Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 003.djvu/81

 is all gristly (and so are his Ribbs) yet divided into vertebræ. The Seamen usually cut them into, Walking-staves. They and the Dolphin swim faster than any Ship saileth: So do the Spanish Maccarel also.

10. Civet-Cats, if you do not give them drink at all, they will not die in a longer time than a Moneth. I kept one much longer without drink. But if they drink once a Moneth, they will yeild more Civey, as I was told; and so, if they be fed with fish. Yet they piss much, as do Rabbets. In those places, where there is no Rain for a whole Moneth, or longer, nor any River, or Pond, Cowes lick the dew, for a supply. A Butcher kill'd a Bull in an Island, where he could have no water but what was salt: he assur'd me, that his Bladder was dryed up, so that he made very little or no water; yet he muff be guessed to have lived in that Island before the English came thither; which was 6 yeares before he was killed.

11. The Swallowes in Jamaica, as hot as 'tis, depart in the Winter-Moneths, and the Wild-Ducks and Tale come hither then.

12. As for the Palme-trees, perhaps you would not imagine, that the so famed Tree, cal1'd a Cabbidge-tree, is one. I assure you, it is nothing else; and all .that is eaten as the Cabbidge, is, what sprouted out that year, and so is tender. If eaten raw, it is as good as new Almonds; and if boyl'd, excells the best Cabbidge. When that top is cut off the Tree dies. There was one of those Trees at Barbadoes, above 300 foot high, as I was told for certain. This Tree will never rot, and when 'tis dryed, growes so hard, that you cannot drive a nail into it.

13. 'Tis certain, what was said formerly, that the Tobacco, which growes on Salt-peter-Ground, flasheth as 'tis smoaked; but 'tis a mistake, that any Tobacco growes wilde, in Jamaica at least. The same nitrous Tobacco will not come to so good a colour, nor keep so long, as other Tobacco; insomuch that the Merchants oftentimes lose all their Tobacco in the Voyage for England, or Ireland; it rotting all by the way. In the same Salt-Peter-Ground the Potato's, at are planted there, are ripe two Moneths sooner than elsewhere; but if they be not spent presently, they rot, the Salt-peter (as they told me) fretting the Rh