Page:Kaempfer History of Japan 1727 vol 1 (IA historyofjapangi01kaem).pdf/77

 Chap. I. haps one hould be at a Los to find two or three Inches of Ground, were cover'd with Trees and Buhes. We climb’d up the rocky Shores to look for the watering Places, not without ome difficulty and danger, by the Help of the Roots of Trees, which grow up towards the Top, and which running down to the Ground ten, twenty, or more Fathoms, erv’d us intead of Ropes to catch hold at. Between the Heaps and Ruins, for o may I well call them, you meet very frequently with mall Lakes, or Ponds of weet Water, which is in ome Places o cold, that having taken the Diverion of wahing my elf, I was very much indipos’d for ome Days after. One River we met was large enough to drive a couple of Mills, and it came down from the Tops of the Mountains, running over the Rocks and Stones with o much rapidity and roaring, that tanding by we could carce hear one another peak. The Water was clear, cool, and eem’d to me to tate omewhat bitter. I had not leiure enough to make what Obervations I wih I cou'd have made upon the Plants of this Iland. I oberv’d in general that there grow many of thoe, which I found upon the Iland Eidam, ome few Leagues ditant from Batavia, and have decrib’d amongt the plants of that Iland. Along the Shores I took notice of the following Trees and Shrubs.

Terum Lauk, a middle iz’d Shrub, with oblong leaves, two or three Inches long, an inch and a half broad, almot opaque, with a trong nerve running irregularly acros the middle. The Flower was Yellow, pentapetalous or coniting of five petala, dipos’d in form of a Star. The eed was exceedingly beautiful, all green and like a Star of Seven rays. There were three, four or five of thee Starry Seeds grew Cloe to one another, which altogether made a very handom figure.

Prija-Laut, is a Shrub which bears a berry omewhat larger than our Juniper berries, green and of a flehy ubtance. The leaves are errated. I oberv’d the very ame plant in Peria about Gamron or Banderabai, and have figur’d and decrib’d it at large amongt my Perian plants.

Maanbu. A pretty large Tree with everal obtue tender leaves, oft to the touch, without a nerve in the middle, ticking together at the end of the branches. I oberv’d the ame tree at Eidam, but had not then the good luck to meet with the flowers and fruit, which I aw here in full perfection. The flower is omewhat particular. It conits of 5 petala, all on one ide dipos’d in form of a Semi Circle, or half moon. Oppoite to the flower leaves is a bent tylus landing upwards with a mall round green head at the top. To the flowers ucceed five berries of a flehy Subtance.

Papiniok, hath a white flower not unlike the fower of beans, which family it comes nearet with regard to the leaves, there being three et

to

Prija-Lext,

Papinick,