brought thereby to a crispature, they reserve it as a biscuit, 
and say it will bear long keeping when so prepared. Eaten 
ripe, it is delicious to the palate ; and when mixed with 
lime or orange juice, it makes a grateful tart not unlike to 
apple sauce.” It was eagerly sought by the crew of Com- 
modore Anson, and preferred by them to bread.” Rum- 
pulus figures the plant, and gives it asa native of Sumatra, 
Java, Amboyna, and of the Molucca Isles generally, where 
the seeds of the seminiferous kind are eaten as well as the 
pulp, and where the ample leaves serve as table-cloths. 
Sonnerat introduced the tree from the Isle of Lugon to the 
Isle of France, and M. Porvre to that of Bourbon. But it 
is in the South Sea Islands, and especially in Otaheite, that 
the best Bread Fruit isfound, and where itis consequently the 
most highly prized. Capt. Coox says of it, that the flavour is 
insipid, with a slight sweetness, somewhat resembling that of 
the crumb of wheaten bread mixed withJ erusalem Artichoke. 
From Otaheite then, it was arranged by our government, 
that the tree should be imported to the West Indies, and 
His Majesty, George the Third, ever anxious for the welfare 
of his people, appointed the Bounty to be freighted with 
this and other valuable productions of the South Seas, 
under the command of Capt. Witt1am Buen. Seven hun- 
dred and seventy-four healthy plants of the Bread Fruit 
were procured, and conveniently placed on board the vessel, 
so as to be protected from the spray of the sea, and there 
was every prospect of a happy termination to the voyage ; 
when, on the second morning after leaving the island, a 
mutiny broke out, headed by Curistian, the master’s mate, 
who was of a most respectable family in the north of Eng- 
land, and had now gone three voyages with his present 
commander, by whom he had been treated with more than 
usual kindness. The consequences of this mutiny, the 
sufferings of Buiex and of his faithful friends, together with 
the fate of the mutineers, and the good conduct and reform- 
ation of Curistian, are known to every one; and I need 
only here say, that they completely frustrated the bene- 
volent design of our government. Another ship, however, 
the Providence, was engaged for a similar purpose, and the 
charge was given to the same experienced navigator, who 
accomplished, to the fullest extent, the object of his mission. 
Eleven hundred and fifty Bread Fruit Trees were received 
on board. Many, as may be supposed, notwithstanding the 
care of the officers, and the skill of the gardener, perished 
during the voyage. Five hundred and fifty were landed - 
