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shore making hostile demonstrations, “ chewing lierbs” and “ spurting it towards” him (F. Columb.
88 to loS) ; “ tabaco ” and “ fuente de betum ” are described by Oviedo gen. hist. v. 2 to vi. 12 ; and
“ petum” by Hieronymus Benzoni, who returned from the West Indies in 1556. Before the close
of the year, the living N. tabacum became known to Nicotius in Lisbon (Pers., and Spreng.) ; is
clescribed somewhat later by Monardes, Lobel, and Camerarius ; was observed by Forskal, Delile, and
Ciot-Bey, under cultivation in Egypt; by Forskal, in Yemen; was introduced “ in 1605’’ into Hindustan
(Royle him. 282), is cultivated abundantly in Guzerat and on the Deccan (Graham, and Drur.);
was observed by Mason in Burmah, called there “ hsæ ; ” by Blanco in various parts of the Philippines
; and according to Thunberg, was introduced by the Portuguese into Japan. Directly or indirectly
through European colonists its cultivation has e.xtended througliout the warmer parts of the
Globe, was witnessed by niyself in Brazil, Peru, Australia, on a limited scale among the natives on
the Hawaiian, Taheitian, Samoan, and Tongan Islands, the manufactured article being in request even
among the Feejeeans. The custom that most prominently distinguishes modern society, was taught
by American tribes.
Nicotiana rustica of Northern Mexico. A species of tobacco called on the Saco “pooke” (Jossel.),
on James river “ apooke” (Stradi.), on the Roanoke “ uppowoc ” (Har.), and from early times cultivated
in Mexico (Humb. iv. 9) and in Northeast America: —clearly the species observed by Jacques
Cartier under cultivation by the natives along the St. Lawrence ; by Josselyn rar. 54 (near the mouth
of the Saco), “ a small kind with short round leaves;” by Strachey on James river, bearing a little
yellow flower like henbane ; by Hariot. 16, springing up spontaneously along the Roanoke and cultivated
besides by the natives (figured by John With, De Bry i. pl.) : N. rustica has been observed by
myself, a weed in fallow ground in New England ; by A. Gray, in “ old fields, from New York westward
and southward, a relic of cultivation by the Indians.” Transported to Europe, is described by
Matthioli, Lobel, Cæsalpinus viii. 44, and Gerarde 356; has become naturalized in middle Europe,
occurring in waste places from Paris to the South of France and Venice ; was observed by Delile, and
Ciot-Bey, under cultivation in Egypt; and the “ Syrian and Turkish tobaccos” according to Lindley
“ are prepared from this species, which is much ” milder than N. tabacum.
Argemone Mexicana of Mexico. A prickly yellow-flowered Papaveraceous weed, widely diffused
among the American tribes as early perhaps as this date : —said to grow wild in unwooded mountainous
situations in Mexico (Pers , and Dec.), observed in Northwestern Mexico by companions of
Beechey (A. Dec.) : in Northeast America, occurring in “ waste places, not common” in our Middle
States (A. Gray), and “ exotic” in South Carolina (Ell.) : probably an introduced weed only in Surinam
(Merian pl. 24), Dl-azil, Buenos Ayres, Chili, and Peru (C. Gay, Plook, ancl myself). Spanish
colonists calling it “ figo del inferno” (Grab., and Lindi.). Farther West, was carried by European
colonists across the Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands, observed there by myself ; to the Philippines,
called in Ylocano “ casubhang aso” from resemblance to Carthamus dentatus (Blanco); to Java
(Blume) ; to the environs of Bombay, observed by Graham “ common everywhere and in flower all
the year,” by myself under cultivation on the Deccan, lamp-oil according to Gibson being extracted
by the natives from its seeds ; to Zanzibar, observed there by myself. Eastward from America, was
carried to Europe as early as 1593, when seeds were received from England by Camerarius (C. Bauhin
prodr.) ; is described by Ferrandus Imperatus 873 (Spreng.) ; wa.s also carried across the Atlantic to
St. Helena, Senegal, Guinea, Austral Africa (Le Prieur, Thonning, Burch., and Sonn.), and to the
Mauritius Islands (Boj).
“ 1253 A. D.” (voyag. Belg.), journeying Eastward across the Volga, Rubruquis on “ Dec. 27th”
reached Karacaroum, near the frontier of China, and the seat of government of Mangou, khan of the
Tartars. Rubruquis found here an embassy from Hindustan, another from a Turkish sultan; and
among the population of the city, Nestorian Christians, Sarrasins or Muslims, Cathayan or Chinese
fruit hanging like the carob, first seen by Cabeza de Vaca journeying Westward on approaching the
Rio del Norte.
Opuntia sp .o i Texas. Its fruit eaten by the natives from early times :—West of the Mississippi,
Cabeza de Vaca found the natives removing to another part of the country to e.at prickly pears,
of the size of a hen’s egg, vermilion and black in colour and of agreeable flavour, and for three months
have nothing else ; the species commencing according to Darby at Natchitoches on the Red river,
may be compared ; as well as that seen by E. James at the base of the Rocky mountains, and said to
grow as far as Monterey.
Gamassia N uttaliii of the Upper Mississippi. Its onion-like bulb from early times eaten by the
native tribes — (A. Gray) : observed by Nuttall near the confluence of Huron river and Lake Erie,
also near St. Louis and on the Lower Ohio; by Short, near Lexington in Kentucky; by E. James,
and Pitcher, on the Arkansas ; and according to A. Gray grows in Wisconsin.
artisans, and even Europeans, most of them captives. He also procured here information respecting
China (mem. Chin. v. p. 4).
Polygonum {Helxine) Tataricum of Central Asia. Called by the Tartars “ dikusch,” or by
Tartars and Russians “ kyrlik ” (Moritz.) : the K L I U d ^ r K n U m sold according to Rubruquis at
Karacaroum, though rarely,*— may be compared : P. Tataricum was observed by Gmelin wild near
the Yenisei; is known to occur throughout Siberia, and nearly naturalized in Russia (Ledeb.) ; and
according to Don fl. nep. p. 74 has been cultivated from time immemorial in Nepaul and on the confines
of China. Westward, has been carried to Britain, where it continues under cultivation and
sometimes springing up spontaneously, but not as yet naturalized (A. Dec.). By European colonists
was carried to Northeast America, observed by myself under cultivation in Northern New
Hampshire.
As early probably as this date (Kaswini lex. geogr.), the island of “ Ramana in the China Sea”
described by Muhammed ben Zakarya Alrazi as containing people four span high and covered with
red down, living on trees, and their language like the notes of birds unintelligible (the Borneo orang).
The great island of “ Zanig ” in the same vicinity de.scribed by Zakarya ben Muhammed ben
Khakan as containing white yellow and red parrots ; and a bird called “ alhavari ” talker, smaller
than a pigeon, white beneath with a black neck, red feet and yellow bill, and speaking more distinctly
than a parrot (the maina).
“ In or about this year” (Blair), under the direction of Alphonso IX. king of Castile and Leon,
the Alphonsian astronomical tables composed by R. Ishak Aben Sid.
1254 A. D. (= “ 1179 an. jav.,” Raffles x.), Prabu Munding Sari succeeded by Munding Wang!,
now king of Java at New Pajajaran.
“ Dec. lath” (Alst., and Nicol.), Innocentius IV. succeeded by cardinal Reinaldo de’ Conti di
Segni, now Alexander IV., twenty-fifth pope. Alexander I I I . ruling Scotland.
“ 1255, Jan. 13th” (Nicol.), a synod in London. “ Against the exactions of the Courts of Rome
and of England.” — Two years afterwards, another synod was convened on the same subject.
“ The same year” (Alst.), at Adrianople, Joannes I I I . succeeded by Joannes IV. Theodorus, as
the legitimate Byzantine emperor.
The “ grotto-temple ” at Mahamalaipur, on the Coromandel coast of Hindustan, said to have
been constructed in the “ Thirteenth century” (Lubke and Lutrow).f
* Polygonum {Helxine) emarginatum of Central Asia. An allied species cultivated with the
preceding and frqm time immemorial in Nepaul and on the confines of China (Don, and .A.. Dec.),
ancl possibly the plant in question:—P. emarginatum does not appear to have been met rvith farther
West; but is attributed to China (Pers.); and from transported specimens is described by Roth
cat. i. p. 48.
f Michelia Nilagirica of the mountains of Southern Hindustan. A Magnohoid tree, its handsome
mottled timber from early times used in house-building : — observed by Wight (Drur.),
Flacourtia crenata of the mountains of Southern Hindustan. Its white very hard and dense
timber valued from early times : — according to-Beddome pl. 78, and Drurv, “ common on the Neilgherries
and Shevaroys!” The “ F. montana” called “ attiick ka jhar,” a thorny “ middle-sized tree”
observed by Graham “ on the Ghauts rare,” its “ fruit size of a crab apple eaten by the natives,’’ may
be compared.
Vateria Indica of Ceylon. Distinguished by its larger fruit and leaves (Drur.); and known from
early times.
Dipterocarpus Indicus of South Canara. Known probably to the natives from early times,—
but only “ in 1865” discovered by Europeans (Drur.).
Garcinia peduncutata of Southern Hindustan. .A large Calophylloid tree called in Hindustanee
“ tikul” or “ tikoor” (Drur.): and its very large agreeably acid fruit known from early times : —
growing accordiiig to Roxburgh, and Wight, at Rungpore, the fleshy part of the fruit used by the
natives in curries and for aciduhating water, dried slices retaining their quality for years (Drur.).
Pterospermum rubiginosum of Southern Hindustan. .A large Sterculioid tree called in Tamil
“ kara-toveray ” (Drur.) ; and from early limes, its excellent timber used for building and other purposes:—
observed by Wight, and Beddome, “ common in Tinnevelly, Wynaad, the Annamullays and
western forests” (Drnr.).
Kleinhovia hospita of Tropical Eastern .Asia, the Malayan archipelago, and as far as the Samoan
Islands. A Sterculioid tree c.dled in Tagalo “ tan-ag.” in Bisaya “ tanag ” or " hamitanag,” in Pampango
“ panampat,” in Ylocano “ bitnong” (Blanco) ; and from early times, its leaves cooked and
eaten, employed also medicinally : —growing according to Persoon, and Blanco, on the Philippines ;
observed by Rumphius iii. pl. 113 on Java and .Amboyna (Pers.) ; by myself, from the Feejeean to