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very
tall
and
large,
on
which
this
fruit
grows,
in
clusters,
ten
or
twelve
of
them
together
;
the
outside
of
it
is
red,
with
some
mixture
of
blue
;
and
the
inside,
when
cut,
violet
colour
and
brown.
It
comes
once
a
year,
is
of
a
harsh,
sharp
taste,
but
quenches
the
thirst,
and
makes
water
relish
so
well,
that
most
of
the
Blacks
carry
it
about
them,
wheresoever
they
go,
frequently
chewing,
and
some
eat
it
all
day,
but
forbear
at
night,
believing
it
hinders
their
sleeping.
The
whole
country
abounds
in
this
Cola,
which
yields
the
natives
consider-
able
profit,
selling
it
to
their
neighbours
up
in
the
in-
land
;
who,
as
some
Blacks
told
me,
sell
it
again
to
a
sort
of
white
men,
who
repair
to
them
at
a
certain
time
of
the
year,
and
take
off
great
quantities
of
it.
These
white
men
are
suppos'd
to
be
of
Morocco
or
Barbary,
for
the
English
of
Bence
island
assur'd
me,
there
was
a
great
quantity
carry'd
yearly
by
land
to
Tunis
and
Tripoli,
in
Barbary!^
So
we
see
that,
although
a
fair
trade
was
done
in
Kola
over
150
years
ago,
it
is
only
beginning
to
be
known
in
Europe.
In
Congo
it
is
called
Makasso,
and
Guru
in
Soudan,
and
the
seeds
or
nuts
are
used
in
West
and
Central
Africa
to
make
a
refreshing
beverage,
which
is
some-
what
allied
to
tea,
and
which
has
the
same
active
principle as
cocoa,
without
so
much
fatty
matter.
It
is
refreshing,
invigorating,
and
has
digestive
proper-
ties.
In
the
West
Indies
it
is
sometimes
used
by
the
negroes
to
counteract
the
effects
of
intoxication.
It
grows
in
pods,
which
contains
several
seeds,
about
the
size
of
a
horse
chestnut.
At
present
it
is
only
used
as