aia N A R R A T I V E O F A N
c h a p , hand in hand, and converting with fmiles near ä flowery
, XXIVj . bank that adorned the fide o f a cryftal brook, in which
• they, plunged the inftant they heard me milling amongft
the verdure, like'.two.mermäids-:
“ Then to the flood they rufli'dj the parted flood
“ Its lovely guefts with clpfiqe..waves receiv’d,
“ And every beauty foft’ningj every grace *
** Flüfhïng anew, a mellow luftfV Iheä.
Leaving them to enjoy their innocent amufement of"
bathing, I ipent thé remaining hour before dinner amongft
the lhady fruit-trees, blooming; bowers, rand fèr^éntihe
gravel walks; where indeed! faw greater vari^yc-öf^Eu*'
röpeau plants than I imagined were produced inra- tropical
climate, fu ch ä s mint, fennel,: fagefitofetMfy; goldr
en-rod and jeflamine, the 'fónfitivè -plant,-pomegranates,
roles, figs, andreven fome grapes .-^Of the .pomegranate-
flowers, at fpecirrien may be feeu in plate,oN*^XIiIXA4ßhe
figs are both within and without, o f i a beäUtifüll crimfba
colour; but the rdfès are rather pale.:it.-Here Wereifome
beautiful pine-apples and.melons, which, though, they
are fo generally known, I will nevertheless give fame
. account of. The imperial- fruit, called ".or. pipe«-
apple g r ow s in the centre o f an elegant; fea-green
-plant, on a ftalk o f the .fame hue, iabout > eight inches; in
length, its leaves diverging, near the furface-of the: earth,,
which'are fmooth, long, ftrong, pointed, and dentulated
with hafd prickles. The" fhape o f this, fruit is. nearly
oval, the fize of a fugar-loaf, alb over chequered, and óf
c e j l , a moft
E X P E D I T IO N T O S U R I N A M. 213
a moffc beautiful orange or golden colour,, being: crowned chap.
X X IV with a fea-green tuft, of the fame leaves as the mother .
plant, and which when ,put;inr the ground produces an*
other pine-appleji|i the fp^ce of about pighteen months.
The delicious tafle an'^ flavour of'this fruit has in the
fpace of half a centurydaecpme,fo well known', that I have
introducpd-it merely to noticeiltpßknty in the . country I
write of ; fokvfo fpontaneoüfly indeed do the former grpw
in this climate, and of fueh. different kinds, without any
cultivation,. that on many eftates |hey ferye\^s a common
food .for, hogs;'- j
The muß and wafer'fHelorn grow alio plentifully in this ;
countrythe firft is of ä^glöbular form,' large-, like the
crown of a fmall hat, ribbed,- buff cofoitrtfoiynge and
green. The pulp is yefiow, firm, iTweqf,,.an.dijfuyeuleht;'
füll it is eateni with fugar, jbut. more frequently with
black pepper and fait—the fmelrfbf this, fruit ik,* excellent.
- "
The water-melonis of an oval orjHäindricaT fbapelits
colour is a bright poliflied grp’en, and partly a very pale
buff; the pulp of .this fruit Wa 'pip^cpToui:,, and,,of a
mellow watery fubftance; its ftaffe is ftveet, exceedingly-
cooling, and of a moff agreeable flayoürt;k
Both the above meldnts are of tbe cucumber,S:.in.d;,1grow- |
,ing on rough ftalk«, with large leaps,; thafe^ creep along
the ground. It is remarkable that the, water-melhn'/ which
maybe freely eaten in all diftempers without ,the leafl
pernicious eonfequen.ee, thrives beft in very dry, and fandy
-’ places.