The Calibash tree bears leaves of the fullest and richest green, of any that I know, and the greatest plenty of leaves; her fruit not for food, it is for the most part as big as that of the Coco, round as a ball, green as the leaves of the same tree, smooth and shining, and their manner of growing is so close to the body, and the largest of the boughes, as to touch them so, that till it be pull’d or cut off, we cannot perceive any stalk it has. Of this round ball, we make dishes, bowls and cups; for, being hollow within, as the Coco-nut, we employ them for severall uses, as they are of different sises; some for dishes, some for cups, some for basons, and some of the largest to carry water in, as we do Goards, with handles a top, as that of a kettle, for they are smoother, and much stronger then they. These look very beautifully on the tree, and to me the more beautifull, by how much they were the more strange; for, by their firm and close touching the trees, without any appearance of stalks, they seem to cleave, rather then grow to the trees.
Bay tree.
One, and but one tree in this Iland have I seen, that bears an English name, and that is the Bay tree, whose leaves are so aromatick, as three or four of them will amply supply the place of Cloves, Mace, and Cinamon, in dressing any dish of meat where that is required. It differs nothing in shape or colour from ours in England.
Timber trees.
The Cedar is without question the most usefull timber in the Iland; for being strong, lasting, and not very heavy, ’tis good for building; but by reason of the smoothnesse and fairnesse of the grain, there is much of it us’d in Wainscots, Chairs, Stooles, and other Utensils within dores; but, as they grow, I never saw any of them beautifully shap’d, the leaves just like those of the Ash in England, but somewhat bigger.
Mastick.
The Mastick is a tree very tall, but the body slender, and therefore Nature hath provided means to support her; for, she has spurs or brackets above seven foot from the ground, which are fixt or engrafted in the body; and some of the spurs reach out from the tree to the root, so broad, as that tables have been made of a round form, above three foot and a halfe diameter. Some trees have two, some three of these spurrs. This tree has commonly a double top, one side being somewhat higher then the other. The fruit is like none of the rest, ’tis of a stammell colour, and has neither skin nor stone; but it is more like a Cancre then a Fruit, and is accounted unwholsom, and therefore no man tastes it: ’tis, I believe, the seed of the tree, for we see none other. The leaves of this tree grow of such a height, as till they fall down, we can give no judgment of them. The timber of this tree is rank’d amongst the fourth sort, three being better then it. I have seen the bodies of these trees neer sixty foot high.
Bully.
The Bully tree is lesse then the Mastick, and bears a fruit like a Bullis in England; her body streight, and well shap’t; her branches proportionable, her timber excellent and lasting.
Redwood.