THE PELEW ISLANDS. 
it was owing to their being fprinkled by the fap of this 
tree.—This they reckoned among the unlucky trees, and 
advifed our people againft the ufe of it.—But the moft 
lingular tree noticed at Pelew, was one, in fize and in its 
manner of branching, not unlike our Cherry- tree, but in its 
leaves refembling the Myrtle. Its peculiarity was, that it 
had no bark, having only an outward coat of about the 
thicknefs of a card, darker than the inftde, though equally 
clofe in texture; the colour of the interior part being nearly 
that of mahogany, and fo extremely hard, that few of the 
tools which the EngliJJj had could work it, the wood break¬ 
ing tlieir edges almoft every moment ; a circumftance 
which, very early in the conftrudlion of their veffel, deter¬ 
mined our people againft the ufe of it.—They had alfo the 
Cabbage-tree; and a tree whofe fruit nearly refembled an al¬ 
mond the Carambola; and the wild Bread-fruit, called by 
the natives Riamall. — Yams t and cocoa-nuts being the 
chief article of fuftenance, were attended to with the ut- 
moft care ; the former were of the grey mottled kind ; the 
latter were in large plantations, affording both food and 
lhade.—The beetle-nut they had in abundance, and made 
great ufe of it, though only when green; contrary to the 
praftice of the people of India, who never ufe it but when 
dry. — They poffeffed Plantains and Bananas, Seville 
* Ttrminalia catappa of Linnaeus. f Arum efcukntum of Linnjeus. 
*99 
Qq 2 
oranges 
