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CHAP. XT. DESCRIPTION OF THE TRAVELLER’S TREE. 303 fructification, seemed to be enclosed in a tough firm spathe, like those of the cocoa nut; hut the subsequent development was more like that of the fruit of the plantain. When the pods, or seed vessels, of which there were forty or fifty on each bunch, were ripe, they burst open, and each pod was seen to enclose thirty or more seeds, in shape like a small bean, but enveloped in a fine silky fibre of the most brilliant blue or purple colour.* But this tree has been most celebrated for containing, even during the most arid season, a large quantity of pure fresh water, supplying to the traveller the place of wells in the desert. Whenever I inquired of the natives, they always affirmed that such was the fact, and that so abundant and pure was the water, that when the men were at work near the trees, they did not take the trouble to go to the stream for water, but drew off and drank the water from the tree. Having formerly been somewhat sceptical on this point, I determined to examine some of the trees; and during my journey this morning, we stopped near a clump of the trees. One of my bearers struck a spear four or five inches deep into the thick firm end of the stalk of the leaf, about six inches above its junction with the trunk, and on drawing it back, a stream of pure clear water gushed out, about a quart of which we caught in a pitcher, and all drank of it on the spot. It was cool, clear, and perfectly sweet. On further examination, I found that there was no filtration of the water through any part of the plant, as I had been led to suppose when I had seen water drawn by Sir William Hooker from one of the specimens in the palm house at Kew. There was a kind of natural cavity, or cistern, at the base of the stalk of each of the leaves, above its union with the stem, and the water which * A specimen of these beautiful seeds, given to me afterwards by Mr. Dow- land, at Mauritius, is now deposited in the museum of the Royal Gardens at Kew.