Book VI. Chapter 1. AMBOINESE HERBAL.

Tom. IV. A 2

blunt oats, erect, made of joined scales, and bearing no notable seed; many of these are crowded together on the inner part, and are always more frequent toward the top of the stalk. Every collection or whorl has a dry leaf placed beneath it, which served as its sheath.

sharper and more pointed nodes, like blunt oats, mostly made of bare scales, without visible seed, standing many together on the inside, though always more toward the front of the stalk; and every gathering has a dry leaf at the back, which was its sheath.

Second. Black Leleba, in Malay Leleba itam, that is, black Leleba, does not differ much in form from the preceding, except that its nodes are dark green on the outside up to the top; that hairy sheath is also bristly with many stinging hairs, making it more difficult to touch and handle. The leaves have the same length but are narrower and sharper, thirteen to sixteen inches long, two to two and a half inches wide, greatly wrinkled and ribbed, blackish-green above and gray beneath. Its nodes are also shorter than those of the white species, at most two and a half feet long. The substance of the reed has the same thickness but is of better quality The Dutch text says "lesser quality" (minder deugt), suggesting a discrepancy between the Latin and Dutch versions regarding its utility; for when split and cut into thin strips, it cannot be bent or twisted like the previous one, but breaks and splits easily, and is therefore not as suitable for mechanical work.

2. Black Leleba, in Malay Leleba itam, that is, black Leleba, differs little in appearance from the previous one, except that the segments are dark green on the outside, up to the topmost branch; the hairy sheaths also have more prickles and are harder to handle. The leaves are of the same length, but narrower and sharper, thirteen and sixteen inches long, two and two and a half inches wide, notably pleated and ribbed, dark green above, grayish below; the segments are somewhat shorter than on the white, at most two and a half feet long; the substance of the reed is of the same thickness, but of much less virtue; when split and cut into straps, it does not allow itself to be bent or turned like the previous one, but breaks and tears easily, therefore far less fit for work.

Third. Bad Leleba, in Malay Leleba Djakat, or Leleba Utan, that is, bad or wild Leleba, bears the widest leaves of all, over a palm wide, fourteen to eighteen inches long, very wrinkled and ribbed, pale green above, gray beneath, and more stinging than the preceding ones, being mostly bristly with more frequent small spines; thus they are hardly handleable because of the itching they excite. Its hollow stalks are thicker than those of the preceding, but of thinner substance, and so fragile that they can serve for no work. This is the most common Leleba, forming huge forests on slopes and near the shore, in both damp and dry places.

3. Bad Leleba, in Malay Leleba Djakat, or Leleba Utan, that is, evil or wild Leleba, has the widest leaves of all, fully a hand-breadth wide, fourteen and eighteen inches long, very pleated or ribbed, dead-green from above, gray from below, and pricklier than the previous ones, also generally having more spines, and difficult to handle because of the itching they cause; the pipes are indeed thicker than the previous, but thinner of substance, and so breakable that they serve for no work: this is the commonest Leleba, making large thickets in the lowlands and around the beach, in both moist and dry places.

Fourth. Painted Leleba, or Leleba Templorum Latin: "Leleba of the Temples", is a variety or degeneration of the white species, and is therefore held by some to be the true white one. It is the best and most elegant of all, both regarding the leaves and its stalks, agreeing most closely with the Bulutuy A local name for another bamboo variety, of which some think this is a species. It is unknown in Amboina, but occurs in Ceram, Kelang, and Celebes. It bears leaves much narrower and smoother than those of the three preceding; its nodes are very long and firm, over four feet long and two inches thick. The substance of the reed itself is as thick as a small quill, and when dried, it is very white. In Huamoel it is called Tapile, where walking sticks are formed from it, four to four and a half feet long, which are held in the hands while walking. Some of these are smooth and white, others carved with various figures and marked and painted with characters. Such sticks are usually carried by boys who come from the devil-temple Marel Refers to the indigenous religious initiation houses/societies in the Moluccas; this common type of religion in the southern part of Great Ceram is described at length in the History of Amboina written by me.

4. Painted Leleba, or Leleba Templorum, painted Leleba is a variation or sub-species of the white, and therefore held by some for the true white. It is the best and most beautiful of all in leaves and pipes, most closely resembling Bulutuy, for whose sub-species some also reckon it; unknown in Amboina, but indeed on Ceram, Kelang, and Celebes; it has narrower and smoother leaves than the three preceding, the longest and stiffest segments fully four feet long, two inches thick, but the substance of the reed is a small quill thick, drying very white; it is called Tapile on Huamoel; they make sticks of it, which one carries in the hand, four and four and a half feet long, some plain and white, some painted with various figures and characters by burning; such sticks are commonly brought by the boys who come out of the devil-temple Marel, being the common service on Great Ceram's Western part, described extensively in my Amboinese History.

These sticks are usually perforated in their upper part near the handle with two small holes, through which a string passes, twisted in a wondrous way, from which certain copper coins hang; the string is marked with such thick knots that it seems impossible for them to have passed through those small holes. The deceitful priests The original uses "flamines" (Latin) and "Priesters" (Dutch) persuade the people that this was done by the devil himself, or Marel. However, he who pays close attention will find that the string was first passed through as a single strand, and then woven and joined in that wondrous way. Those that are not painted with any color are more frequently used for weaver's shuttles and small boxes in which we keep things.

These sticks commonly have two holes at the upper end, close to the knob, through which a string goes, wondrously braided together, and from which some copper coins hang, with such thick knots that they seem impossible to have passed through those holes, as the deceitful Priests also make the people believe, that their Marel or devil has made these sticks thus; but he who looks closely will find that the string was first stuck through singly, and thereafter so braided and knotted together; the unpainted ones are more in use for Weaver's shuttles and boxes, where one stores something.

Fifth. Lined or Striped Leleba bears long joints or internodes, over two inches thick, whitish on the outside with green longitudinal stripes interspersed, presenting an elegant appearance. It has few of those itching hairs. In the lower nodes, that green color is more frequent than in the upper ones, which are whiter. The top of the branches sometimes ends in a long spike consisting of knotty whorls and composed of chaffy and hard scales, like blunt awns, in which no notable seed is found. In Amboina it is exotic and rarely encountered unless planted; it occurs more frequently in Ternate and Celebes.

5. Lined or striped Leleba has long segments, also fully two inches thick, whitish from the outside, with grass-green stripes lengthwise, beautiful to look at, furthermore having few of the itching hairs; on the lower segments one sees more green, on the upper more white; the branches on their top sometimes bring forth a long ear, on which the knotty gatherings stand, also made of chaffy and hard scales, like blunt ears, in which one finds no notable seed: in Amboina it is seldom seen, and must be planted; in Ternate and on Celebes it is more to be found.

Sixth. Amabussan Leleba, so called from the village of Amabussu near Castle Victoria, in whose district this reed is found, an inch thick, but much thicker—

6. Amabussan Leleba, named after the village of Amabussu, situated close to Castle Victoria, in whose district one finds this reed, namely an inch thick, but—