The mangaỹ is about the size of a cherry-tree, and bears white flowers,
which exhale a very delightful odour. It produces fruit of a golden
colour, and equal in size to a large plum, which, when ripe, are
agreeable to the taste, but hurtful to the stomach. Both the tree and
the fruit overflow with a kind of milky, and resinous juice, called
mangaỹci, in the Guarany tongue, which streams out plentifully, when you
cut the bark, and is caught by the hand, or by a board. The air curdles
it, and gives it the appearance of a little skin. In this state, it is
rolled up into balls, which are so remarkably elastic, that when thrown
lightly upon the ground they leap up very high in the air. This liquor,
mangaỹci, is said to be very useful in cases of dysentery. It is much to
be lamented that so very few take the trouble to collect this rosin,
which would be useful in Europe in various ways.