TV 
(BE 17. 
The Theater of T fonts* Cha p . 144, 
1667 
Greeke Godfather,as the T* maUbashra from TamaUfatra -• yet cithers fay they are their hand rattles wherewith 
they dance. 
Chap. CXLIV. 
Palma Hairs. The thorny American Palme tree. 
F,His tree groweth in fome parts of America, both in fhape of body and leaves like unto the Date 
tree, but full of (liarpc thornes, 
bearing fruiteasbigge as an hand- 
balhbut pointed at one cnd.havmg 
within it a fine lnow white kcr- 
nell: the wood of this tree is as 
blacke as blacke matble, and finckcth in water 
becaufe of the heavineffe, and therefore fome 
have thought it to be Ebony, but Thevet contra- 
difteth that opinion with thefe reafons: firil 
that Ebony is a wood more blacke or fhining.and 
then that Ebony beareth no thornes, and laftly. 
Ebony is not found in vfrwrirtf, but in Pthiofia i 
andtheEaft Indies, about Calecut, rtre . The In¬ 
dians of this wood make them fwords, which 
for the malTmcffe give a mighty blow, and will 
breake both (cull and bones, where it lighteth on 
any,although it doth not cut as our fwords doe : 
they make alfo arrowes of them, which by rca- 
fon of their hardneife like iron, and the points of 
them burned, to make them fo penitrabte, that 
they will be able to pierce a good corfelet. 
TalraHairi. The thorny American Palmctrcc, 
Chap, CXLV- 
Palmafcripteria & alie arbaret,ciijsu fcliacr cortices charts: vicem prebent. 
The writing Palme tree and fundry others, whofe leaver and barkes have 
fupplj ed the office and want of Paper. 
Here are fundry forts of trees growing both intheEaft andWeft Indies ( although none of,he 
Nations oftheWeR Indians, except the Mtxicar.ct know any ufe of writing,or Letters, be¬ 
fore the dysttLWj'firft entrance among them, but the Spaniard: there made ufe of divers in the 
want of paper ) whofe leaves and barkes have beene u led to write on (befidcsthe ancient piper 
Reed, which ferved the former Gretkes and Earincs to that purpple for many ages, whereof 
Phnj hath largely intrcaced, and GuiUndima as largely commented upon him, and whereofI 7>ator - ; - 
have entreated alfo in another place of this WorkeJ as namely fundry dwarfe Date trees whole 
leaves have fo fmootha furface that they ferved them very finely to write on,that is, with a fmall pointed iron to 
engrave their ch trailers: herein. Thereis alfo growing in theCoiintry of Mingi, which isneere the Tartars , 
and Chinefes, a cerraine tree Called T«/,and Vgttctal, whofe leaves are very large, and through all thofe Coun 
tries are ufed to be written on .- it beareth fruitelikeurttogreatTurneps, whofe meate under the outer rinde or 
barke is render,fweete and edible. O tWasmakcth mention of two cercaine trees growing in' HittamsU t h-r- 
I lefler called Guajabara by the Indians, and by the SpamardsVucro^ becaufethe fruite thereof are like Grapes • 
the wood whereof is reddifh,found,and thicke,and fit to make coales, it beareth the fruite more loofely feparate 
in funder then the Grape, and of the colour of the Mulberry or Rofe, havinglitcle fubftance thereon robeea- 
ten, for they be as great as an Hafell Nut, and aftone within it isalmoll as great I the leaves of this tree are 
Bbbbbbb j broad 
