28 
A BOTANlST^b llAMJiLE IN CKNTllAL AMElllCA I 
consisted principally of the salt-loving sedges, interspersed with 
Eleusine, and Stenotaphrum, both good pasture grasses. 
N’ear the house was a large leguminous tree which was here 
known as the Graunga” or ‘‘ Gauga'-’ but though it bore consi- 
derable resemblance to the tree known under the former name in 
Jamaica, it was not the sanje. It is a tall, umbrageous tree,, with 
bijugate leaves, and brown, hairy pods, somewhat falcate in out- 
line, and 6-8 in length. These when opened are found to contain 
a sweet mucilaginous pulp enveloping the seeds, which, when 
freed from their covering were of a chocolate colour. The pulp 
much resembles that covering the seeds of Theobroraa, and has a 
pleasant sub-acid taste. 
There were also plenty of cocoanut trees, which found a con- 
genial home in the sandy soil of the beach, hut on tasting their 
produce as “ water cocoaiiuts” we found that they were much in- 
ferior in flavour to those grown on the Islands in the Lagoon, but 
their ripe nuts are equal in size and quality, to those grown in 
other places. 
The land near the house consisted principally of swampy al- 
luvial, and, probably in consequence of the recent rains, exhaled 
an odour anything but pleasant. On putting a question to Mr. 
Eiley as to the healthiness of the locality, we were informed that 
during a residence of .sixteen years he had suffered about two 
hours’ illness only. 
The people generally have a great dread of poisonous snakes 
which led us to make enquiries of our. host as to the authenticity 
of the numerous cases of snake-bite which we had had related to 
us. He informed us that he always went into the forest without 
fear of danger, but was careful to provide himself with heavy top 
boots as a precautionary measure. He says that few persons 
die from this cause and further enquiries confirmed his statement. 
That deadly snakes are present on the Mainland, there can 
be no doubt, and it is a singular fact that though they exist also 
on some of the Islands in the Lagoon, other Islands not half a 
mile distant, are happily free from these venomous reptiles. The 
most dreaded snake is one known as the Tommy Goff.” The 
treatment resorted to by Europeans is with Iodine and Ammonia 
but with th*e other inhabitants many kinds of bush are used. 
Among the most commonly reputed cures for snake-bite is a 
trailing vine known as the L^ngua-Yipara” which from a small 
leaf specimen I had brought me, I believe to be, a species of 
Artstolochia, another is ‘^Guaco” the leaves of Mikania Guaco, 
one of the Gomposit.e. Our informant told us that the Indian is 
much more sensible to terror, than the creole, and his opinion was, 
