17-c. thing a piece 7 and at the common fruit fhops we got three
■ December ^ them for two pence half-penny. They are very juicy and
■ well flavoured; but we all agreed that we had eaten as good,
from a hot-houfe in England: they are however fo luxuriant
in their growth that moft of them have two or three crowns,,
and a great number of fuckers from the bottom of the fruit;
of thefe Mr. Banks once counted nine, and they are fo. forward
that very often while they ftill adhered to the parent
plant they fhot out their fruit, which, by the time the large
one became ripe, were o f no inconfiderable fize. We feveral;
times faw three upon one apple, and were, told that a plant
once produced a duller of nine, befides the principal: this
indeed was confidered as fo great a curiofity, that it was pre-
ferved in fugar, and fent to the Evince of Or ange.
2. Sweet oranges. Thefe are. very good, but while we
were here, fold for fix pence a piece.
3. Pumplemoefes, which in the Weft Indies- are called
Shaddocks. Thefe were well flavoured, but not juicy; their
want of juice however was amaccidental effetft of the feaion..
4. Lemons. Thefe were very fcarce; but the want, of them,
was amply compenfated by the plenty of limes.
3. Limes. Thefe were excellent, and to be bought at about
twelve pence a hundred. We faw only two or three Seville
oranges, which were almoft all rind; and there are many,
forts, both of oranges and lemons, which I fhall not particularly
mention, becaufe they are neither efteemed by Europeans
nor the natives themfelves.
6 Mangos. This fruit during our flay was fo infefted
with maggots, which bred in the infide of them, that fcarcely
-one in three was eatable ; and the belt of them were much
inferior to thofe of Brazil: they are generally compared by
Europeans
Europeans to a melting peach, which, indeed, they refemblc s ||| fc
in foftnefs and fweetnefs, but certainly fall much fhort in 1__
flavour. The climate here, we were told, is too hot and
damp for them; but there are as many forts of them as
there are of apples in England, and fome are much fuperior
toothers. One fort, which is called Mangha Cowani, has fo
ftrong a fmell that a European can fcarcely bear one in the
room; thefe, however, the natives are fond of. The three
forts which are generally preferred, are the Mangha Doodool,
the Mangha Santock, and the Mangha Gure.
7. Bananes. Of thefe alfo there are innumerable forts,
but three only are good; the Pijfang Mas, the PiJJang Radja,
and the Pijfang Ambrn: all thefe have a pleafant vinous tafte,
and the reft are ufeful in different ways; fome are fried in
batter, and others are boiled and eaten as bread. There is
one which deferves the particular notice of the botanift, becaufe,
contrary to the nature of its tribe, it is full of feeds,
and is therefore called Pijfang Rata, or PiJJang Bidjie; it has
however no excellence to recommend it to the tafte, but the
Malays ufe it as a remedy for the flux.
8. Grapes. Thefe are not in great perfection, but they are -
very dear ; for we could not buy a moderate bunch for lefs
than a fhilling or eighteen pence.
9. Tamarinds. Thefe are in great plenty, and very cheap:
the people however do not put them up in the manner prac-
tifed by the Weft Indians, but cure them with fait, by which
means they become a black mafs, fo difagreeable to the
fight and tafte, that few Europeans chufe to meddle with
them.
10. Water melons. Thefe are in great plenty, and very
good.
T t a ri. Pumpkins,