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natives as “ antifebrile.” Farther East, the seeds were found by Mason v. p. 503 employed for
the same purpose by the natives of Burmah; but according to Rumphius v. pl. 4, are roasted and
eaten like chestnuts in Sumatra and Java. Eastward from the Malayan archipelago, its huge pods
dangling from tree-tops were occasionally observed by myself along the shore of the Feejeean and
Samoan groups of islands. By Polynesian or possibly European colonists, was carried to the West
Indies, no Carib name being given by Descourtilz notwithstanding that the pods furnlsh food “ ser-
vent de nourriture.”
Cinnanionnim Loiireirii oi the mountains of Cochinchina. Called in China “ kio kui,” in Japan
“ ni-kei” (Lindl.): the cinnamon tree is enumerated by Jordanus mirab. as large, growing in India
Major and producing fruit and flowers after the manner of cloves ^ K riO p h y L Lo ru iT I: — cas-
sia-buds, said to be unexpanded flowers of a Cinnamomum, are further described by H. Ynle as bearing
some resemblance to cloves ; and flowers o f cassia according to Lindley are the product of C. Lou-
reirii ; described by Loureiro as growing on the lofty mountains Westward toward Laos, the old and
young branches equally worthless, but the middle-sized shoots furnishing bark about a line thick,
superior to,that of Ceylon and sold at a much higher price.
“ In this year” (Crawfurd vii. 11), Javanese and Arabs visiting Ternate in great numbers and
settling there.
“ 1323 A. D.” (De Wailly pl. ix. 2), inscriptions of this date presenting the following form of
the letter J.
Hardly earlier than this year, Odoric of Friuli, a Franciscan, arriving at Tana (near the site of
Bombay). Taking the bones of the four murdered missionaries, he proceeded by sea to Coromandel,
Sumatra, Java, and deposited them at Zayton in China, where were two houses of friars minor.—
After spending “ three years ” in Northern China before “ 1328,” he returned to Venice, and died “ in
January 133T ” (Yule cath. i. 6).
He mentions the sumpit or tube for blowing poisoned darts, —used by the natives of Southern
Borneo, Celebes, and the Moluccas (Yule i. 90).
The goose domesticated in China (Anser cygnoides ?) is described by Odoric 29 as having “ a
bone on the top of its head about the size of an egg.” Fishing with domesticated cormorants (Pha-
lacrocorax carbo) is also mentioned ; and the silk fo w l (a variety covered with wool-like down).
Amomum cardamomum of the mountainous parts of Java, Sumatra, and as far as Burmah. A.
Scitamineous plant producing the of commerce (Nees) or “ amomum verum ” of
the old apothecaries (J. E. Smith) : the “ melegetm ” growing according to Odoric on Java— (Yule i.
88) may be compared : A. cardamomum is described by Rumphius v. pl. 65 ; and was observed by
Mason indigenous in Burmah. Westward, according to Lindley, is “ commonly cultivated in gardens
in” Hindustan, its “ seeds agreeably aromatic.” Transported to Europe, is described by Blackwell
pi. 584 and 585.
Rhapis arundinacea of . . . . The “ cassan” canes of Odoric 22, growing on Panten or Thala-
masyn (Borneo) and “ along the ground like what we call dog’s grass ” (Cynodon dactylon), “ and at
each of their knots they send out roots, and in such wise extend themselves for a good mile in length,”
the stems in thickness “ much about the same as the canes in our Frank countries,” — may be compared
with the ground rattan (see Royle fibr. Ind.). From transported specimens, R. arundinacea
is described by Aiton (Steud.).
“ 1324 A. D, = ‘ tai-ting,’ ist year of Tai-ting-ti ” or Tai-ting II. (Chinese chron. table), beginning
of the Sixty-seventh cycle.
“ Nov. 2ist” (Nicol), a synod at Toulouse. A canon, Forbidding “ clerks to shave oftener
than once a month.”
“ 1325 A. D.” (Clavig. i. 112 to 123, Humb. ; and Holmes suppl ), the Aztecs at a lake where they
settled, building a temple, and around it “ huts of reeds and rushes;” the beginning of the city of
Mexico.
The following plants known to the Creeks from early times,* “ toonau ” Am aryllis atainasco, ils
-(t Sisyrinchium anceps oi Northeast America. The blue-eyed grass, eood\Aeted by the Creeks
“ an infallible emmenagogue” and “ used by the Cherokees as an emetic”—(Baldw. reliq. 60).
Transported to Europe is described by Plukenet amalth. 61. 2 (Spreng.), received by Dillenius elth.
pl 41 from Bermuda, termed “ s. angustifolium” by Miller, “ s. gramineum ” by Curtis, has also
reached without human intervention the Western shore of Ireland, found wild at a single point (A.
Dec.). At its home in North America, has been observed liy myself from 45° to 40° along the
Atlantic, in sunny situations, and especially in grass-grown clearings; by Pursh, from Canada
to Carolina; by Schweinitz, as far as 36° in Upper Carolina; by N. A. Ware, and Chapman, in
Florida; by Nuttall, in Pennsylvania and on the Arkansas ; and by E. James, along the Missouri
and Platte.
bulbous root eaten in times of scarcity; “ micco hoyenejau” dwarf willow S alix tristis, their “ king
physic ” or “ great medecine,” the root bruised in a watery infusion as a tonic, becoming emetic when
used freely; Agave Virginica, one of the two plants called “ rattle-snake’s master;” Aesculus
Paawia, used to intoxicate fish ; “ luchau loobe thlucco ” large turtle liver, Asarum Virginicum.
Of fragments of pottery, arrow-heads, and other implements of stone or bone, found in rubbish-
heaps from the Roanoke to and beyond the Lower Mississippi, some as early probably as this date.*
* Nelumbium Iuteum of Carolina and the Lower Mississippi. The American waler-lotus is
called from its hard smooth seeds water-chinquapin. Fruit like a bean, from early times of the highest
value among the natives West of the mouths of the Mississippi and employed as a medicine,-^as
on the visit of Cabeza de Vaca : N. Iuteum is regarded by A. Gray as perhaps introduced by the
natives into certain detached localities in our Atlantic States as far as Connecticut and Lake Ontario ;
but was observed by Elliot in South Carolina ; by N. A. Ware, in Florida ; by Chapman, “ near Tab
lahassee, an.d northward and westward, not common ; ” by Nuttall, on the Arkansas ; by E. James, on
the Arkansas and Lower Missouri ; by Short, in Kentucky ; and by Michaux, in Illinois.
Nuphar advena oi North America. The spatter-dock ot yellow water-Hlv known from early
times to the natives, and its roots cooked and eaten ; — West of the mouths of thé Mississippi, Cabeza
de Vaca found the natives obliged to get roots from below the water, and one or two other kinds of
roots eaten, but poor food, requiring two days roasting: in New England, Josselyn rar. 44 found
roots of the “ water-lily with yellow flowers ” after long boiling eaten by the natives : N. advena is
known to grow from Lat. 51° in Newfoundland (Lapylaie) and 56° in Central North America to the
Gulf ; was observed by myself along the Atlantic from about 44° to 38° ; by Elliot, in South Carolina;
by Chapman, “ common ; ” by Drummond, near Jacksonville in Lower Louisiana; by Short in Kentucky
; by Nuttall, on the Arkansas; and by myself, not far from Puget Sound. In Northern New
England, moose-deer, while searching with head under water for these roots, were killed by the natives
(Jossel. rar. 44).
Gordonia lasianthus of Carolina and the Lower Mississippi. A flowering Camellioid tree, thirty
to fifty feet high, called loblolly bay; and the “ tree of peace” ofthe natives of Louisiana—is identified
by Bossu 349 with the “ white bays ” bearing a “ white flower like a tulip : ” G. lasianthus was
observed by Catesby i. pi. 44 in Carolina; by Chapman, “ Florida to North Carolina, and westward
; ” and is known to grow in swamps in the alluvial district along the sea from Lat. 37° (Pursh)
to the Mississippi (A. F. Mx.).
Hypericum corymbosum of Northeast America. Among simples valued above gold by the natives
of Louisiana, “ excellent oil for healing” —was made of “ St. John’s wort” (Bossu 353 to 355) : a
“ St. John’s wort” is enumerated by Josselyn 44 in 1670 as peculiar to North America: H. corymbosum
was received by Hooker from Lake Huron at Lat. 47° on the Lower St. Lawrence; was
observed by myself along the Atlantic from 45° to 38“ ; by Walter, Michaux, and Elliot, as far ès 33°
in South Carolina; by Beck, near St. Louis on the Mississippi ; and by Nuttall, and Pitcher, on the
Arkansas. (Compare H. prolificum).
Ilex cassine of Carolina and the Lower Mississippi. The yaupon is a large shrub, its leaves
from early times u.sed as lea : — West ot the mouths of the Mississippi, Cabeza de Vaca found the
Cutalchiches drinking a tea from the leaves of a tree like an oak (transl. B. Smith) : in West Florida,
“ a decoction of it” called “ liquor of valour ” drank by the natives (Bossu, and Forst. cat.): and
among the Creeks, a strong decoction termed “ black drink” taken at the opening of their councils,
acting according to Lindley “ as a mild emetic : ” I. cassine is termed “ cassine vera Floridanorum”
as seen by Catesby ii. pl 57 in South Florida; was observed by Baldwin in Lat. 30°; by Chapman,
in “ light sandy soil along the coast, Florida to North Carolina;” by Walter, and Pfiliot, in South
Carolina, and is known to grow as far as Lat. 37° (Bart.) ; Westward, was observed by E. James on
the Washita river; by H. Little, in the delta of the Mississippi. Transported to Europe, is described
by Plukenet pl. 376, and Miller diet, pl S3.
Rubus trivialis of Carolina and the Lower Mississippi. — West of the mouths of the Mississippi,
Cabeza de Vaca found the natives living on blackberries for a month in the spring — (transl B. Smith) :
R. trivialis is known lo grow along the Atlantic as far as Lat. 37° (Pursh) ; was observed by myself
from the mouth of Cape Fear river to 33° ; by Walter, Michau.x, and Elliot, to and beyond the Santee ;
by^Chapman, in “ dry sandy soil, Florida to North Carolina, and westward;” by Croom, as far as
30° 30'; by H. Little, in the delta of the Mississippi; and by Nuttall, on the Arkansas.
P assif ora incarnata of Carolina and Florida. A passion-flower known to the natives from early
times ; the “ maracock ” vine bearing “ a good sommer cooling fruiet ” of “ the bignes of a queen
apple, and hatli manie azurine or blew karnels, like as a pomegranet ” —observed by Strachey in
the cultivated fields of the natives on James river, is referred here by Bennet : P. incarnata was
98