ff and rots upon
the ground. But when they are minded to propagate it, they plant the
spriggs, which will grow.

[The Bo-gauhah, or God Tree.] I shall mention but one Tree more
as famous and highly set by as any of the rest, if not more, tho
it bear no fruit, the benefit consisting chiefly in the Holiness of
it. This Tree they call Bo-gauhah; we, the God-tree. It is very great
and spreading, the Leaves always shake like an Asp. They have a very
great veneration for these Trees, worshipping them; upon a Tradition,
That the Buddou, a great God among them, when he was upon the Earth,
did use to sit under this kind of Trees. There are many of these Trees,
which they plant all the Land over, and have more care of, than of any
other. They pave round under them like a Key, sweep often under them to
keep them clean; they light Lamps, and set up their Images under them:
and a stone Table is placed under some of them to lay their Sacrifices
on. They set them every where in Towns and High wayes, where any
convenient places are: they serve also for shade to Travellers. They
will also set them in memorial of persons deceased, to wit, there,
where their Bodies were burnt. It is held meritorious to plant them,
which, they say, he that does, shall dy within a short while after,
and go to Heaven: But the oldest men onely that are nearest death
in the course of Nature, do plant them, and none else; the younger
sort desiring to live a little longer in this World before they go
to the other.

CHAP. V.

Of their Roots, Plants, Herbs, Flowers.

[Roots for Food.] Some of these are for Food, and some for Medicine. I
begin with their Roots, which with the Jacks before mentioned,
being many, and generally bearing well, are a great help towards
the sustenance of this People. These by the Chingulays by a general
name are called Alloes, by the Portugals and us Inyames. They are of
divers and sundry sorts, some they plant, and some grow wild; those
that grow wild in the Woods are as good, onely they are more scarce
and grow deeper, and so more difficult to be plucked up. It would be
to no purpose to mention their particular names; I shall onely speak a
little in general of them. They serve both for Food, and for Carrees,
that is, sauce, or for a relish to their Rice. But they make many
a meal of them alone to lengthen out their Rice, or for want of it:
and of these there is no want to those that will take pains but to
set them, and