[37]
Sire:
In those islands is found a wood called _maria_, [38] which is
used to make all the futtock-timbers of all the galleons, galleys,
and pataches; and all the knees and compass-timbers, of all sizes
required. There is much of this timber from which to select, although,
because of the ships built by Don Juan de Silva, the supply of it is
now obtained from a distance. That wood is used only for this purpose,
for the tree is short and not straight. Capstans of one piece, gears,
and some stringer-plates [_trancaniles_] for the curved parts of
the prows of vessels and the snatch-cleats for the wales, are also
made from that wood. That said wood is very durable, and is of such
quality that once a nail is hammered into it, it is impossible to
withdraw it without breaking it; and when a nail is hammered into
that wood it does not hole or chip. If a ball be fired into it of
the size of eight libras or less, it does not pierce the wood; and
if the ball is large, the wood is not splintered. On the contrary,
the hole is stopped up at its entrance and egress with the chips
forced out by the ball in its passage. That wood is very light,
and has a very poor grain for working.
There is another wood called _arguijo_, [39] which is very strong
and heavy. It is a certain very tall and very straight tree, like the
pine. From it are made the keels, beams, false keels, wales, mast heads
[_calcetes_], and pumps, of whatever size required; for that tree, as
above stated, grows very tall and straight.
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