110 
ABSURD SUPERSTITION. 
extent of seven miles, and enters the sea by several 
channels. 
At a distance, the Cape itself is a pleasing object, the 
neck of land is well covered, and beyond, the beautiful 
forms of the oil and wine palms form a graceful and 
prominent feature. 
Our Botanist’s excursions were limited to the isthmus 
and adjacent parts. On the isthmus grew Phoenix 
spinoscB, a low shrub : beyond the river, it was said to 
have flowers and fruit. 
A few Cocoas had been planted some years back, and 
had not as yet attained much height. There is here a 
strong and very prejudicial superstition relative to the 
planting of that most invaluable tree, the Cocoa palm ; 
they believe that whoever plants one will surely die 
before it produces fruit, that is to say in about seven 
years. The chief of the Fishmen yielded at last to the 
exhortations of the American Governor, though not con- 
vinced by his arguments of the folly of the superstition, and 
the real evil which such a belief entails. He was fully 
sensible of the great uses of the tree, and desirous of 
possessing some ; therefore, in order to avoid the fatal 
consequences supposed to attach to those who are 
directly instrumental in sowing them, he devised an 
ingenious method of providing a subterfuge. Having 
placed some nuts at the brink of holes previously drilled, 
he caused cattle to be driven about over the ground thus 
prepared, until all the nuts were thrown into the spaces 
and covered over by the hoofs of the beasts. 
