Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

Of venemous Apples, wherewith they poyson their Arrowes.

THe Apples wherewith the Indian Canibals inuenome their arrowes, grow on certaine Trees couered with many Branches and Leaues, being very greene, and growing thicke. They are laden with abundance of these euill fruites, and haue their Leaues like the Leaues of a Peare-tree, but that they are lesse and rounder: the fruite is much like the muscadell Peares [ 20] of the Iland of Sicilie or Naples in forme and bignesse, and are in some parts stained with red spots, and of very sweet sauour: these trees for the most part, grow euer by the Sea Coasts, and neere vnto the water, and are so faire and of pleasant sauour, that there is no man that seeth them, but will desire to eate thereof, insomuch that if it may bee spoken of any fruit yet growing on the earth, I would say that this was the vnhappy fruit whereof our first pa∣rents * 1.1 Adam and Eue tasted, whereby they both lost their felicitie, and procured death to them and their posteritie. Of these fruits, and of the great Ants whose byting causeth swelling (whereof I haue spoken elsewhere) and of the Eu••es, or Lysarts, and Vipers, and such other venomous things, the Canibals which are the chiefe Archers among the Indi∣ans, are accustomed to poyson their Arrowes, wherewith they kill all that they wound: These venomes they mingle together, and make thereof a blacke Masse or composition, which [ 30] appeareth like vnto very blacke Pitch. Of this poyson I caused a great quantitie to bee burnt, in Sancta Maria Antiqua, in a place two leagues and more within the Land, with a great mul∣titude of thei•• inuenomed Arrowes and other munition, with also the house wherein they were reserued: This was in the yeere 1514. at such time as the Armie arriued there with Captaine Pedrarias de Villa, at the commaundement of the Catholike King Don Ferdinando. But to returne to the Historie. These Apples (as I haue sayde,) grow neere vnto the Sea: the Christians which serue your Maiestie in these patties, suppose that there is no remedie so profitable for such as are wounded with these Arrowes, as is the wa∣ter of the Sea, if the wound bee much washed therewith, by which meanes some haue [ 40] escaped, although but few: yet to say the truth, albeit the water of the Sea, haue a certaine caustike qualitie against poyson, it is not sufficient remedie in this case,* 1.2 nor yet to this day haue the Christians perceiued that of fiftie that haue beene wounded, three haue recouered. But that your Maiestie may the better consider the force of the venome of these trees, you shall further vnderstand, that if a man doe but repose himselfe to sleepe a lit∣tle while vnder the shadow of the same, he hath his head▪ and eyes so swolne when he riseth, that the eye lids are ioyned with the cheekes, and if it chance one drop or more of the deaw of the said tree to fall into the eye, it vtterly destroyeth the sight. The pestilent nature of this tree is such, that it cannot be declared in few words. Of these, there groweth great plentie in the gulfe of Vraba, toward the North coast, on the West and East side.* 1.3 The wood of these trees when it burneth, maketh so great a stinke, that no man is able to abide it, by reason it causeth so great a [ 50] paine in the head.

Among other trees which are in these Indies, as well in the Ilands, as in the firme land, there is another kind which they call Xagua, whereof there is great plentie: they are very high,* 1.4 and streight, and faire to behold. Of these they vse to make Pikes, and Iauelins of diuers lengths and bignesse: they are of a faire colour, betweene russet and white: this tree bringeth forth a great fruit as big as Papauer or Poppi••, and much like thereunto, it is very good to be eaten when it is ripe. Out of this they get a very cleare water, wherewith they wash their legs, and some∣times all their bodies, when they feele their flesh weary, faint, or loose: the which water, beside that it hath a binding qualitie, it hath also this propertie, that whatsoeuer it toucheth, it staineth it blacke by little and little, vntill is be as blacke as ••et, which colour [ 60] cannot bee taken away in lesse space then tenne or twelue dayes:* 1.5 And if the nayle bee but touched therewith, it is so stained, that it can by no meanes be taken away, vntill it either fall of, or grow out, and be clipped away by little and little, as I my selfe haue oftentimes seene by experience.

* 1.6There is another kinde of Trees which they call Hohi: these are very great and faire, and cause wholesome aire where they grow, and a pleasant shadow, and are found in great abundance: their fruit is very good, and of good taste and sauour, and much like vnto certaine Damsons or Prunes being little and yellow, but their stone is very great, by reason whereof they haue but little meate: their Barke or Rinde boyled in water, maketh a wholesome Bathe for the legges, because it bindeth and stayeth the loosenesse of the flesh, so sensibly that it is a maruell to consi∣der. It is surely a wholesome and excellent Bathe against such faintnesse, and is the best Tree that may be found in those parts to sleepe vnder: For it causeth no heauinesse of the head, as doe diuers other Trees, which thing I speake, because the Christians are much accustomed in those Regions to lie in the fields. It is therefore a common practice among them, that wheresoeuer [ 10] they finde these Trees, there they spreade their Mattresses and Beds wherein they sleepe.

* 1.7There are also a kinde of high Date trees, and full of thornes: the wood of these is most ex∣cellent, being very blacke and shining, and so heauie that no part thereof can swim aboue the wa∣ter,* 1.8 but sinketh immediatly to the bottom. Of this wood they make their Arrowes and Darts, also Iauelins, Speares, and Pikes: and I say Pikes, because that in the coasts of the Sea of Sur, beyond Esquegua and Vracha, the Indians vse great and long Pikes, made of the wood of these Date trees. Of the same likewise they make Clubs, and Swords, and diuers other weapons: Also vessels and houshold stuffe of diuers sorts, very faire and commodious. Furthermore, of this wood the Christians vse to make diuers musicall instruments, as Claricymbals, Lutes, Gitterns, and such other, the which beside their faire shining colour like vnto jeat, are also of a good sound, [ 20] and very durable, by reason of the hardnesse of the wood.

* 1.9After that I haue said thus much of Trees and Plants, I haue thought good also to speake some∣what of Herbs. You shall therefore vnderstand, that in these Indies there is an herbe much like vnto a yellow Lilly, about whose leaues there grow and creepe certaine Cordes or Laces, as the like is partly seene in the herbe which we call Laced sauory, but these of the Indies are much big∣ger, and longer, and so strong that they tie their hanging beds thereby, which they cell Hama∣cas,* 1.10 whereof we haue spoken elsewhere: these Cordes they call Cabuia, and Henequen, which are all one thing, sauing that Henequen is lesse and of a finer substance, as it were Line, and the o∣ther is grosser, like the wike or twist of Hempe, and is imperfect in comparison to the other: they are of colour betweene white and yellow, like vnto abarne, and some also white. With Henequen,* 1.11 which is the most subtile and fine threed, the Indians saw in sunder Fetters, Chaines, [ 30] or barres of Iron, in this manner: They mooue the threed of Henequen vpon the Iron which they intend to saw or cut, drawing the one hand after the other as doe they that saw, putting euer now and then a portion of fine Sand ••pon the threed, or on the place or part of the Iron, where they continue rubbing the said threed, so that if the threed be worne, they take another, and con∣tinue in their worke as before, vntill they haue cut in sunder the Iron, although it bee neuer so bigge, and cut it as if it were a tender thing, and easie to be sawen.

And forasmuch as the leaues of Trees may be counted among Herbs, I will here speake some∣what of the qualitie of the leaues of certaine Trees which are found in the Iland of Hispaniola.* 1.12 These trees are so full of thornes,* 1.13 that there is no tree or plant that seemeth more wilde and de∣formed: [ 40] so that I cannot well determine whether they bee Trees or Plants: they haue certaine branches full of large and deformed leaues, which branches were first leaues like vnto the other. As the branches made of these leaues grow forth in length, there commeth other leaues of them: so that in fine it is a difficult thing to describe the forme of these trees, except the same should be done by a Painter, whereby the Eye might conceiue that wherein the Tongue faileth in this be∣halfe.* 1.14 The leaues of this tree are of such vertue, that being well beaten and spred vpon a cloth, after the manner of a plaister, and so laid to a legge or arme that is broken in many pieces, it hea∣leth it in fifteene dayes, and maketh it as whole as though it had neuer beene broken: During the time of this operation, it cleaueth so fast to the flesh, that it cannot without much difficultie be taken away, but assoone as it hath healed the sore, and wrought his operation, it looseth it selfe [ 50] from the place where it was laid, as I my selfe, and diuers other which haue proued it, know by experience.

Notes

• * 1.1

  It was not a venemous iuce of the fruit, but spir••••uall diso∣bedience in ea••ing contra∣rie to Gods comm••n••e∣ment, whi••h poysoned A∣dams soule with sinne, the wages whereof is death.

  Canibals inue∣nome their Arrowes. Petrus Arrias.
• * 1.2

  The water of the Sea.
• * 1.3

  The gulfe of Vraba.
• * 1.4

  Xagua.
• * 1.5

  Blacke ••••aines.
• * 1.6

  Hohi. Some thinke these to be mi∣robalanes.
• * 1.7

  Date trees.
• * 1.8

  The Inhabi∣tan••s of the Sea of Sur.
• * 1.9

  An herbe that beareth cordes.
• * 1.10

  Cabuia and He∣nequen.
• * 1.11

  A strange thing.
• * 1.12

  Leaues.
• * 1.13

  Thistle trees.
• * 1.14

  A leafe of great vertue.