ST. AUGUSTIN TO BAHAMA ISLANDS 271 



are in general not much bigger than a dove's &gg, 

 round, smooth, pale in color, with no smell, but of a 

 very sour taste. These limes are exported in great 

 quantity, from this and the other West Indian islands, 

 to all of North America, where they are preferred 

 greatly for punch, being juicier and sourer than 

 lemons. Also, the expressed juice is sent off in casks. 

 The trees bearing this fruit are but low and bushy and 

 commonly bend beneath the weight. Little or no 

 attention is given them, and in places where orchards 

 have been set, there is to be seen now little but a wil- 

 derness of bush. 



Ananas or Pine-apples. There are several varieties. 

 That more generally raised here seems to be the Ananas 

 acnlentus fructu pyramidato, came aurea T. Many 

 acres of land are every year set with this excellent 

 fruit ; and many cargoes exported to all parts of 

 America and even to Europe. They are cut for export 

 when full matured but still green exteriorly. They 

 first begin to ripen early in May, but very little is 

 gathered for shipping before the end of May or the be- 

 ginning of June. If well and drily packed on board 

 ship, and so kept, they stand a voyage of four to six 

 weeks and more. The ship by which I returned to 

 England in June, had several thousand on board, and 

 brought them well-preserved to London, where ac- 

 cording to the size and beauty of the fruit the selling 

 price was 4-6-8 shillings sterling the piece. The pur- 

 chase price was 4-5 shillings sterling a dozen. They 

 are also conserved in sugar or brandy. Even the 

 peelings of this fruit give to rum a very pleasant taste. 



But as early as the beginning of May a schooner was 

 clearing for America with a cargo of pine-apples and 



