Book VI. Chapter VII. AMBOINA HERBAL.

I cannot describe the flowers and fruit, as this plant is rarely allowed to reach its proper age; furthermore, the old stalks become too slender for their length to support themselves, and thus they bend down obliquely and lean upon neighboring trees, if they can reach them.

Name. In Latin it is called Arundarbor fera original: "Wild Tree-Reed", following the Malay Bulu swangi. It should be noted that Swangi signifies three things: first, sorcerers and witches; second, all wild, uncultivated, and frightening places, cliffs, and small islands, such as Pulo swangi original: "Sorcerer’s Island" near Banda; third, all such fruits and plants that have a wild, rough, and unkempt appearance, or a fierce nature, as we proposed an example above in Book 2, Chapter 39, regarding the Limone swangi original: "Witch Lemon". In Amboinese it is called Domu, Domul, and Dumulo; in Leytimora Domar; in Huamohel Waan semane; in Ternatice Tabatico nani; in Banda Bulu feru and Bulu tomber, which names others properly attribute to the yellow species, calling the common one Bulu key; in Javanese Ampel; in Macassarese Bulo...; in Balinese Tibing ampel, that is, a portable reed. In Chinese it is Tsjotick, that is, a stone reed, on account of its hardness and thorny branches, although the Chinese Atlas describes another Cho or Tsjo, mentioned above in Chapter 4.

Place. This reed is found almost everywhere throughout all of India, but it has certain varieties according to the diversity of places, as it does here in Amboina and the Moluccas, all the way to the Southern Islands. In this Province, the most elegant kind occurs in Manipa; it grows equally in the wild on high mountains as it does when planted in forest gardens and around houses. It is propagated by two or three nodes, the topmost of which is filled with a little muddy earth and then filled with water, plugged up, and placed obliquely in the ground; from its nodes, shoots then sprout forth. However, in dry weather, these nodes must be sprinkled with water until the little shoots emerge.

The yellow reed is not wild in these islands but is planted everywhere. The Javanese Bulu swangi is not as thick in its reed as the Amboinese, yet its substance is thick and hard.

Use. From this reed, poles are formed about six feet long, called Panukol, that is, carrying-bars, with which all kinds of heavy loads are carried; for its substance is light, and yet strong, smooth, and suitable for the shoulders. From its straight stalks, rafters for roofs are made, and from the thickest ones, posts for houses and fences are fabricated, which give off violent cracks and sounds when they are burned in a fire, at which time its well-known name Bambu Bambu This refers to the onomatopoeic origin of the word "bamboo," mimicking the popping sound of the air in the nodes exploding in heat. can easily be heard.

The Tiffadores Palm wine collectors or toddy tappers. form their bridges from one Coconut tree to another by binding one or two reeds together, upon which they set their feet, and another a little higher, upon which they place their hands. This offers a terrifying spectacle—namely, men walking at such a height across a reed that is barely as thick as an arm. The Robong Bamboo shoot. or sprout of the Bulu swangi, being barely a foot high, is next in quality to that of the Bulu Java; it is the most suitable of all for cooking and pickling in brine, as its substance is very thick, the method or preparation of which was described above under Bulu Java. One must take care, however, not to eat these and other shoots raw, as they cause extreme distress in the throat, and indeed almost bring on suffocation; however, this harmfulness is removed by boiling in water.

Atsjar Pickles. or falgama prepared from these reeds provides an excellent and pleasant side-dish to excite the appetite, and it is healthy on sea voyages, for which purpose those returning home carry a great quantity of it with them to Europe.

Bulu swangi, as well as Bulu feru and Bulu Java, are used in times of war to form caltrops and leg-spikes called Songa. These are sharp wooden bolts, from a span to two or three feet long, which have a notch at the lower point by which they are hammered into the earth around fortifications and at the passages of roads. One point of the caltrops is set upright, though in those meant for the belly they are situated somewhat obliquely; they are usually somewhat charred by fire, making them so hard that they can penetrate and pierce through shoe soles. If the reeds of Bulu swangi are at hand, throwing-spears can also be formed from them, called Sagu fagus, the tips of which are also slightly singed in the fire.

In Linschoten Jan Huyghen van Linschoten, a Dutch traveler and explorer. and the Portuguese writers, one reads that this reed, while still tender, is bent and curved by fire at will, so that it remains that way afterward for the use of carrying-chairs called Palanbius, which in these islan—

Blossoms and seeds I cannot describe, because they are rarely allowed to reach their proper age; the old stalks now becoming too slender due to their length, bend themselves obliquely and rest on the nearest trees, if they can reach them.

Name. In Latin Arundarbor fera, after the Malay Bulu swangi. Now it is to be known that Swangi signifies three things: 1. sorcerers and witches; 2. all wild, uninhabited, and terrifying places, cliffs, and small islands, such as Pulo swangi near Banda; 3. all such fruits and plants that have a wild, rough, and tangled appearance, or are of a stubborn nature, as we have given an example above in Book 2, Chapter 39, in the Witch-Lemon; on Amboina Domu, Domul, and Domulo; on Leytimora Domar; on Huamoel Waan semane; on Ternate Tabatico nani; on Banda Bulu feru and Bulu tombor, which names others properly give to the yellow variety, and the common one they call Bulu key; on Java Ampel; in Macassarese Bulo...; in Balinese Tihing ampel, that is, stone-reed, because of its hardness and thorny branches, although the Chinese Atlas describes another Cho or Tsjo, cited above in Chapter 4.

Place. This reed is common almost through all of the Indies, though with some changes according to the diversity of the lands, and so also here in Amboina and the Moluccas, even into the South-eastern Islands; in this Province one finds the finest on Manipa. It grows as well in the wild on high mountains as when planted in forest gardens and around the houses. One plants it with two or three nodes, putting a little muddy earth in the uppermost, then filling it with water, plugging it up, and burying it obliquely in the earth, so that new shoots emerge from the knots. One must sprinkle it with water in dry times until the little shoots come out.

The yellow reed is not found in the wild in these islands but is planted everywhere: the Javanese Bulu swangi is not as thick in the reed as the Amboinese, nevertheless it is thick in substance and strong.

Use. From this reed, poles are made about six feet long, called Panukol, that is, carrying-pole, with which one carries all sorts of heavy loads, for it is light, and nonetheless strong, smooth, and comfortable for the shoulder. From the straight stems, rafters for roofs are made, and from the thickest, posts for houses and fences are made, which give off powerful reports when they catch fire, at which time one very clearly hears their name Bambu Bambu.

The Tiffadores make their bridges from one Coconut tree to another, binding one or two bamboos next to each other, whereon they set their feet, and another somewhat higher, to which they hold fast, which is terrifying to see—that people walk at such a height over a reed that is barely an arm thick. The Robong of Bulu swangi, being not above a foot high, is next to that of Bulu Java the most suitable for cooking and pickling, because it has the thickest substance, the manner of which is related above under Bulu Java. One must however beware of eating these and other Robongs raw, for it brings such a distress in the throat as if it would strangle one, which harmfulness is taken away from it by boiling in water.

The Atsjar made of all Bamboos is an excellent and pleasant side-dish to stimulate the appetite, and healthy on sea-voyages, for which purpose our home-bound travelers also carry a good portion with them to Europe.

The Bulu swangi, as well as the Bulu feru and Bulu Java, are used in times of war to make foot, shin, and belly-spikes therefrom, called Songa, which are sharp bolts from a span to two or three feet long, having a notch near the bottom point with which one hammers them into the earth around the fortresses and at the passages of the roads, with one point in the foot-spikes upright, and in the belly-spikes standing somewhat obliquely, which are commonly somewhat charred, and thereby so hard that they can pierce through shoe-soles. If one has the reeds of Bulu swangi, one can also make throwing-spears or Sagu fagus from them, the points also being somewhat singed in the fire.

In Linschoten and the Portuguese writers, one reads how this reed, while still young, is intentionally crooked and bent with fire, so that it remains so thereafter, for the use of Palanhius or carrying-chairs, which in these islan—