Tame beasts that are living on the Iland. Camels.
If I shall begin with the largest first I must name Camells, and these are very usefull beasts, but very few will live upon the Iland: divers have had them brought over, but few know how to diet them. CaptaineHigginbothamhad foure or five, which were of excellent use, not only of carrying down sugar to the bridge, but of bringing from thence hogsheads of Wine, Beer, or Vinegar, which horses cannot do, nor can Carts pass for Gullies, andNegroescannot carry it, for the reasons afore mentioned; a good Camell will carry 1600 l. weight, and go the surest of any beast.
Horses.
We have from severall parts of the world,England,Holland,Bonavista, theIlesofCape Verd,Virginia,New England, and some from one of theLeeward Ilandsin theCarribbiescall’dCurrissa, besides some we breed and very strong and good mettled, bold and fit to charge on: these horses we use either for the Ingenio, or the Saddle, seldom or never for carrying sugar, the gullies being so steep.
Oxen, Bulls, and Cowes.
We have from the severall places I have nam’d, but chiefly Bulls, from the Ile ofMay, andBonavista; which are Cattell, being well taught, will work the orderliest that I have seen any. With these, we have Cowes, and some of them we use for the Payle, and some for the Ingenio, some we breed, and have speedier increase then inEurope, for here a Calfe will bring a Calfe in fourteen months; and if it were not for the diseases that take away our Cattell, we should not need to fetch any from forraine parts.
Assinigoes.
Are here of exceeding great use in the Iland, in carrying our sugars down to the bridge which by reason of the gullies, the Horses cannot doe: besides when the great raines fall the wayes are so deep, and full of roots, as when a horse puts in his legge between two roots, he can hardly pull it out againe, having a great weight on his back; and if he fall, ’tis hard lifting him up. Whereas the Assinigoes pick and choose their way, and sometimes choose out little wayes in the wood, such as they know are fit for them to passe, which horses cannot doe, because the wayes are too narrow for them, or if they were not, they would want much the wit of the Assinigoes, to pick and choose their way. And if by chance the Assinigoes fall, twoNegroesare able to help him up, and we seldome use more then two, for assistance to theChristian that has the charge of the carriages. One of these Assinigoes will carry 150 weight of sugar; some of the strongest 200 weight; our Planters have been very desirous if it were possible to get Mules there, for they would be of excellent use, in carrying their sugars, and working in the Ingenio; but they had got none when I was there, but they were making trialls, either to get some of those, or some large Horse Assinigoes, to breed with the Mares of that Country.
Hogges.
We have here in abundance, but not wild or loose, for if they were they would do more harme then their bodies are worth; they are enclos’d, and every man knows his own, those that reare them to sell, do commonly sell them for a groat a pound; weighing them alive; sometimes six pence if flesh be deere. There was a Planter in the Iland, that came to his neighbour and said to him: Neighbour I hear you have lately bought good store of servants, out of the last ship that came from England, and I heare withall, that you want provisions, I have great want of a woman servant; and would be glad to make an exchange; If you will let me have some of your womans flesh, you shall have some of my hoggs flesh; so the price was set a groat a pound for the hogges flesh, and sixe pence for the Womans flesh. The scales were set up, and the Planter had a Maid that was extreame fat, lasie, and good for nothing. Her name wasHonor; The man brought a great fat sow, and put it in one scale: andHonorwas put in the other, but when he saw how much the Maid outwayed his Sow: he broke off the bargaine, and would not go on: though such a case as this, may seldome happen, yet ’tis an ordinary thing there, to sell their servants to one another for the time they have to serve; and in exchange, receive any commodities that are in the Iland; I have said as much already of the largeness weight and goodnesse of these hogs as is needful, and therefore I shall need no more.
Sheepe.
We have here, but very few; and those do not like well the pasture, being very unfit for them; a soure tough and saplesse grasse, and some poysonous plant they find, which breeds diseases amongst them, and so they dye away, they never are fat, and we thought a while the reason had been, their too much heate with their wool, and so got them often shorne; but that would not cure them, yet the Ews bear alwayes two Lambs, their flesh when we tried any of them, had a very faint taste, so that I do not think they are fit to be bred or kept in that Countrey: other sheep we have there, which are brought fromGuinnyandBinny, and those have haire growing on them, instead of wool; and liker Goates then sheep, yet their flesh is tasted more like mutton then the other.
Goates.
We have in greater plenty, and they prosper farre better then the sheep, and I find little difference in the taste of their flesh, and the Goats here; they live for the most part in the woods, sometimes in the pasture, but are alwaies inclos’d in a fence, that they do not trespass upon their neighbours ground; for whosoever finds Hog or Goat of his neighbours, either in his Canes, Corne, Potatoes, Bonavist, or Plantines, may by the lawes of the Iland shoot him through with a Gun, and kill him; but then he must presently send to the owner, to let him know where he is.
Birds.
The Birds of this place (setting two aside) are hardly worth the pains of describing; yet, in order, as I did the Beasts, I will set them down. The biggest is a direct Bussard, but somewhat lesse then our grey Bussards inEngland, somewhat swifter of wing; and the only good they do, is, sometimes to kill the Rats. The next to him in bignesse, is the larger Turtle Dove, and of them, there is great store in the Iland: ’tis a much handsomer bird, both in shape and colour, then ours inEngland, and is very good meat. Next to her is the lesser Turtle, a far finer bird then she, but of a contrary shape; for this is of the shape of a Partridge, but her plumidge gray, and a red brown under the wings; a pretier bird I do not know, of so few glorious colours; her tune like the other. The next is a bird like a Thrush, of a melancholly look, her feathers never smooth, but alwaies ruffled, as if she were muing, her head down, her shoulders up, as if her neck were broke. This bird has for three or four notes, the loudest and sweetest, that ever I heard; if she had variety, certainly no bird could go beyond her; she lookes alwaies, as it she were sick or melancholly.
Another there is, not much unlike a Wren, but big as a Thrush; and this is as merry and jolly, as the other is sad; and as she sits on a stick, jets, and lifts up her train, looking with so earnest and merry a countenance, as if she would invite you to come to her, and will sit till you come very neer her. This bird I never heard sing. The next is Black-bird, with white eyes, and that so ill becomes her, as she is accounted an unhandsome bird; her voice harsh, somewhat like our Jay inEngland; they go in great flocks, and are harmefull birds, for they are great devourers of corn, and blossomes of trees, and the Planters wish them destroyed, though they know not which way. They are a kinde of Stares, for they walk, and do not hop as other birds. One thing I observe in these birds, which I never saw in any but them, and that is, when they flie, they put their train into severall postures; one while they keep it straight, as other birds; sometimes they turn it edge-waies, as the tail of a fish, and by and by put it three square, with the covering feather a top, and the sides downwards. The next is of the colour of a Feldefare, but the head seemes too big for her body, and for that reason they call her a Counsellor; her flying is extream wanton; and for her tune, ’tis such as I have not heard any like her, not for the sweetnesse, but the strangenesse of it; for she performes that with her voice, that no instrument can play, nor no voice sing, but hers; and that is, quarter notes, her song being composed of five tones, and every one a quarter of a note higher then other. Mr.John Coprario, a rare composer of Musick, and my dear friend, told me once, that he was studying a curiosity in musick, that no man had ever attempted to do; and that was, of quarter notes; but he not being able to go through with it, gave it over: But if he had liv’d to have gone with me to theBarbadoes, this bird should have taught him. Under this size, there are none considerable; Sparrowes, Haysocks, Finches, yellow Hamers, Titmise, and divers others of that sort, for which I have no names. But the last and strangest of all, is, that which we call the huming Bird, much lesse then a Wren, notmuch bigger then a humble Bee, her body long, her wings small and sharp, of a sullen sad green, no pleasant colours on her; her manner of feeding is, just as a Bee, putting her bill into a blossome or a flower, tastes as lightly as a Bee, never sitting, but purring with her wings, all the time she staies with the flower; and the motion of her wings are as nimble and swift, as a Bee: We have no way to take her, but by shooting sand out of a gun at her, which mazes her for the present, that you may take her up; but there is no way to keep her alive, her feeding being such, as none can give her but her selfe. Now for the Birds that live upon the outward verge of the Iland, I have not much to say. Sometimes Teals come to our Ponds, three or four couple together, but never go away; for when we see them, we take a gun, and comming neer, shoot them, and the report of the gun frights, and makes those that are alive flie away, and fetch one turn, and come back to see their fellowes dead, and alight to them, and so we shoot and shoot again till all be kill’d; for they will alwaies come back to see their dead friends. The like we do with those birds we call Oxen and Kine, which come to us in like manner. Small Swallowes we have now and then, but somewhat different from ours in colour.
But there is a Bird they call, a Man of war, and he is much bigger than a Heron, and flies out to Sea upon discoveries, (for they never light upon the Sea) to see what ships are comming to the Iland; and when they return, the Ilanders look out, and say, A ship is comming, and finde it true. I have seen one of them, as high as I could look, to meet us twenty leagues from land; and some others, almost as big as Ducks, that in an evening came in a flock of twenty, or there about, and they made divers turnes about the ship, a little before Sun-setting; and when it grew dark, they lighted upon the ribs of the ship, and with little nooses of packthred, the saylers caught them; they were very fat and good.
Though the Bat be no Bird, yet she flies with wings, and alwaies a little before Sunsetting, at which time they come out of holes, chimneys, and hollow trees, and will raise them to a great height, feeding themselves with flies that they finde in the aire, at that time of the evening.
Of lesser Animals and Insects.
Having done with Beasts and Birds, we will enquire what other lesser Animalls or Insects there are upon the Iland, of which, Snakes are the chiefe, because the largest; and I have seen some of those a yard and a halfe long. The only harme they do, is to our Pigeon houses, and milk panns; so that if we leave any hole in the bottom of the house, where they can come in, they will get to the nests, and devour the young Pigeons, if they be not over big. And yet ’tis strange to see, what great morsells they will swallow; slide they will up against a wall, if it be but perpendicular; but if it be declining outward, they cannot get up, but will fall back ten foot high, if they be hindred by any stooping of the wall; for which reason we make jetties, neer the top of such roomes, as we will keep them out of; they have climbed six foot high upon the outside of a wall, come in at a window, down on the inside, skim our milk pannes, and away again: Till we took one of them there, we knew not by what means our pannes were thusskim’d. They never sting any body, nor is there any venomous beast in the Iland. The next to these are Scorpions, of which, some of them are as big as Ratts, smooth, and coloured like a Snake, somewhat blewer, their bellies inclining to yellow, very nimble and quick to avoid their pursuers: yet, the Snakes will now and then take them, between whom there is a great conflict, before the quarrell be decided; for, the Scorpions that are large, are very strong, and will maintain the fight sometimes halfe an houre; I have seen them wrastle together a good part of that time: But in conclusion, the Snakes get the better, and devour the other. These Scorpions were never known to hurt man or beast. Toads or Frogs we have none.
Lizards we had in great plenty, but the Cats kill them so fast in the houses, as they are much lessened in their number. This little Animal loves much to be where men are, and are delighted to stand and gaze in their faces, and hearken to their discourse. These with us, I think, are different from those ofEurope; the bodies of ours are about four inches long, the tail neer as much, headed not much unlike a Snake; their colour, when they are pleased, a pure grasse-green on the back, blewish toward the side, and yellowish on the belly; four leggs, and those very nimble: When they see at distance some of their own kinde, that they are angry with, they swell a little bigger, and change their colour, from green to russet or hair-colour, which abates much of their beauty; for, their green is very pleasant and beautifull: Cold they are as Frogs. Next to these are Cockroches, a creature of the bignesse and shape of a Beetle; but of a pure hair-colour, which would set him off the better, if he had not an ugly wabling gate, but that makes him unhandsome. He appears in the evening when ’tis dark, and will, when he pleases, flie to your bed, when he findes you sleeping, and bite your skin, till he fetch blood, if you do not wake; and if you take a Candle to search for him, he shifts away and hides himselfe, as the Puneses do inItaly. The Negres, who have thick skins, and by reason of their hard labour, sleep soundly at night, are bitten so, as far as the breadth of both your hands together, their skins are rac’t, as if it were done with a currie-comb. Next to these tormentors, are Musketos, who bite and sting worse then the Gnats and Stouts, that sting Cattle inEngland, (and are commonly felt in marish ground). And next to them Meriwings, and they are of so small a sise, and so thin and aereall, as you can hardly discern them, but by the noise of their wings, which is like a small bugle horn, at a great distance: Where they sting, there will rise a little knob, as big as a pease, and last so a whole day; the mark will not be gone in twenty four hours. Caterpillars we have sometimes in abundance, and they do very great harme; for, they light upon the leaves of our Potatoes, which we call Slips, and eat them all away, and come so low, as to eat of the Root too: And the only remedy we have, is, to drive a flock of Turkies into the place where they are, and they will devour them. The harmes these vermine do us, is double; first, in the slips, which is the food we give our Horses, and is cast into the rack; and in our Potatoes, being the root of these slips, which we our selves feed upon.
Flies we have of so many kindes, (from two inches long with the great hornes, which we keep in boxes, and are shewed byJohn Tredescanamongst his rarities) to the least Atome, as it would be a weary work to set them down; as also the sudden production of them, from Nothing to Maggets, from Maggets to Flies; and there is not only a race of all these kindes, that go on in a generation, but upon new occasions, new kindes; as, after a great downfall of rain, when the ground has been extreamly moistned, and softned with the water, I have walk’d out upon a drie walk (which I made my selfe) in an evening, and there came about me an army of such flies, as I had never seen before, nor after; and they rose, as I conceived, out of the earth: They were as big bodied as Bees, but far larger wings; harme they did us none, but only lighted on us; their colour between ash-colour and purple.
The next of these moving little Animalls, are Ants, or Pismires, and those are but of a small sise, but great in industry; and that which gives them means to attain to their ends, is, they have all one soul. If I should say, they are here or there, I should do them wrong; for they are every where, under ground, where any hollow or loose earth is, amongst the roots of trees, upon the bodies, branches, leaves, and fruit of all trees, in all places without the houses and within, upon the sides, walls, windowes, and roofes without; and on the floores, side-walls, sealings, and windowes within; tables, cupbords, beds, stooles, all are covered with them, so that they are a kind of Ubiquitaries. The Cockroaches are their mortall enemies, and though they are not able to do them any mischiefe, being living, (by reason they are far stronger and mightier then a hundred of them, & if they should force any one of them with multitudes, he has the liberty of his wings to make his escape) yet, when they finde him dead, they will divide him amongst them into Atomes; and to that purpose, they carry him home to their houses or nests. We sometimes kill a Cockroach, and throw him on the ground, and mark what they will do with him; his body is bigger then a hundred of them, and yet they will finde the means to take hold of him, and lift him up; and having him above ground, away they carry him, and some go by as ready assistants, if any be weary; and some are the Officers that lead and shew the way to the hole into which he must passe; and if the Van curriers perceive, that the body of the Cockroach lies crosse, and will not passe through the hole, or arch, through which they mean to carry him, order is given, and the body turned endwise, and this done a foot before they come to the hole, and that without any stop or stay; and this is observable, that they never pull contrary waies.
Those that are curious, and will prevent their comming on their Tables, Cupbords, or Beds, have little hollowes of timber, fill’d with water, for the feet of these to stand in; but all this will not serve their turne; for they will some of them, goe up to the sieling, and let themselves fall upon the teasters of the Beds, Cupbords, and Tables.
To prevent them from comming on our shelves where our meatis kept, we hang them to the roofe by ropes, and tarre those roapes, and the roofes over them, as also the strings of our Hamacks, for which reason we avoid them better in Hamacks then in beds.
Sometimes when we try conclusions upon them, we take the Carpet off the Table, and shake it, so that all the Ants drop off, and rub down the leggs and feet of those tables, (which stood not in water) and having done so: we lay on the Carpet againe, and set upon it a Sallet dish, or Trencher, with suger in it, which some of them in the room will presently smell, and make towards it as fast as they can, which is a long journey; for he must begin at the foot of the table, and come as high as the inside of the Carpet, and so go down to the bottome and up of the outside of the Carpet, before he gets on the table, and then to the sugar, which he smels to; and having found it, returns againe the same way, without taking any for his paines, and enformes all his friends of this bootie; who come in thousands, and tenne thousands, and in an instant, fetch it all away; and when they are thickest upon the table, clap a large book, (or any thing fit for that purpose) upon them so hard as to kill all that are under it, and when you have done so, take away the book, and leave them to themselves, but a quarter of an houre, and when you come againe, you shall find all those bodies carried away. Other trials we make of their Ingenuity, as this. Take a Pewter dish, and fill it halfe full of water, into which put a little Gally pot fill’d with Sugar, and the Ants will presently find it, and come upon the Table; but when they perceive it inviron’d with water, they try about the brims of the dish, where the Gally pot is neerest, and there the most venturous amongst them, commits him selfe to the water, though he be conscious how ill a swimmer he is, and is drown’d in the adventure: the next is not warn’d by his example, but ventures too; and is alike drown’d and many more, so that there is a small foundation of their bodies to venture on; and then they come faster then ever, and so make a bridge of their own bodies, for their friends to passe on; neglecting their lives for the good of the publique; for before they make an end, they will make way for the rest, and become Masters of the Prize; I had a little white sugar which I desired to keep from them, and was devising which way to doe it, and I knockt a Nayle in the beam of the roome, and fastned to it a brown thread, at the lower end of which thread, I tyed a large shell of a fish; which being hollow I put the sugar in; and lockt the door, thinking it safe; but when I returned, I found three quarters of my sugar gone, and the Ants in abundance, ascending and descending, like the Angels on Jacobs Ladder, as I have seen it painted, so that I found no place safe, from these more then busie Creatures.
Another sorts of Ants there are, but nothing so numerous or harmfull as the other, but larger by farre; these build great nests, as bigge as Bee hives, against a wall, or a tree, of Clay and Lome, sometimes within doors, and in it severall little Mansions, such as Bees make for themselves, but nothing so curious; these the Cockroaches and Lizards meet withall, way-laying them neere their nests, and feed upon them: which to prevent they make from thence, many and severallgalleries that reach some of them sixe or seaven yards severall waies, of the same earth they doe their nests; so that for such a distance as that, they are not to be perceiv’d, by any of their enemies, and commonly, their Avenues go out amongst leaves, or mosse, or some other Covert, that they may not be perceiv’d; but the most of these are in the woods; for we have destroyed their nests, and their galleries within doors so often, as they are weary of building, and so quit the house, I can say nothing of these, but that they are the quickest at their work of building, of any little Creatures that ever I saw. Spiders we have, the beautifullest and largest that I have seen, and the most curious in their webs; they are not at all Poysonous.
One sort more of these harmefull Animals there are, which we call Chegoes; and these are so little that you would hardly think them able to doe any harme at all, and yet these will do more mischiefe then the Ants, and if they were as numerous as harmefull, there were no induring of them; they are of a shape, not much unlike a Louse, but no bigger then a mite that breeds in cheese, his colour blewish: an Indian has laid one of them, on a sheet of white paper, and with my spectacles on I could hardly discern him; yet this very little Enemy, can and will do much mischiefe to mankind. This vermine will get thorough your Stocken, and in a pore of your skinne, in some part of your feet, commonly under the nayl of your toes, and there make a habitation to lay his off spring, as bigge as a small Tare, or the bagge of a Bee, which will cause you to go very lame, and put you to much smarting paine. The Indian women have the best skill to take them out, which they do by putting in a small poynted Pinne, or Needle, at the hole where he came in, and winding the poynt about the bagge loosen him from the flesh, and so take him out. He is of a blewish colour, and is seene through the skinne, but theNegroeswhose skinns are of that colour (or neer it) are in ill case, for they cannot finde where they are; by which meanes they are many of them very lame: some of these Chegoes are poysonous, and after they are taken out, the Orifice in which they lay, will fester and rankle for a fortnight after they are gone. I have had tenne taken out of my feet in a morning, by the most unfortunateYaricoan Indian woman.
Some kind of Animals more there are in the woods, which because I never saw I cannot speak their formes: some of them I guesse are no bigger than Crickets; they lye all day in holes and hollow trees, and as soon as the Sun is downe, they begin their tunes, which are neither singing nor crying, but the shrillest voyces that ever I heard: nothing can be so neerely resembl’d to it, as the mouths of a pack of small beagles at a distance; and so lively, and chirping the noyse is, as nothing can be more delightfull to the eares, if there were not too much of it, for the musick hath no intermission till morning, and then all is husht.
I had forgotten amongst my fishes to mention Crabs; but because this kind of them live upon the land, I might very well overslip them and now bring them in, amongst these Animals: they are small Crabs, such as women sell by dozens in baskets in the streets, and of that colour raw and alive, as these are boyl’d, which is of a reddish colour.These Crabs are comming from the Sea all the year long, (except inMarch) they hide themselves in holes, and in houses, and sometimes in hollow trees; and into every part of the Iland they come, some times we meet them going up stairs in the night, sometimes in our low rooms, sometimes in our Gardens, where they eat the berries. We hold them not good meat: But the Negres will often upon Sundaies go a Crabbing, and think them very great dainties when they are boyled. These Crabs inMarchcome all out of their holes, and march down towards the Sea in such multitudes, as to cover a great part of the ground where they go, and no hedge, wall, or house can stop them, but they will over. As we ride, our Horses tread on them, they are so thick on the ground. And they have this sense, to go the nearest way to the Sea, from the place where they are, and nothing can stop or stay them, but death. ’Tis the time I guesse they go to breed.
Trees.
Having past through all the reasonable and sensitive Creatures of this Iland, I come now to say somewhat of the Vegetables, as of Trees: and of those there are such infinite varieties, as to mention all, were to loose my selfe in a wood; for, it were impossible for any one in the time I stayed there, (though he studied nothing else) to give an account of the particulars. And therefore I will onely mention such, as for beauty or use, are of most and greatest esteem in the Iland.
Physick-Nut.
And for that there is none of more use than thePhysick-Nut, I will begin first with that, which though the name seem to promise health, yet, it has poyson lodg’d secretly within, and that poyson may bring health, being physically applyed, and in fit times and seasons. The reason why I think it poysonous, is, because Cattle will not brouse, nor feed on the leaves, nor willingly come neer the shade. This tree will grow to be eighteen foot high, but we have a way to employ it; as for beauty and use, there are none such in the Iland. This tree (which is of the height as I have told you) has many sprigs, of four, five, and six foot long; we lop them one after another, and as we take off the branches, cut stakes of them, about foure foot and a halfe long, and stick them in the ground an inch deep, and no more, close to one another, in the manner of Palissadoes; and so, with a rail of either side, to keep them eeven, and here and there a spur or braket on either side, to keep them steedy for a month; by which time, they will not only gather roots to strengthen them, and hold them up, but leaves to cover their tops, and so even and smooth they fall, as to cover the tops of themselves, at least two foot and a halfe downward; and will in a month more, be so firmly rooted in the earth, as you may remove your railes and brakets, to assist those that are planted after them, in other places. These leaves being large, smooth, and beautifully shap’t, and of a full green, appear to your eyes like so much green Satin, hang’d on a rail or line, so eeven and so smooth they hang naturally.
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 imbodythemselves 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,MuscoviaDucks, 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 inEngland, 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 aJordan-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 intoEngland, 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.
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 appleJohn, and ’tis said to be one of those poysons, wherewith the Indian Caniballs invenome their Arrowes.
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.
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.
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 ofthe 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.
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.
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 theEast 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.
Fruit trees.
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.
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.
Orange.
The Orange trees do not prosper here, nor are the fruits so kindly as those ofBermudos: 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.
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.
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 theNegres; 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.
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.
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.
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 Blossom of the Pomegranatepage. 70.The Prickled PeareThe Blossom of the Pomegranate
page. 70.The Prickled PeareThe Blossom of the Pomegranate
page. 70.
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 inEngland; but the turnip is far the more savoury fruit.
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.
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.