This Is A Custom Amongst All Those
That Can Procure That Plant, In Which Manner They Take It Every Other Morning,
Or Oftner; By Which Method They Keep Their Stomachs Clean,
Without Pricking The Coats, And Straining Nature, As Every Purge
Is An Enemy To.
Besides, the great Diuretick Quality of their Tea
carries off a great deal, that perhaps might prejudice their Health,
By Agues, and Fevers, which all watry Countries are addicted to;
for which reason, I believe, it is, that the Indians are not so much
addicted to that Distemper, as we are, they preventing its seizing upon them,
by this Plant alone. Moreover, I have remark'd, that it is only those Places
bordering on the Ocean and great Rivers, that this Distemper is frequent in,
and only on and near the same Places this Evergreen is to be found;
and none up towards the Mountains, where these Agues seldom or never appear;
Nature having provided suitable Remedies, in all Countries,
proper for the Maladies that are common thereto. The Savages of Carolina
have this Tea in Veneration, above all the Plants they are acquainted withal,
and tell you, the Discovery thereof was by an infirm Indian,
that labour'd under the Burden of many rugged Distempers,
and could not be cured by all their Doctors; so, one day,
he fell asleep, and dreamt, that if he took a Decoction of the Tree
that grew at his Head, he would certainly be cured; upon which he awoke,
and saw the Yaupon or Cassena-Tree, which was not there
when he fell asleep.
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