I
believe the nut is about the size of a walnut; and I think that the
leaves are white, but I am not sure."
"Eh! ha! hum!" exclaimed Peterkin, "I saw a tree answering to that
description this very day."
"Did you?" cried Jack. "Is it far from this?"
"No, not half a mile."
"Then lead me to it," said Jack, seizing his axe.
In a few minutes we were all three pushing through the underwood of the
forest, headed by Peterkin.
We soon came to the tree in question, which, after Jack had closely
examined it, we concluded must be the candle-nut tree. Its leaves were
of a beautiful silvery white, and formed a fine contrast to the
dark-green foliage of the surrounding trees. We immediately filled our
pockets with the nuts, after which Jack said--
"Now, Peterkin, climb that cocoa-nut tree and cut me one of the long
branches."
This was soon done, but it cost some trouble, for the stem was very
high, and as Peterkin usually pulled nuts from the younger trees, he
was not much accustomed to climbing the high ones. The leaf or branch
was a very large one, and we were surprised at its size and strength.
Viewed from a little distance, the cocoa-nut tree seems to be a tall,
straight stem, without a single branch except at the top, where there
is a tuft of feathery-looking leaves, that seem to wave like soft
plumes in the wind. But when we saw one of these leaves or branches at
our feet, we found it to be a strong stalk, about fifteen feet long,
with a number of narrow, pointed leaflets ranged alternately on each
side.
Pages:
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83