chap. xt. DESCRIPTION OF THE TRAVELLER’S TREE. 
303 
fructification seemed to be enclosed in a tough firm spathe, 
like those of the cocoa-nut; but the subsequent development 
was more like that of the fruit of the plantain. When the 
pods, or seed vessels, of which there were forty or fifty on 
each bunch, were ripe, they burst open, and each pod was seen 
to enclose thirty or more seeds, in shape like a small bean, 
but enveloped in a fine silky fibre of the most brilliant blue 
or purple colour.* 
But this tree has been most celebrated for containing, even 
during the most arid season, a large quantity of pure fresh 
water, supplying to the traveller the place of wells in the 
desert. Whenever I inquired of the natives, they always 
affirmed that such was the fact, and that so abundant and 
pure was the water, that when the men were at work near the 
trees, they did not take the trouble to go to the stream for 
water, but drew off and drank the water from the tree. Having 
formerly been somewhat sceptical on this point, I determined 
to examine some of the trees; and during my journey this 
morning, we stopped near a clump of the trees. One of my 
bearers struck a spear four or five inches deep into the thick 
firm end of the stalk of the leaf, about six inches above its 
junction with the trunk, and on drawing it back, a stream of 
pure clear water gushed out, about a quart of which we 
caught in a pitcher, and all drank of it on the spot. It was 
cool, clear, and perfectly sweet. On further examination, I 
found that there was no filtration of the water through any 
part of the plant, as I had been led to suppose when I had 
seen water drawn by Sir William Hooker from one of the 
specimens in the palm house at Kew. There was a kind of 
natural cavity, or cistern, at the base of the stalk of each of the 
leaves, above its union with the stem, and the water which 
* A specimen of these beautiful seeds, given to me afterwards by Mr. Dow- 
land, at Mauritius, is now deposited in the museum of the Royal Gardens at 
Kew. 
