Sentence:  The following are only a few of the countless uses of this invaluable tree [the coconut]. ... The "stem of the leaf", for fences, for <WSD>pingoes</WSD> (or yokes) for carrying burthens on the shoulders, for fishing-rods, and innumerable domestic utensils. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A flexible pole supported on one shoulder, with a load suspended from each end; a carrying pole or carrying yoke.