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Show the Empire of C 1w a " The chiefeft forts o o 25 Pepper are two, the one round, and the other long T--p--- th round Pepper grows chiefly in fomeof the Mo icca Iflands, as Favaand fitmmm fhooting up a high, and is fupported with Pol s, as Hops in Europe If the See of this Fruit be fown in a fertile and rich Soil, 1t w ll bring forth a very plentifu Harveft in one year 5 bat if fown in'a more barten ground, it wi l require longe time before it comes to bear. It fhoots downwards into the round with its Root which 1s full'of {mall tough firings : The outfide of the Lea es s of a deep, bu the infide of a more pale green. -~ The Fruit hangs like Cur ants, only the branche are much'bigger and longer. The Berries or Pepper:corns are at firft green, but grow b ack of colour as the grow ripe, which is'in the Summer-months The ripe Berries are gathered an dryedin the Sun, which makes the ourward fhell fo full o fhrivels' of thefe Nuts or ut as a De\'\cacy cfore the Nut, be tof long Nutmegs unted the beft b are bigger the i the Mace of thi ps of abetter coveinit; and th ngft the wild an rouble to gathe n one word, th toe and firengt Buf when thi black (hell is taken off; before it isdryed in the Sun, it makes anoth r fort of Pepper; whichis commonly called white Pepper, which is fharper, hard r, ‘and alf plealanter of tafte then the black, and often ufed in Indis by Perfo s of Quality inftead of Salc, with their Meat The peeling of this outward black skin'is don when the Pepper is over-ripe, and after it has been ftecped in Salt-wat e for b this infufion the outward skin aforefaid {wells, {o tha the white Peppe r-corn within may be taken out with lictle or no trouble, which are afterwards dry d agai inthe Sun And if the lazy Indians were not fo averle to labour, there mig much more white then black Pepper And here note, that not only the Berries which are properly called Pepper, have a fiery hot tafte, but alfo the Leaves an the bur the whole growth, have the {ame virtue ; for when they are chewed upon the tongue, like the Root of Coftus and Berethran: Befides this, there grows in India a fort of long Pepper, called by the Indian Pimpilim, which is never uled about Meats, but only in Medicines, efpecially i Treacle and other Antidotes againft Poyfon : And thisfcems to be done not wi hout great reafon, inregard it has a very great ftrength, which fingle quality make it to be fold at a dearer rate then the other. Tliis Pepper grows in great abundanc at Bengale, and istran{ported from thence into Enrope, In fhape (except the fru t this Plant is like unto that of the round Pepper, only it either creeps along upo the ground, or runs up againft lower Poles, then thofe of the other Pepper. Th Icaves thereof are more tender, and of a dacker green, and have long ftalks: ther is lictle other difference difcernable between thefe two forts 5 that is, the fruit i gathered whenitis green, and dryed before it is ripe 5 and thoug it is not{o ho upon the tongue when it is firft dryed, yet afterwards by lying, it gathers as grea ftrength, and isas hot of tafte, as the round Pepper The Indians ufe this in Salves againit the Griping of the Guts 3 and alfo for a Antidote againft Poylon, and Giddinefs of the Head, &c Though the Chinefes have an extraordinary opinion of themfelves and thei Country, and have a very great averfion toall foreign Mannersand Cuftoms: ye the Inhabitants of fome Quarters have learned of their Neighbours to che th Root Bete/ the Leaveswhercof are generally chewed by the Jndians 1t grow after the manner of Pepper or-Hops in Europe, and at a diftance can hardly be diftinguithed from Pepper The Leaves which hang upon 2 long flalk, are ver like the'Leéaves of an Orange-tree, but not quite fo fharp at the ends, {mooth, of dark grecn, thin, and full of Veins, and increafing very faft in a we Il tempere ‘Soil, but again apt {uddenly to wither, if too much handled. They arein the eating harth and gravelly, infomuc that when the Leaves are chewing, it is juft a if one had fo much Sand between his teeth. © Thefe Leaves are chewed in fome o the Southern Countrics, Mornings, Noons, and Nights But in regard of thei extraordinary bitternefs, they mingle one thing or other to feeten their tafte, a Licitm e |