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dead trunks of palms, and therefore received the name of Cape of Masts ; but he vvas again unable
to open friendly intercourse with the natives.
E/ais Guineensis of Western Equatorial Africa. Possibly the palm in question ; — wine called
“ mignol,” from a palm like to but differing from that which produces the date, was found by Cadamosto
South of the Senegal, also a saffron-coloured oil whose origin he was unable to'ascertain : the
latter is referred by Major pr. H. 109-52 to palm-oil, which continues to be exported in large quantities
for lubricating and the manufacture of soap and candles (lond. tract soc.). Through European
colonists, E. Guineensis was carried across the Atlantic (Pers.), observed by Aublet 975 in Cayenne ;
by Descourtilz, under cultivation in the West Indies though having a Carib name “ aouara.” Transported
to Europe, is termed “ palma spinosa ” by Miller (Willd.).
“ In this year” (Bnrm. hist., and Mason 51), the Chinese invading Ava, again demanding the
rendition of fhonganbua, Shan chief of Mogaung: the king was persuaded to surrender him.
*• 1446 a\. D.” (Major pr. H. no), Nuno Tristan, passing the Cape of Masts as far as the mouth
of a very large river (Gambia), where he anchored: ascending the river in “ boats with two-and-
twenty men,” he with all but two of his party were killed by the*poisoned arrows of the natives.
“'in this year” (Major 112), Alvaro Fernandes on his Second voyage continuing beyond Cape
Verde “ a hundred and ten leagues ” to “ a point of sand in front of a great bay ; ” but from a previous
wound in attempting to open communication with the natives, decided to return.
“ In this year ” (Major 114), nine caravels “ sixty leagues beyond Cape Verde ” entering the Rio
Grande: Stevam Affonso, one of the commanders, landing and following some tracks found “ plantations
of cotton-trees” (Gossypium) “ and rice, and other trees of various kinds;” but entering a
wood, his party was attacked, “ seven of the foremost” wounded, of whom “ five fell dead,” and
Affonso with the remainder escaped with difficulty. The caravels on their way back procured “ eight-
and-forty natives ” near Arguin.
» “ To this year ” (according to Azurara) “ there had been fifty-one caravels to these parts,” going
“ four hundred and fifty leagues beyond the Cape ” (Bojador) : the coast running “ southward with
many points, which the prince caused to be added to the sailing chart.”
“ The same year ” (art de verif. contin.), by the emperor Motezuma Ilhuicamina, building of a
dike nine miles long to protect the city of Mexico against inundation.
Tagetes erecta of Mexico. A garden-fiower improperly called African inarigold, having a Mexican
naine, —and observed in Mexico by Hernandez v. pl. 29. Transportecl to Europe, is termed
“ tanacetum peruvianum” by Valerius Cordus (Beckm.), is described also by Fuchsius pl. 57i Mat-
thioli, Dodoens, and Cæsalpinus; was observed by Forskal in gardens at Constantinople; by him,
and Delile, in the gardens of Egypt, called there “ qatyfeh ; ” by Forskal, under cultivation in Yemen
and called “ randjes ” or “ naiifar,” but growing spontaneously around Hadie; by Roxburgh, and
Graham, in Hindustan, its flowers “ sold in the bazars, and worn by women in their hair,” met with
by myself among temple-offerings ; by Blanco, in gardens on the Philippines, yellow-flowered, and
called in Tagalo “ amarillo.” T. patula or the Frmch marigold, also known to have come from
Mexico (Pers., and Spreng.), is described by Tragus 923, is termed “ t. flore fulvo maculato ” by
Dillenius elth. pl. 279 ; has become frequent in the gardens of Europe and Norlheast America; was
observed by Roxburgli in Hindustan, by Graham “ common in every garden ” and called gool
jafree,” naturalized according to Law about Belgaum, its flowers sold for the same purposes in the
bazaars ; by Thunberg, under cultivation in Japan and called “ korei kikf ” or “ tsjosen so ” or “ koo
woo soo ” . Lantana carnara of Tropical America. A yellow-flowered Verbenaceous shrub called in Mexican
“ cayolizan ” or “ tepocan,” — and observed in Mexico by Hernandez 66 ; by Descourtilz in the
West Indies, but no Carib name given; and the “ carnara,” by Marcgraf and Piso pl. 177 in Brazil.
Tran.sported to Europe, is described by Plukenet aim. pl. 114, Dillenius elth. pl. 56, and has become
well known in greenhouses; was observed by Ciot-Bey in the gardens of Egypt; by Lusli, and Graham,
in the environs of Bombay “ introduced from Bengal.”
Mirabilis Jalapa of Mexico. The garden-fiower called fo u r o'clock, and falsely m arvel o f Peru,
Ion» knovvn in Mexico:* —is termed “ mirabili mexican.” by Hernandez v. 47, and was ob.served by
* Quamoclit pennata of Mexico. The cypress-vine (resembling Taxodium distichum in its foliage)
or the “ quamochlit ” — was observed on the Voyage of the Sulphur abounding and at least spontaneous
in Mexico, along the Pacific (Benth. 133, and A, Dec.) ; is known to occur also seemingly
wild around Para, at the mouth of the Amazons (Chois.), but in the West Indies no Carib name is
given by Descourtilz: is cultivated for ornament in our Southern States, and was observed by Chapman
“ spontaneous near gardens.” By European colonists, was carried Westward across the Pacific
to the Philippines, where according to Blanco it is called in Tagalo “ agoho” (the name of the Casuhim,
and Berlandier, growing wild ; by Sloane, and Maycock, wild also on Jamaica and Barbadoes
(A. Dec.). The plant appears to have at once arrested the attention of Catholics ; was observed by
myself in 1841, one of the few objects of cultivation at the Missions around the Bay of San Francisco.
By European coionists, was carried Westward across the Pacific to the Philippines, is called in
Tagalo “ guilalas ” or “ oracion,” its flowers being open at the time of Oración and closing in the
morning (Blanco); to Amboyna (Rumph. viii. 41), Timor (Span.), and Java (Blume) ; to Japan,
called “ keso ” or “ foosen ” or “ kinfokva,” and a white cosmetic from ks seeds used for the complexion
hy women (Kaempf., and Thunb.) ; to China and Anam (Lour.) ; to Burmah, called there
“ myae-zu ” (Mason) ; to Ceylon, naturalized (Moon, and Gardn.); to Malabar, called there “ andi
maleri ” (Rheede x pl. 75) ; to other parts of Hindustan (Ainsl., Pidd., and Wall.), observed by Graham
as far as Bombay, “ common in every garden and in flower all the year,” and called “ gool bajee ”
or “ gool abbass ; ” to Yemen, observed by Forskal both cultivated and springing up spontaneously,
and called “ uard el læjl ” or “ zahr el læjl ; ” to Egypt, observed by Hasselquist, Forskal, and Delile,
its name “ yimani ” indicating the route of introduction. Transported across the Atlantic to Europe,
is termed “ magnæ admirationis herba peruviana ” by Lobel ; is described also by Tabernæmontanus,
Clusius, and C. Bauhin; soon became a favourite flower, and vvas observed by Forskal in gardens at
Constantinople: by European colonists also, was carried to Northeast America, where it continues
in gardens ; and to the Mauritius Islands, observed by Bojer becoming naturalized.
Mirabilis dichotoma of Mexico. Known from early times, — cultivated with and often confounded
with the preceding: received from America by Choisy (Dec. prodr. xiii. 2 p. 428). Tran.sported
to Europe, is described by Clusius hist. ii. 90 (Pers.) : and by European colonists was carried
to Pulo-Penang in the Malayan archipelago, and Taheiti.
“ 1447, March 6th” (Alst., and Nicoh), Felix abdicating, Eugenius IV. succeeded by cardinal
Thomas de Sarzana, now Nicolaus V., fifty-fourth pope. Fredericus III. ruling Germany and Italy;
and James IL , Scotland.
“ 1448 A. D.” (Relat. du Groenl. 212), accession of the Oldenbourg family and of Christian as
king of Denmark. He made a pilgrimage to Rome, and obtained permission to establish an Academy
at Copenhagen.
“ In this year” (Major edit. Bethenc. p. xxvii), under instructions from prince Henry of Portugal,
Gomez Eannes de Azurara compiling an account of the conquest of Guinea. He describes four
of the Canary Islands as remaining unsubdued: the people of Grand Canary were intelligent, “ very
active and powerful ; their only weapons were a short club,” and stones ; “ most of them went entirely
naked, but some wore petticoats of palm leaves ; they made no account of the precious metals, but
set a high value on iron, which they worked with stones and made into fishing-hooks ; they even used
stones for shaving; ” “ they kindled fire by rubbing one stick against another ; ” “ held it an abomination
to kill animals, and employed Christian captives as butchers.” The people of Gomera “ had
no clothing, no hou.ses ; ” “ spent their time chiefly in singing and dancing,” and “ made their sisters’
sons their heirs.” The people of Teneriffe “ passed their lives in huts and caves; their chief occupation
was war, and they fought with lances of pine-wood, made like great darts, very sharp, and hardened
in the fire ; there were eight or nine tribes, each ” having a king, who when he died vvas kept
unburied until the death of his successor. The people of Palma fought with spears “ pointed vvith
sharp horn,” and “ at the other end they also put another piece of horn, but not so sharp ” (see
Levit ?) ; “ they had no knowledge of God, nor any faith whatever.”
“ To the period of Azurara’s copipleting his chronicle” (Major pr. H. T19), “ nine hundred and
twenty-seven souls had been taken” from the West African coast “ to Portugal.”
In or about this year (= 1648 “ 200 yrs ” of Flacourt præf. and i. 46), the art of writing brought
to Madagascar by Zafe-Casimanbou, Arab.s from the Red Sea, sent (according to their own account)
by the “ caliph of Mecca.” These Arabs settled in the Southeastern portion of Madagascar, taught
Arabic and the Koran, intermarried with the natives, and at length obtained the government of one
or two provinces. The language of Madagascar is the same throughout the island ; but in applying
the Arabic alphabet, some of the letters are pronounced differently.
Amomum angustifolium of Madagascar. Called there “ longouze” (Flac.), and affording the
Madagascar ox great cardamoms — or the “meleghetta” praised by Andrea Corsali (Yule cath. i. 89):
arina) ; to other parts of the Malayan Archipelago (Rumph. v. pl. 155) ; to Burmah, observed by Mason
“ exotic” and called “ myat-læ-nee ; ” to Hindustan, where it has acquired a Sanscrit name (Ro.xb.,
and Pidd.), was observed by Rheede xi. pl. 60 in Malabar, by Graham “ common in gardens ” as far
as Bombay ; and to the Mauritius Islands (Boj.). Transported to Europe, is termed “ gelseminum
rubrum” by Cæsalpinus 184 ; “ quamoclit” or “ quamochlit” or “ jasminum americanum” by Clusius
post. pl. 8; is described also by Camerarius hort. 135, Columna aq. pl. 72, and C. Bauhin.
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