344 
TRAVELS IN 
of alternate expofure to heavy rains, dry winds, and a fcorcKing 
fun ; where fuch expofure has been guarded againfl:, one of the 
flighted of the woods, the Geelhout, has been known to re- 
main for more than a century, without fliewing any fymptoms 
of decay. 
In the forefts, near this bay, a creeping plant grows in great 
plenty, whofe interior bark, drawn off in fibres of forty or 
fifty feet in length, feems to be an excellent fubftitute for hemp. 
The Hottentots twift thefc fibres into very ftrong cordage. The 
bark of another native plant, a fpecies of Hibifcus, made very 
excellent hemp. The leaves of the plant were deeply divided, 
like thofe of the Cannabinus^ a fpecies of the fame genus, cul- 
tivated in India, for the purpofe of obtaining hemp from the 
bark ; but the ftem of the African Hibifcus had fmall fpines, 
and the flower was large, and of a fulphureous yellow color. 
Among the ufeful trees of the forefts, we noticed a fpecies of 
wild fig, that grew to a very confiderable fize, and bore a fruit 
refembling in fhape and appearance the Bergamot pear. It had 
a pleafant fubacid flavor, and was greedily devoured by the 
birds. The leaves were oblong-ovate. A fpecies of falvia, or 
fage, grew wild, and was much efteemed for its healing 
qualities, when applied to green wounds. A fpecies alfo of 
Solanum was much efteemed for the fame purpofe. The leaf 
refembled that of tobacco, on which account it was known by 
the name of wild tobacco j the upper fide of the leaf was dark 
green, and fmooth ; the under fide white, and woolly ; the flem 
woody and prickly. The woolly fide of the leaf applied to a 
fwelling 
