Page 54
An.1682
Mangrove-Trees.
The middle of this Island is low plain Land, over- grown with long Grass, where there are multitudes of small grey Fowls, no bigger than a Black-bird; yet lay Eggs bigger than a Magpy's: and they are therefore by Privateers called Egg-birds. The East end of the Island is overgrown with black Mangrove Trees.
There are three sorts of Mangrove-Trees, black, red, and white. The black Mangrove is the largest Tree, the body about as big as an Oak, and about 20 feet high. It is very hard and serviceable Timber, but extraordinary heavy; therefore not much made use of for building. The red Mangrove groweth commonly by the Sea side, or by Rivers, or Creeks. The body is not so big as that of the black Man- grove, but always grows out of many roots, about the bigness of a Mans Leg, some bigger, some less, which at about 6, 8, or 10 foot above the ground, joyn into one trunk or body, that seems to be fup- ported by so many artificial Stakes. Where this sort of Tree grows, it is impossible to march, by reason of these Stakes, which grow so mixt one among another, that I have, when forced to go through them, gone half a mile, and never set my foot on the ground, stepping from root to root. The Timber is hard, and good for many uses. The inside of the Bark is red, and it is used for tanning of Leather very much all over the West Indies. The white Mangrove never groweth so big as the other two sorts, neither is it of any great use: Of the young Trees Privateers use to make Looms, or Han- dles for their Oars; for it is commonly strait, but not very strong, which is the fault of them. Nei- ther the black nor white Mangrove grow towering up from stilts or rising roots, as the red doth; but the body immediately out of the ground, like other Trees.
The