“But more admirable is that huge tree called _Alicunde_,[224] of which my friend Andrew Battell supposeth some are as big (besides their wonderful tallness) as twelve men can fathom. It spreads like a oak. Some of them are hollow, and the liberal clouds into those natural casks disperse such plenty of water, that one time three or four thousand of them, in that hot region, continued four and twenty hours at one of these, which yielded them all drink of her watery store, and was not emptied. Their negroes climbed up with pegs[225] (for the tree is smooth and not therefore otherwise to be climbed, and so soft that it easily receiveth pegs of harder wood, driven into her yielding substance with a stone), and dipped the water, as it had been out of a well. He supposed that there is forty tuns of water in some one of them. It yielded them a good opportunity for honey, to which end the country people make a kind of chest, with one hole in the same, and hang it upon one of these trees, which they take down once a year, and with fire or smoke chasing or killing the bees, take thence a large quantity of honey.[226] Neither is it liberal alone to the hungry or thirsty appetite, but very bountifully it clothes their backs, and the bark thereof, which, being taken from the younger _Alicundes_ [_nkondo_], and beaten, one fathom which they cut out from the tree will by this means extend itself into twenty, and presently is cloth fit for wearing, though not so fine as that which the _Inzanda_[227] tree yieldeth. [It serves them also for boats, one of which cut out in proportion of a scute[228] will hold hundreds of men.”][229] In a further marginal note Purchas adds: “These boats, saith Andrew Battell, are made of another tree, for the _Alicunde_ is of too spongy a substance for that purpose.” CHAPTER X, § I.—OF LOANGO. [_Offerings._] ... Andrew Battell lived among them [the Bramas of Loango][230] for two years and a half. They are, saith he, heathens, and observe many superstitions. They have their _Mokissos_ or images [_nkishi_] to which they offer in proportion to their sorts and suits;[231] the fisher offereth fish when he sueth for his help in his fishing; the countryman, wheat; the weaver, _Alibungos_,[232] [that is] pieces of cloth; others bring bottles of wine; all wanting that they would have, and bringing what they want, furnishing their _Mokisso_ with those things whereof they complain themselves to be disfurnished. [_Funeral Rites._]