Page 248
An.1685
The Palm-tree. Hill of Petaplan.
cing many sorts of Trees, especially the spreading Palm, which grows in spots from one end of the Bay to the other.
The Palm-tree is as big as an ordinary Ash, growing about 20 or 30 foot high. The body is clear from boughs or branches, till just at the head; there it spreads forth many large green branches, not much unlike the Cabbage-tree before described. These branches also grow in many places, (as in Jamaica, Darien, the Bay of Campeachy, &c.) from a stump not above a foot or two high ; which is not the remains of a Tree cut down; for none of these sort of Trees will ever grow again when they have once lost their head: but these are a sort of Dwarf-palm, and the branches which grow from the stump, are not so large as those that grow on the great Tree. These smaller branches are used both in the East and West Indies for thatching Houses: they are very lasting and serviceable, much surpassing the Palmeto. For this Thatch, if well laid on, will endure 5 or 6 years ; and this is called by the Spaniards the Palmeto Royal. The En- glish at Jamaica give it the same Name. Whether this be the same which they in Guinea get the Palm- wine from I know not ; but I know that it is like this.
The Land in the Country is full of small peeked barren Hills, making as many little Valleys, which appear flourishing and green. At the West end of this Bay is the Hill of Petaplan, in lat. 17 d. 30 m. N. This is a round point stretching out into the Sea: at a distance it seems to be an Island. A little to the West of this Hill are several round Rocks, which we left without us, steering in between them and the round point, where we had 11 fa- thom water. We came to an anchor on the N. W. side of the Hill, and went ashore, about 170 Men of us, and marched into the Country 12 or 14 miles,