AMBOINESE HERBAL Book VI. Chapter VI.

...had sent the axe in, without hearing a voice that cried out: "Man, do not cut my foot, but strike the blow a little higher; I am held fast in here." This man followed the order, eager to see who was inside, and split the reed lengthwise. Behold, a perfect man came out, whom all the people recognized as their king. This King Bambusiades A Latinized name for the "Bamboo King.", holding power, commanded them to enter the forest and cut similar reeds, as a woman was hiding in one of them whom he wished to take as his queen. However, he did not know how to point out the genuine reed that contained her. Thus, the cutting of reeds was carried out for a long time until the queen came forth. Others, however, from Buton original: Boetonenses; an island in Southeast Sulawesi. testify that their first queen came forth from a huge sea shell called Chama decumana The Giant Clam. or Bia garu.

I could relate many more examples of the idolatries that our Amboinese Christians practiced even a few years ago regarding huge and elegant stalks of reeds—and perhaps they still do so in secret. However, I pass over these so as not to bring shame upon them. I mention these things only to show that out of ignorant simplicity, they wish to give thanks in their own way to the Creator of nature for these and similar plants that provide them such great convenience, and upon which nature has bestowed such gifts and virtues. I often recount these fables in my writings so that it is clear that the heathens are often more grateful to God in this matter than the Christians themselves. It is not because I believe them, although I insert these fables into my writings, nor to stain the pages for the sake of a joke with old wives' tales and trifles; but since a secret of nature is always hidden beneath them, which I explain more broadly here, I do so so that envious slanderers do not defile my writings, and I may stop their mouths.

Among the Alfur people original: Alphorentibus; the indigenous inhabitants of the interior of Ceram. inhabiting Ceram, it is the custom to fill certain internodes internodium: the section of a stem between two joints or nodes of this reed with Saguer Palm wine or sap. drink. These are buried and laid in the earth while green and sealed, for the space of a month, until the time they wish to celebrate a noble feast. From this, the Saguer drink becomes greenish, more tart, and more potent in its effect, which is why they consider it most excellent. Indeed, these reeds are often left there so long that they sprout at the nodes and put forth branches—namely, in damp places and marshy soil.

Shows the rough reed called Bulu Potong.

CHAPTER SIX.

The Thorny Tree-Reed. Bulu Baduri. Teba Teba.

The seventh species of tree-like reed is called the Thorny Tree-Reed original: Arundarbor spinosa, which is by no means as tall or thick as the preceding Potong. However, it spreads more widely and in certain regions is lash-like and creeping. Its trunk has the thickness of a foot, and the segments are no more than a foot and a half long, smooth and polished on the outside like Bulu fwangi The "fragrant bamboo.". The wood or substance of the reed is the thickest of all, so that it has little hollow space, and is so hard that it gives off sparks if struck with a strong axe.

Its leaves agree with those of Bulu fwangi; they are six or seven inches long, one inch wide, finely striped, thin, and smooth. Its peculiar character is that from its trunks as well as all its branches, horrendous thorns sprout, like those of the Lemon tree, but shorter and of unequal length, all of which are bent backward. Through these, the thickets are impassable, especially since their stalks do not stand upright but are sinuous at the lower part and semi-prostrate, sending out many branches from their nodes everywhere, armed with hooks and thorns.

The reed itself closely matches the Bulu fwangi, except that its wood in the segments is so thick that in the lower ones, there is hardly any space left for a cavity. The upper segments, however, have such a capacity that measures can be formed from them for measuring liquids. Where it grows of its own accord, it occupies a vast space,

...given to the bamboo, when he heard a voice calling to him: "Man, do not cut me in my leg, but cut a bit higher, I am in here." The man did this with longing, to see what was stuck in there, and split the reed lengthwise. Then a well-formed man came out, whom all the country people accepted as their King. This Bamboo King, now reigning, ordered his people to go back into the forest and cut similar bamboos, because a woman must still be hiding somewhere in one, whom he wanted to take as his Queen. But he did not know how to point out the bush in which she must be. They went back into the forest and cut so many bamboos until they found the Queen. But other Butonese say that their first Queen came from a large sea shell called Chama decumana or Bia garu.

I could relate more examples of what kind of idolatry our Christian Amboinese practiced just a few years ago regarding large and beautiful bamboo bushes, and perhaps still do secretly. But I leave it be so as not to make them ashamed; it is only mentioned to show that out of an ignorant simplicity they want to be grateful to the Creator of nature in their way for these and similar plants, from which they have such great convenience, or in which nature has placed so many powers. As I often mention in my writings, and in which they truly put us Christians to shame, I therefore protest once again that such fables are included in my writings not because I put faith in them, or took pleasure in filling the paper with needless talk, but because there is always a mystery of nature hidden in them, so that I may stop the mouths of my envious slanderers at every opportunity.

The Alfur people of Ceram have a method where they fill some segments of this reed with Saguer palm wine, which they then bury in the earth while green and plugged up, and let lie until the time they want to make a great feast, for a month or longer. Through this, the Saguer becomes greenish in color, tart in taste, and very heady strong/intoxicating, which they then consider excellent. These reeds sometimes lie so long that they sprout at the nodes and shoot out young branches, namely, when they lie in moist ground.

Shows the rough reed called Bulu Potong.

VI. CHAPTER.

The Thorny Tree-Reed.

The seventh sort of tree-reed is the thorny Arundarbor spinosa, by far not as high or thick of trunk as the preceding Potong, but spreading itself wider, and in some lands creeping; the trunk is as thick as a leg, the segments not over a foot and a half long, smooth on the outside, and even like Bulu fwangi. The wood or substance of the reed is the thickest of all, so that there is little hollowness left inside, and so hard that fire jumps out of it when one cuts into it with a good axe.

The leaves resemble those of Bulu fwangi, namely, six and seven inches long, and broad original: "and broad," though Latin specifies one inch, finely striped, thin, and smooth. As a special identifying mark, this reed has terrible thorns from the knees nodes of the trunks as well as on all the branches, like lemon-thorns, but shorter, of unequal length, and all turned backwards, which make these bushes inaccessible, the more so because the stalks do not stand straight up, but are bowed at the bottom and half-lying, shooting out many branches everywhere from the nodes, which are armed with hooks and thorns.

The reed itself otherwise matches the Bulu fwangi most closely, except that the wood of the segments is so thick that in the lower ones there is hardly room for the hollowness, but the upper segments have just enough that one can make measures for wet goods from them; where it grows by itself it occupies a large space, which is entirely impassable...