper, which is much ufed in their 
curries and with every article of their food, alwavs conftitutes a part of 
their irregular and inartificial gardens. Turmeric (curcuma) a yellow 
root well known in our fliopsj is likewife univerfally cultivated. It is 
of two kinds, the one called coomei tnera^ lor domeflic ufe, being alfo 
aB ingredient in their curries, pilaw s and fundry diflies; the other, comiet 
tummOj is an cxceHcnt yellow dye, and is fometimes employed in medi^ 
cine. The coriander and cardamum plants grow iir the country in great 
abundance. The latter is called by the natives pooab lako. There are 
many fpecies of the pomby the commoncft of which has extraordinary 
large leaves, like the plantain, and poflefles an aromatic quality, not un* 
• A few cof omits ha^e been driven by the fea to fomc parts of the cuaft of Madagafcar, wiierc 
they are not intligenousj as I was affurcd by a native, wlio told me their langiiage liad no name 
for them. Rutn^jhrns fays they are ctHed FoamoM (booa nisrJ a comiprion of tlie Sunaatran name, 
^hey Teem to have been little if at ill known to the andeats, thcmgh laid by TticopbraHea to 
have been produced Id £gypti 
like 
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