The Florida agriculturist., 1884-08-13
Indian Tea.

q RI E = "a 20 81
Did you ever see the holly tree, whose
leaves constituted the sacred beverage of
the aborigines of Florida?
IT Is A BEAUTIFUL EVERGREEN TREE.
small, but graceful, with glossy leaves,
with serrated edges. Every nation has
its national tea or beverage, but none
that am aware of have a beverage like
this. Botanists call it iler cdssend.
The Indians called it youpon. When
the first Spanish and French discoverers
landed on the coast of Florida, which
then included nearly all the Southern
States, they observed that all the tribes
considered this a holy tree, being used
by them during their religious rites and
solemn councils. In large quantities
the decoction acts as a violent emetic,
but in weak decoction it is a mild diff
fusible stilnulaiit, !, acting probably like
ten and coffee.
to give notfce TO tffe fIIhet ess1ssss sof 4
town in spring to assemble at public
house which was previously purified by
fire. After they had convened the chief
was first served with bowl or conch
she'll never before used of this emetic
decoction and next to him was served
each individual of the company according
to his rank, till at last they came to the
woman and children. They had belief
that this beverage restores lost appetite,
strengthened the stomach, and gave
them agility and courage in war"
Lawson, in relating tradition of this
tree, says: "The savages in Carolina
have it in veneration above all plants
they are acquainted with, and that the
discovery thereof was by an infirm
Indian, who labored under the bur-
den of many rugged distempers, and
could not be cured by all the
doctors; SO, one day he fell asleep, and
dreamed that If he took a decoction of
tree that grew at his head he would
certainly be cured, sf'sf eA5tf'
so 2 ~ UPON WHICH HE AwoKE,
and followed the direction of his dream,
and became perfectly well in very short
time. Among some of the tribes it was
held in such high esteem that decoction
Of the toasted leaves called "black drink"
was forbidden to be used by their women.
At certain seasons of the year the Indians
often travelled distance of some
hundreds of miles from parts where
this tree does not grow to procure sup
ply Of the leaves. They make fire on
the ground, and putting kettle of water
on it filed with leaves, placed them
selves around it, and with a woodenves-
sci holding about pint commenced by
taking large draughts, which in short
time causes them to vomit freely. Thus
they continue drinking and vomiting for
two ort hree days until they are sufficient
ly purified, when they return, with
large quantities of the leaves and boughs,
to their homes.' find that several other
species of holly are used to mix with the
true cassena. 1t is said that the root of
the iris versicolor (blue fiag) was extern
sively ( used. The drinking of this
''black drink'h was used as kind of
ordeal in the selection of rival chiefs.
The one of the rivals who with-stood its
emetic effects longest was considered
elected. All this remind us of the Hell
leborism of the Greeks, and the still re-
naming customs of many aboriginal
tribes ofAsia, Africa, and America. The
| famous Paraguy tea of Brazil, called
mate, is species of holly Glex) and is
used by millions of people of South Amer
| lea, just as the Chinese use
THE TEA OF COMMERCE.
Paraguay tea contains theme, the active
! principle of tea, coffee, guorana, cocoa,
and coca. Cassena has not been analyzed
| (as far as l can as certain), but it is
probable that it contains theme.
| have been much interested in this
tree on account if its history find