Providence has stor'd these Spice-Islands with Bananas, Coco-Nuts, [Product of the Moluccos.] Oranges, Lemmons, Lignum-Aloes, Sanders, Cinamon, Mace, Mastick-Trees, but above all, with abundance of Cloves, and other Plants; all of them valuable for their Fruit, or delightful for their Ornaments. They have neither Wheat nor Rice; but Nature gave them Industry, and Matter to supply this Defect. They beat a sort of Tree, like the Wild-Palm, with Mallets made of strong Canes; and those dry Trunks, so batter'd, yield an extraordinary white Flower, coming from the bruized Pith; which they mould up in square Pipkins, and this is the Sagu, or Landan, so made into square Loaves, [Sagu.] like the Castile Sope. This Plant is about Fifteen Foot high, and from the Top of it sprout out some Branches, like those which produce the Tamarinds. These bear a Fruit like the Cypress-Nuts, in which there are certain fine Hairs, which if they touch a Man's Flesh, burn it. From the tender Branches of the same Plant cut, flows the Liquor which serves them for Drink, putting the Ends of the said Branches so cut into narrow Mouth'd Vessels, which are fill'd in a Night, and the Liquor so gather'd, is like Milk Whipped, and Frothy, which they call Tuac. When Drank new, it is Sweet and very Fat'ning; boil'd like new Wine it tastes like Wine, and after grows sharp as Vinegar. The same Advantage they reap from two other Plants call'd Nipo, and Coco; the last of them yields also Oyl, Boards, and Timber to build Houses. They also Drink another pleasant Liquor, which Nature has shut up in the Hollow of the Canes they call Bambooes, so large that the Knots are a Yard a sunder. They abound in Flesh; but the People are more affected to Fish; notwithstanding Hugo, the Dutchman, says they want both. Providence afforded them no Mines, either of Gold, or Silver; whether it was a Punishment, or Mercy we do not decide. Neither have they found any, of other less precious Metals; but not far from them is Lambuco, an Island abounding in Iron and Steel; whence, and from the Mines of Sula and Butva, the people of the Maluccos bring them, to make their Caampilanes, which are sharp heavy Cymiters, and their Crises, being small Daggers. The Portugueses and Dutch have now furnish'd those Islands with small Fire-Arms, and Cannon of all sorts known among us.
Defense Review
The Discovery and Conquest of the Molucco and Philippine Islands. — Part 11
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