Chapter VI: Part 6

The stems will grow apace, but more in their bignesse then their height, (for you may if you please, keep them at this height, by cutting off the tops) and in a while they will not only touch, but imbody themselves one into another; and then they become as strong and usefull a fence, as any can be made, so close, as to keep in Conies, and keep out Rats; for, neither Cattle nor Vermine love to come neer it. And as it is a beautifull and usefull fence, for Gardens and Orchards, and to keep in Conies, Turkies, _Muscovia_ Ducks, and Dunghill foul, that cannot flie over, (having one wing clipt) so it serves us for singular use, in fencing about all our Pastures, or what other ground we would enclose: For, our fences being all made of faln trees, with the ends laid crosse one upon another, and many of those trees such wood, as were apt to rot and decay, by extream moisture, and violent heat; and the Planters having found the most of them were rotten and decayed, and to make new fences of that kind unpossible, by reason the timbers and trees that grew very neer that place, were imployed in making those fences, (for as they made them, the timber stood in their way, and no more adoe but cut them down, and lay them in their places without further removing) and removes of so great trees as they were, not to be done with few and weak hands: So that they were come to a great strait, and knew not which way, nor how, to renew these fences; some of the Pastures having no lesse then three thousand two hundred sixty eight trees to encompasse them. At last, they thought upon this way, of making new fences, which is the most commodious that can be imagined. And so they gather’d all the Physick-nuts they could, and sowed them, and made large Nurseries of them, which as soon as they grew to any strength, they remov’d, and planted them so, as making a sleight hedge between the old fence and the Pasture, that Cattle might not tread them down, being young and tender, they planted them between; and in four years time they grew so strong, as they were of sufficient ability to defend themselves, and became a very sufficient fence to keep in or out the strongest Bulls in the Pasture. And then, all the wood of the old fence being drie, and fit for the Furnaces, was cut in short pieces, cleft, and sent home by the Assinigos; and part was gathered together, and made into Charcoals, for fewell at home, and for the Smiths Forge, for we have there no Sea-coales. Besides this, there is another use of this Plant, and that is Physicall: Take five of the kernells, and eat them in a morning fasting, and they are a Vomit and Purge; but the body must be strong that takes so many: three will serve a body that is easie to work on: I my selfe took five of them, and they gave me twelve vomits, and above twenty stooles, which was too great an evacuation in a hot Country, where the body is weak, and the spirits exhausted by continuall sweating.

But I saw a stronger man there take them before me, and they wrought moderately with him; but, finding a weaker constitution to work on, they had the more powerfull operation.

This Nut, as it growes on the tree, is like a white Pear-plumb, and of a yellowish colour, with a pulpe on it, as much as a Plumb; but that being taken off, there remains a stone, of a blackish colour, and within that, a kernell, and in that kernell, in the parting it in two halves, as our Hazle-nuts in _England_, will part in the middle long-wise, you shall finde a thin filme, which lookes of a faint Carnation, which colour is easily discerned, the rest of the kernell being so perfectly white; Take out that filme, and you may eat the nut safely, without any operation at all, and ’tis as sweet, as a _Jordan_-Almond. This filme is perfectly discern’d, when the nut is new gathered; but I have look’d on them which have been longer kept, after I brought them into _England_, and I finde the Carnation colour quite gone, but the kernell retaines still his operation, both in Vomit and Purge.

The leaves are shap’d not much unlike a Vine leafe, but thrice as big, and much thicker, and fuller green.

[Sidenote: _Poyson tree._]

The poysoned tree, though I cannot commend for her vertues, yet for her beauties I can. She is almost as large every way as the Locust, but not of that manner of growing; her leaves full out as large and beautifull, as the Lawrells, and so like, as not to be known assunder. The people that have lived long there, say, ’tis not wholsome to be under the shade of this tree. The fellers, as they cut them down, are very carefull of their eyes; and those that have Cipers, put it over their faces; for if any of the sap flie into their eyes, they become blinde for a month. A Negre had two Horses to walke, which were left with him by two Gentlemen; and the Horses beginning to fight, the Negre was afeard, and let them go; and they running into the wood together, struck at one another, and their heeles hitting some young trees of this kind, struck the poysonous juice into one anothers eyes, and so their blindnesse parted the fray, and they were both led home stone blind, and continued so a month, all the hair and skin pilling off their faces. Yet, of this timber we make all, or the most part, of the Pots we cure our Sugar in; for, being sawed, and the boards dried in the Sun, the poyson vapours out.

And as this tree’s poyson is in her sap, so the Mantionell’s is in her fruit, which they account as high a poyson, as that of the Cassavie. The fruit is like an apple _John_, and ’tis said to be one of those poysons, wherewith the Indian Caniballs invenome their Arrowes.

[Sidenote: _Cassavie._]

And now I have nam’d the Cassavie, ’tis fit it come in the rank of poysons, though with good ordering it makes bread. ’Tis rather a shrub then a tree, the sprigs, few of them bigger then a broom-staffe, crooked and ill shap’d; but no matter for that, for the leaves are so thick, as to cover them; and they grow in tufts or bunches, and ever an odd one, as, 5. 7. 9. or 11. every leafe an inch broad, and six or seven inches long; dark green, and turning backward from the foreside. Their Roots I have set down already, their bignesse, and manner of growth, with the use of them.

[Sidenote: _Coloquintida._]

Coloquintida is as beautifull a fruit, as any you can see, of the bignesse of an Ostrages egge; a fruit of so ill a taste, as a spoonfull of the liquor mars a whole pot of pottage; the rinde smooth, with various greens, interlac’d with murries, yellowes, and faint carnations.

[Sidenote: _Cassia-fistula._]

Next to this shall be the Cassia fistula, which is a tree that will grow the most, in the least time, of any that ever I knew: I set one of the seeds, (which is but a small seed) and in a yeers time, it grew to be eight foot high, and as large and big in the stem, as an ordinary Rattoon you walk withall: The leaf of this tree is like that of an Ash, but much longer, and of a darker colour; the fruit, when ’tis ripe, just of the colour of a black pudding, and shap’d as like, but longer. I have seen of them above 16 inches long; the pulp of it is purgative, and a great cooler of the reins.

[Sidenote: _The poysoned Cane._]

Now because we will have all, or as many of the poysonous and Physicall trees and plants together as we can, that they may not trouble another leafe, we will put in a plant amongst the trees, and that is so like a sugar Cane as hardly to be discern’d, the one from the other: and this Plant hath this quality, that whosoever chews it, and sucks in any of the juyce, will have his tongue, mouth, and throat, so swell’d as to take away the faculty of speech for two dayes, and no remedy that I know but patience.

[Sidenote: _Tamarine._]

Tamarine trees were but newly planted in the Iland, at the time I came away, and the Palme tree (so much admir’d for her two rare vertues of Oyle and Wine) was newly begun to be planted, the plant being brought us from the _East Indies_, but the Wine she brings may rather be called a pleasant drink, then to assume the name of Wine: ’tis thus gather’d, they cut the bark in such a part of the tree, where a bottle may fitly be plac’t, and the liquor being received into this bottle, it wil keep very good for a day and no longer, but is a very delicious kind of liquor.

[Sidenote: _Fruit trees._]

[Sidenote: _Figge tree._]

The poysonous trees and plants being past over: ’tis now fit to mention such as will make amends, and put our mouths in taste, but not too suddenly to fall upon the best, I will begin with the most contemptible fruits which are in the Iland, the Fig tree and Cherry tree, which have savory names, but in their natures neither usefull, nor well tasted. The Fig tree being very large, but beares a small fruit, and those of so meane a condition, as I never saw any one eate of them, and the leaves not at all of the shape of our Fig leaves, nor the fifth part so large, the body of the tree I have seen as large as; an ordinary Elme here in England.

[Sidenote: _Cherry tree._]

The Cherry tree is not altogether so large, the fruit as useless and insipid: but the colour something resembling a Cherry, and the shape not much unlike; which caused the planters to call it by that name.

The next to these shall be fruites, rather for sauce then meat, to whet our appetites to those that follow after; and these are the Citrons, Oranges, Lymons, Lyme.

The Citron is a small tree, though she beare a great fruit; and so ill matcht they are, as the fruit pulls it down to the ground, and most of the fruit touches, and beares upon the ground; the stalk of a dark colour, the leafe shap’t like that of the Limon, but of a very dark green: these fruits we had in great abundance, when first we came there, but were all cast away, by reason we had none but Muscavado suger, and that is not fit to preserve with; besides there were very few then that had the skill to do them.

[Sidenote: _Orange._]

The Orange trees do not prosper here, nor are the fruits so kindly as those of _Bermudos_: large they are and full of juice, but not so delicious as those of that Iland; besides they are very full of seeds, and their rinds neither so deep, and pure an Orange Tawny, nor so thick, and therefore not so fit to preserve: the trees seldome last above seven years in their prime, and then decay.

[Sidenote: _Limon._]

The Limon tree is much better shap’t and larger, but this fruit is but here and there, stragling in the Iland. I have seen some of the fruit large, and very full of juice, with a fragrant smell: the leaves both of these and the Orange trees, I shall not need to mention being so well known in England.

[Sidenote: _Lime-tree._]

The Lime tree is like a thick Hollybush in England, and as full of prickles: if you make a hedge of them, about your house, ’tis sufficient proofe against the _Negres_; whose naked bodies cannot possible enter it, and it is an extraordinary sure fence against Cattell; it commonly growes seven or eight foot high, extreamly thick of leaves and fruit, and of prickles; the leaves not unlike those of a Limon tree, the fruit so like as not to be discerned, at the distance of three yeards, but only that ’tis less, but in the taste of the rinde and juice, extreamly different, much fitter for sauce then the Limon, but not so good to eate alone.

[Sidenote: _Prickled apple._]

The Prickled apple, growes on a tree extreamly thick leav’d, and those leaves large, and of a deep green, shap’t not much unlike the leafe of a Wallnut tree in England: this fruit is shap’t like the heart of an Oxe, and much about that bigness; a faint green on the outside, with many prickles on it, the tast very like a musty Limon.

[Sidenote: _Prickled Peare._]

The next in order, shall be the Prickled peare, much purer in taste and better form’d; the fruit being not unlike in shape to a Greenfield-peare, and of a faint green, intermixt with some yellow neare the stalk; but the body of a mixt red, partly Crimson, partly Stammell, with prickled spots of yellow, the end of it growing somewhat larger then the middle, at which end, is a round spot of a murrey colour, the bredth of an inch, and circular with a Centre in the middle, and a small circle about it, and from that circle within, lines drawn to the utmost extent of that round Murrey spot, with faint circles betweene the small circle and the largest, upon that Murrey spot.

These lines and circles, of a colour no more different in lightnesse from the murry, then only to be discerned, and a little yellower colour.

[Sidenote: _Pomegranate._]

The Pomegranate is a beautifull tree the leaves small, with a green mixt with Olive colour, the blossome large, well shap’t, and of a pure Scarlet colour; the fruit not so large there, as those we have from Spaine. The young trees being set in rowes, and planted thick make a very good hedge, being clipt eeven a top with Garden shears. The fruit is very well known to you and therefore I shall need say nothing of that, and these are all the remarkable fruits that grow on trees, and are proper to this Iland, that I can remember, though I believe there are many more.

_The Prickled Peare_

_The Blossom of the Pomegranate_

page. 70.]

[Sidenote: _Papa._]

The Papa is but a small tree, her bark of a faint willow colour, her leaves large, and of the shape of the Physick nut tree, but of the colour of her own bark, the branches grow out four or five of one height, and spread almost levell, from the place where they bud out; to the ends of the branches, and about two foot higher, such other branches spreading in the same manner, and if the tree grow to a greater height then ordinary, a story or two more of these bowes: the top handsomely form’d to the branches, the fruit somewhat bigger then Turnips, growing close to the body of the tree, where the branches grow, and are somewhat a fainter Willow, then either the body, branches, or leaves. The tree, though it may be accounted wood, yet the softest that yet I ever saw; for, with my knife, I can cut down a tree as big as a mans leg at one chop. The fruit we boyl, and serve it up with powdred pork, as we do turnips in _England_; but the turnip is far the more savoury fruit.

[Sidenote: _Guaver._]

The Guaver growes on a Tree, bodied and leav’d like a Cherry-tree, but the leaves somewhat larger and stiffer; the fruit of the bignesse of a small Limon, and neer that colour, onely the upper end somewhat blunter then the Limon; the rinde about the thicknesse of the rinde of a Limon, but soft, and of a delicate taste; it holds within a pulpie substance, full of small seeds, like a fig, some of them white within, and some of a stammell colour. These seeds have this property, that when they have past through the body, wheresoever they are laid down, they grow. A Planter, & an eminent man in the Iland, seeing his Daughter by chance about her naturall businesse, call’d to her: _Plant even, Daughter, plant even_. She answered: _If you do not like ’em, remove ’em, Father, remove ’em_. These fruites have different tastes, some rank, some sweet; so that one would give a reason of this variety, which was, according to the severall constitutions they had past through, some having a milder, some a stronger savour.

This tree doth much harm in our Plantations; for the Cattle eating of them, let fall their loads every where, and so they grow in abundance, and do much harm to the Pastures, and much pains and labour is taken to destroy them. They are the best fruites preserv’d of any, the seeds being taken out, and the rinde only preserved.

[Sidenote: _Coco._]

I have been told by some Planters in the Iland, that Coco-trees grow there, and they are such men as I give credit to, but I never saw any; yet, I may venture to tell what shapes they bear, having been well acquainted with them at the Iland of St. _Jago_, where there grew very many of them. They seldome are above 80. or 90 foot high, some a 100. The branches of these come out in severall parts of the tree, leaving spaces between the heights; but the greatest quantity is at top, and that top alwaies stoops a little; but the Nuts grow where the lower boughes break out.

These Nuts are of severall sises, the most of them as big as a large foot-ball, with a green skin without, and between that and the shell, a pulpy substance, which when it is drie, is like the rinde of the Mangrave tree, of which they make roaps, or (to bring the resemblance a little neerer) like hemp hurds. This Nut-shell is neer half an inch thick, which we commonly cut at one end, a hole as big as a thirty shilling piece, and we finde the shell full of a clear and pure tasted liquor, very delicious, but not very wholsome. This shell is lin’d within with a substance as thick as it selfe, a white colour, and tastes sweeter then the best french Walnut, and of that softnesse. The colour of the leaves of this tree, are like the Olive leaves.

[Sidenote: _Custard-Apple._]

The Custard apple growes on a tree full of branches and large leaves, and is a lively and lusty tree to look on; the fruit, when ’tis ripe, as big as the largest Pomewater, but just of the colour of a Warden. When ’tis ripe, we gather it, and keep it one day, and then it is fit to be eaten. We cut a hole at the lesser end, (that it may stand the firmer in the dish) so big, as that a spoon may go in with ease, and with the spoon eat it. Never was excellent Custard more like it selfe, then this to it; only this addition, which makes it transcend all Custards that art can make, though of naturall ingredients; and that is, a fruity taste, which makes it strange and admirable. Many seeds there are in it, but so smooth, as you may put them out of your mouth with some pleasure.

[Sidenote: _Anchovie-Pear._]

’Twas never my luck to see any of those trees, that bear the Anchovie-Pears, nor to taste of the fruit, and therefore can give you no account of that tree; only to let you know, that there is such a tree in the Iland.

[Sidenote: _Trees of mixt kinds. Macow._]

The Macow is one of the strangest trees, the Iland affords; the body and branches being stuck all over with prickles, of the finest formes that I have seen.

They are black as jet, or Ebony polish’d; the sises, from one to seven inches long, sharp at the point, with proportionable increasings, from that part where it growes to the tree or bough, and wav’d, as I have seen some swords, from the point to the hilts, the finest naturall pick-tooths that can grow. I brought a large bundle with me, but had them pickt out of my Box by the way. This tree is about the largenesse of an ordinary Willow, the leaves of that colour and shape, but extreamly stiffe and hard.

It bears at top a large tuffe of fruit, which we call Apples, but they are not a fruit to be eaten; their colour as their leaves, willow-green, and just such for shape as the Cyprus tree bears. Sure, Nature form’d this tree to some great purpose, she is so arm’d; for neither man nor beast can touch her, without being wounded. She is well shap’d, her body straight, her branches well proportion’d, her top round.

[Sidenote: _Date tree._]

Next to this in colour are Date-trees, but the leaves somewhat longer. The shape of this tree I cannot give you, having never seen any old enough to bear the name of a tree, but sprigs rising from the root, at least ten foot high.

[Sidenote: _Mangrave._]

The Mangrave is a tree of such note, as she must not be forgotten; for, though she be not of the tall and lusty sort of trees, yet, she is of great extent; for, there drops from her limbs a kinde of Gum, which hangs together one drop after another, till it touch the ground, and then takes root, and makes an addition to the tree. So that if all these may be said to be one and the same tree, we may say, that a Mangrave tree may very well hide a troop of Horse. The bark of this tree being well ordered, will make very strong roaps, and the Indians make it as fine as flax, and spin it into fine thred, whereof they make Hamocks, and divers other things they wear: and I have heard, the linnen they wear is made of this bark, as also their chaires and stooles.

[Sidenote: _Calibash._]

The Calibash tree bears leaves of the fullest and richest green, of any that I know, and the greatest plenty of leaves; her fruit not for food, it is for the most part as big as that of the Coco, round as a ball, green as the leaves of the same tree, smooth and shining, and their manner of growing is so close to the body, and the largest of the boughes, as to touch them so, that till it be pull’d or cut off, we cannot perceive any stalk it has. Of this round ball, we make dishes, bowls and cups; for, being hollow within, as the Coco-nut, we employ them for severall uses, as they are of different sises; some for dishes, some for cups, some for basons, and some of the largest to carry water in, as we do Goards, with handles a top, as that of a kettle, for they are smoother, and much stronger then they. These look very beautifully on the tree, and to me the more beautifull, by how much they were the more strange; for, by their firm and close touching the trees, without any appearance of stalks, they seem to cleave, rather then grow to the trees.

[Sidenote: _Bay tree._]

One, and but one tree in this Iland have I seen, that bears an English name, and that is the Bay tree, whose leaves are so aromatick, as three or four of them will amply supply the place of Cloves, Mace, and Cinamon, in dressing any dish of meat where that is required. It differs nothing in shape or colour from ours in _England_.

[Sidenote: _Timber trees._]

The Cedar is without question the most usefull timber in the Iland; for being strong, lasting, and not very heavy, ’tis good for building; but by reason of the smoothnesse and fairnesse of the grain, there is much of it us’d in Wainscots, Chairs, Stooles, and other Utensils within dores; but, as they grow, I never saw any of them beautifully shap’d, the leaves just like those of the Ash in _England_, but somewhat bigger.

[Sidenote: _Mastick._]

The Mastick is a tree very tall, but the body slender, and therefore Nature hath provided means to support her; for, she has spurs or brackets above seven foot from the ground, which are fixt or engrafted in the body; and some of the spurs reach out from the tree to the root, so broad, as that tables have been made of a round form, above three foot and a halfe diameter. Some trees have two, some three of these spurrs. This tree has commonly a double top, one side being somewhat higher then the other. The fruit is like none of the rest, ’tis of a stammell colour, and has neither skin nor stone; but it is more like a Cancre then a Fruit, and is accounted unwholsom, and therefore no man tastes it: ’tis, I believe, the seed of the tree, for we see none other. The leaves of this tree grow of such a height, as till they fall down, we can give no judgment of them. The timber of this tree is rank’d amongst the fourth sort, three being better then it. I have seen the bodies of these trees neer sixty foot high.

[Sidenote: _Bully._]

The Bully tree is lesse then the Mastick, and bears a fruit like a Bullis in _England_; her body streight, and well shap’t; her branches proportionable, her timber excellent and lasting.

[Sidenote: _Redwood._]

Redwood is a handsome tree, but not so loftie as the Mastick, excellent timber to work, for it is not so hard as some others, which is the cause they seldome break their tooles in working it, and that is the reason the work-men commend it above others. ’Tis a midling tree for sise, the body about two foot and a halfe diameter.

[Sidenote: _Prickled yellow-wood._]

This is accounted as good as the Red-wood in all respects, and is a strong and lasting timber, good for building, and for all uses within doors.

[Sidenote: _Iron wood._]

Iron wood is called so, for the extream hardnesse; and with that hardnesse it has such a heavinesse, as they seldome use it in building; besides, the workmen complain that it breaks all their tools. ’Tis good for any use without doores, for neither Sun nor rain can any waies mollifie it. ’Tis much used for Coggs to the Rollers.

[Sidenote: _Lignum vitæ._]

_Lignum vitæ_ they use now and then for the same purpose, when the other is away; but having no bowling in that Country, little is used: They send it commonly for _England_, where we employ it to severall uses; as, for making Bowles, Cabinets, Tables, and Tablemen.

[Sidenote: _Locust._]

The Locust is a tree, not unfitly to be resembled to a Tuscan Pillar, plain, massie, and rurall, like a well lim’d labourer; for, the burden it bears being heavy and ponderous, ought to have a body proportionably built, to bear so great a weight. That rare Architect, _Vitruvius_, taking a pattern from Trees, to make his most exact Pillars, rejects the wreathed, vined, and figured Columnes; and that _Columna Atticurges_, mentioned by himselfe, to have been a squared Pillar; and those that are swell’d in the middle, as if sick of a Tympany or Dropsie, and chuses rather the straightest, most exact, and best sis’d, to bear the burthen that lies on them. So, looking on these trees, and finding them so exactly to answer in proportion to the Tuscan Pillars, I could not but make the resemblance the other way: For, Pillars cannot be more like Trees, then these Trees are like Tuscan Pillars, as he describes them. I have seen a Locust (and not one, but many) that hath been four foot diameter in the body, neer the root, and for fifty foot high has lessened so proportionably, as if it had taken pattern by the antient Remainders, which _Philander_ was so precise in measuring, which is a third part of the whole shaft upward, and is accounted as the most gracefull diminution. The head to this body is so proportionable, as you cannot say, ’tis too heavy or too leight; the branches large, the sprigs, leaves, and nuts so thick, as to stop all eye sight from passing through, and so eeven at top, as you would think you might walk upon it, and not sink in. The Nuts are for the most part three inches and a halfe long, and about two inches broad, and somewhat more then an inch thick; the shell somewhat thicker then a halfe crown piece, of a russet Umbre, or hair colour; the leaves bigger than those that grow upon the Ash in _England_: I shall not mention the timber, having given it in my Buildings. The Kernells are three or four in every nut, and between those, a kinde of light pulpie substance, such as is in a Hazle-nut, before the kernell be grown to the full bignesse: In times of great famine there, the poor people have eaten them for sustenance: But, of all tastes, I do not like them.

[Sidenote: _Bastard-Locust._]

Another Locust there is, which they call the bastard-Locust. This lookes fair, but will not last.

[Sidenote: _Palmeto the lesse._]

There is a tree called the _Palmeto_, growing neer the Sea-coast, which being a sandy light ground, does not afford that substance of mould, to make a large tree; nor shall you finde in that low part of the Iland, any considerable trees fit for building, which is a main want and hinderance to them that would build there; for, there is no means to transport any from the high lands, by reason of the unpassableness of the wayes; the body of this tree I have seen about 45 or 50 foot high, the Diameter seldome above 15 or 16 inches, the rind of a pure ash colour, full of wrinkles, the leaves about two foot and a halfe long, in bunches, just as if you took twenty large flaggs, with their flat sides together, and tied them at the broader ends. With these bunches they thatch houses, laying every bunch by himselfe on the lathes, somewhat to overhang one another, as tiles do. This is a very close kind of thatch, keeps dry and is very lasting, and looking up to them on the inside of the room, they are the prettiest becomming figures that I have seen of that kind, these leaves grow out no where but at the tops of the trees.

[Sidenote: _Palmeto Royall._]

Another kind of Palmeto there is, which as it has an addition to the name, has likewise an addition to the nature: for I beleive there is not a more Royall or Magnificent tree growing on the earth, for beauty and largeness, not to be paralell’d; and excels, so abundantly in those two properties and perfections, all the rest, as if you had ever seen her, you could not chuse but fall in love with her; I’m sure I was extreamly much, and upon good and Antique Authority: For if _Xerxes_ strange Lydian love the Plantane tree, was lov’d for her age, why may not I love this for her largeness? I beleive there are more women lov’d for their largeness then their age, if they have beauty for an addition, as this has; and therefore I am resolv’d in that poynt, to go along with the multitude, who run very much that way: but how to set her out in her true shape and colour, without a Pencill, would aske a better Pen then mine; yet I will deliver her dimensions as neer truth as I can, and for her beauty much will arise out of that. But first I will beg leave of you to shew her in her Infancy, which is about tenne or twelve years old, at which time she is about seventeen foot high, her body and her branches, and that part which touches the ground, not unlike an Inkhorne, which I have seen turn’d in Ivory, round at the bottome and bellied like that part which holds the Inke; and the stem or body of the tree, growing less, as that part which holds the Pens, but turn’d by a more skilfull workman; and some of this body, part tawny, part purple, with rings of white and green mixt, that go about her; and these rings at sixe inches distance. This stem, to be about sixe foot and a halfe high, upon which growes the bottome of the stalks, thinne as leaves of Parchment, enwrapping one another so close as to make a continued stem, of the same bigness, for two foot and a halfe above the other, every one of those filmes or skins, bearing a stalk, which lessens so insensibly, from the skinne to the poynt as none but the great former of all beauty can make the like.

These stalks or branches, are of severall lengths, those that are the most inward, are the highest; and every one of those stalks adorn’d with leaves, beginning a little from the filmes to the poynt, and all these leaves like Cylinders, sharp at either end, and biggest in the middle; that part of the stem which is the enwrappings of the filmes of a pure grasse green, shining as parchment dyed green, and slickt with a slick-stone, and all the branches with the leaves, of a full grass green spreading every way, and the highest of them eight foot above the green stem, the other in order to make a well shap’t Top, to so beautifull a stem. The branches sprout forth from the middle, or intrinsick part of the tree, one at once; and that wrapt up so close as tis rather like a Pike then a branch with leaves, and that Pike alwayes bends toward the East; but being opened by the Suns heat spreads the leaves abroad, at which time the outmost or eldest branch or sprig below withers and hangs down, and pulls with it the filme that beares it, and so both it and the filme which holds it up turne of a russet colour and hang down like a dead leafe, till the wind blowes them off; by which time the Pike above is become a branch, with all its leaves opened; then comes forth another Pike, and then the next outmost branch and filme below, falls away as the former, and so the tree growes so much higher, as that branch took roome, and so a pike and a dead leafe, a pike and a dead leafe, till she be advanc’t to her full height which will not be till 100 years be accomplished: about thirty or forty years old, she will bear fruit, but long before that time, changes her shape, her belly being lessened partly by the multiplicity of roots, she shoots down into the earth (nature foreseeing how great a weight they were to beare, and how great a stress they were to suffer, when the winds take hold of so large a head, as they were to be crown’d with) and partly by thrusting out sustenance and substance, to raise and advance the stem or body (for out of this belly which is the storehouse of all this good it comes) so that now she becomes taper, with no more lessning then a well shap’t arrow, and full out as straight, her body then being of a bright Ash colour, with some dapples of green, the filmes a top retaining their smoothness and greenness, only a little variation in the shape, & that is a little swelling neer the place that touches the stem or body, not much unlike an Urinall, so that the swelling that was in the body, is now raised up to the filmes or skinns above. But at this age, the branches stand not so upright, as when the tree was in her minority, but has as great beauty in the stooping and declension, as she had in the rising of her branches, when her youth thrusts them forth with greater violence and vigour, and yet they had then some little stooping neer the poynts. And now there is an addition to her beauty by two green studds, or supporters, that rise out of her sides, neer the place where the filmes joyne to the tree, and they are about three foot long, small at the place from whence they grow, but bigger upwards, purely green and not unlike the Iron that Glasiers use to melt their Sawder with.

page. 76.]

One growes on one side of the tree, the other on the other side, and between these two of the same height, on either side the tree, a bush upon which the fruit growes, which are of the bigness of large French grapes, some green, some yellow, some purple, and when they come to be purple, they are ripe, and in a while fall down, and then the yellow becomes purple, and the green yellow; and so take their turnes, till the tree gives over bearing. These fruits we can hardly come by being of so great a height, nor is it any great matter: for the taste is not pleasant; but the Hoggs find them very agreeable to their palats for those that eat of them grow suddenly fat. I have seen an _Negre_ with two short ropes clyme the tree, and gather the fruit, about this time, she is 80 foot high, and continues that forme, without variation; only as she growes older, so taller and larger; and has alwaies green, yellow, and purple fruit, succeeding one another; whether there be blossomes, I know not, for I never went so high as to look. This sort of trees I have seen of all sises, from ten, to two hundred foot high; and I have been told by some of the antient Planters, that when they came first upon the Iland, they have seen some of them three hundred foot high: And some reasons I have to perswade me to believe it; for, amongst those that I have seen growing, which I have guest to be two hundred foot high, the bodies of which I measured, and found to be but sixteen inches diameter. And I once found in a wood, a tree lying, which seem’d to have been long fallen; for, the young wood was so grown about her, as standing at one end, I could not see the other: But, having a couple of Negres with me, that were axe-men, I caused them to cut away the wood that grew about the tree, that I might come to the other end, which I thought would never be done, she was so long, and yet a great part of her cut off, and carried away. I measured the diameter of her stem, and found it to be 25 inches.

16 ----- 200
/
/
/
25 ----- 312

200 ----- 25
/
/
/
312 ----- 39

Now if we go by the rule of Three, and say, If 16 inches diamiter make 200 foot high, what shall 25 inches? And by this rule we shall prove her to be 312 foot high. But the branches of this tree were all carried away, so that I could see none of them. But I have measured a branch of one of those trees of 200 foot high, and found it 25 foot long. So then, by the same Rule: If 200 foot high bear a branch of 25 foot long, what shall a Tree of 312 foot high do? And I see by the same Rule, it appears to be 39 foot long. And one of these trees, after she comes to bear fruit, will have no lesse then 20 branches at once, (but many more in her nonage) and halfe of them hold this length. I have seen a branch of one of these small trees of 200 foot high, fallen down, and blown from the tree in the falling, twenty paces off, which has made me admire from whence it should come: For, the tree being of so great a height, the branches lose much of their bignesse and length by their distance: But, lying on the ground, where we can take the just measure, we find what they are. And it is an admirable thing, to see the form of this sprig or branch, which is not above two inches broad where it joynes to the film, and is lessening of the breadth from that end to the point, which is twenty five foot long, so insensible, as it is not possible to discern where the diminution is. So smooth, so eeven, so firme and tough, as though it be not wood, ’tis much stronger, and abler to endure the weather, or any kinde of bending. The leaves that grow upon this stalk, are all of them (unlesse towards the points) two foot long; that part which touches the stalk, small, but strong enough to bear the leafe, and has a little short stalk, to which the leafe growes, which leafe is as exactly form’d, as the stalk, growing by degrees, to make two inches broad in the middle, and losing that breadth insensibly to the point. These leaves are thin, but tough enough, to endure the strongest winde that blowes, without being broken, and not above four inches distant one from another; which multiplicity of leaves, makes the beauty of the tree the fuller. About the time this tree parts with her belly, & growes to a slender kind of shape, she drawes up amongst her roots some of the soyle that bred her, about two foot higher than the levell of ground that is neer it; and by reason it is held in by an infinity of small roots, that come from the body, it there remaines firm, and falls not down; the outside of this earth is about a foot round about, broader than the diameter of the tree; so that if the diameter of the tree be a foot, the diameter of this earth is three foot at top, but somewhat more below; for the sides are not so steep, as to hold one breadth above and below. If this earth were beautifull, smooth, and large enough, it might be called the Pedistan to that Corinthian Pillar, the Palmeto Royall. But what is wanting in the Pedistall, is supplyed in the dimensions of the Pillar; for, the Corinthian Pillar is allowed for length but nine of her own diameters, and this will not aske leave to take 150. which makes her the more beautifull, since the strength she hath, is able to support the weight she bears: And for the Architrave, Frize, and Cornise, they are not to be compar’d with the beauty of the head of this Pillar, together with the fruit & supporters. And I believe, if _Vitruvius_, himself had ever bin where this Pillar grew, he would have chang’d all his deckings and garnishings of Pillars, according to the form of this. And though the Corinthian Pillar be a Columne laciviously deckt, like a Curtesan, and therein participating (as all inventions do) of the place where they were first born; (_Corinth_ having been without controversy, one of the wantonnest Townes in the world) yet, this wants nothing of her beauty, and yet is chast, which makes her the more admirable and the more worthy to be prised. One thing more I have to say of this tree, which is not onely the root that brings forth all this beauty, but the root of much admiration and wonder; that, being a tree of that height, bearing a top of so vast an extent, as from the point of the branches of one side, to the point of the stalk on the other side, to be 78 foot, upon which, the winde cannot but have a main power and force; yet, I never saw any of them blown down, nor any root of this tree bigger then a Swans quill: but there are many of them, and they fasten themselves in the Rocks, which hold them very firm. The wood of this tree is so extream hard, and tough withall, as most of the axes that are employed to fell them, are broken in the work; and they are well enough serv’d, for cutting down such beauty. The use our Planters made of them at first comming, before they knew how to make shingles, was, to saw the bodies of these trees to such lengths, as might reach from the ridge pole, to the Eves of the house; for, they were hollow, and then sawing them long-wise, there were two concaves, which they laid together, setting the hollow sides upward; and where they close, one to cover them, with the hollow side downward, and so the whole house over. And this was the use they made of the bodies of these Trees, for which, very many of them were destroyed.

This plant here exprest is of the least Magnitude being but a foot in diametre, and the height som what less then 100 tymes his owne diametre; But there have bin some growing upon the Iland, which have bin two foot diametre, and have bin 150 tymes theyr owne diametre, which is 300 foot high.

page. 78.]

But, I doubt, I have tir’d you with the naming of so many trees, and therefore I will give over; but, with this rule; that which way soever I have travelled, (from the place I dwelt) either East, West, North, or South; (but four miles distant) I have still found trees, such as I had never seen before, and not one of those I have named, and many of them extreamly large and beautifull. And the neerer the middle of the Iland, the larger the trees, and the leaves: so that from trees of a hundred foot high, to diminution of twenty; and from leaves of eighteen inches long, with a proportionable breadth to that length, to the smal ones of halfe an inch, which most of the trees bear that are neer the _Bridge_, and, I think, neer the Sea, every where you shall finde many, and the most such. And the reason I have given before; the land in the highest part of the Iland, being very rich mould, and that neer the Sea being sandy light earth. And in the partings or twists of the branches of those trees, (which I have not named) such excrescences grow out, as are strange for their formes, and no doubt medicinable in their natures; such as is our _Misleto_, or _Polypodium_, and much larger, and more frequent; but we want skilfull men, to find out their vertues.

[Sidenote: _Plants that bear fruit. Ginger._]

There are (besides the Bay-leaves, which, as I told you, might serve for Cloves, Mace, and Cinamon) two sorts of spices, Ginger, and red-Pepper: The Ginger being a root which brings forth blades, not unlike in shape to the blades of Wheat, but broader and thicker, for they cover the ground so, as you cannot see any part of it. They are of a popinjay colour, the blossome a pure scarlet. When ’tis ripe, we dig up the roots, (cutting off the blades) and put them into the hands of an Overseer, who sets many of the young Negres to scrape them, with little knives; or small iron spuds, ground to an edge. They are to scrape all the outward skin off, to kill the spirit; for, without that, it will perpetually grow. Those that have Ginger; and not hands to dresse it thus, are compell’d to scald it, to kill the spirit; and that Ginger is nothing so good as the other, for it will be hard as wood, and black; whereas the scrapt Ginger is white and soft, and has a cleaner and quicker taste.

[Sidenote: _Red Pepper._]

There is of this kinde two sorts, the one so like a childs Corall, as not to be discerned at the distance of two paces; a crimson and scarlet mixt, the fruit about three inches long, and shines more then the best polisht Corall. The other, of the same colour, and glistering as much, but shap’t like a large button of a Cloak; both of one and the same quality; both so violently strong, as when we break but the skin, it sends out such a vapour into our lungs; as we fall all a coughing; which lasts a quarter of an hour after the fruit is removed; but, as long as we are garbling it, we never give over. This Spice the Spaniards love, and will have it in all their meat, that they intend to have picant; for a greater _Hough goo_ is not in the World. Garlick is faint and cool to it. It growes on a little shrub, no bigger then a Goosbery-bush.

[Sidenote: _Cucumber._]

Having inflam’d this leafe with a burning heat, it is fit to apply a Cooler, lest it fall on fire; and that is such a one, as is cold in the third degree, a Cucumber; of which kind we have excellent good, from the beginning of _November_ to the end of _February_; but after that, the weather growes too hot. They serve as Sallets cold, with Oyle, Vinegar, and Pepper; and hot, being stewed, or fryed, of which we make Sawce for Mutton, Pork, Turkeyes, or Muscovia Ducks. Geese I never saw but two in the Iland, and those were at the Governours house.

[Sidenote: _Millons._]

Millons we have likewise for those foure months; but before or after, the weather is too hot. They are for the most part larger than here in _England_. I have seen them cut four inches thick; they eat moister then here they do, which makes them the lesse wholsome. We take no other care (after the seeds are put into the ground) but to weed them. I have seen of them sixteen inches long.

[Sidenote: _Water-Millon._]

The Water Millon there, is one of the goodliest fruites that growes. I have seen of them, big as a Cloakbag, with a suit of clothes in it; purely green, engrayl’d with straw colour; And so wanton Nature is, in disposing those figures, as though they be upon all parts of the fruit; yet, they vary and flow so infinitely, as no inch of square or circle is to be found upon the rinde, that is like one another, and the whole rinde as smooth as polisht glasse. Where they put out upon the ground, there they lie; for the Vine they grow by, has not strength to remove them. This fruit within is not unlike an Apple for colour; but for taste, not like any fruit I know in _England_, waterish, and wallowish; yet the people there eat strange quantities of it, two or three pieces, big, as if cut round about a twelve-penny loafe, an inch thick: They hold it rarely cooling to the body, and excellent for the stone. The seeds are of themselves so strong a Purple, as to dye that part of the fruit it touches, of the same colour; and till they do so, the fruit is not full ripe: They account the largest, best. Extreamly full of seeds they are, which in the eating slip out with such ease, as they are not at all troublesome.

[Sidenote: _Grapes._]

Grapes we have in the Iland, and they are indifferently well tasted, but they are never ripe together; some may be pickt out to make Wine, but it will be so small a quantity, as it will not be worth the while. There is alwaies some green, some ripe, some rotten grapes in the bunch.

page 80]

[Sidenote: _Plantine._]