48 To the River Plate and Back 



to the park were a number of large specimens of the 

 jack tree (Artocarpus integrifolia). The species has 

 been introduced into the American tropics from the 

 East Indies. It is closely related to the breadfruit 

 (Artocarpus incisa), which was introduced from the 

 South Sea Islands, and has become universally diffused 

 in the West Indies and the northern parts of South 

 America. The leaves of the breadfruit are very broad 

 and palmately incised, the leaves of the jack are much 

 smaller and entire. The fruit of Artocarpus incisa 

 is about the size of the head of a child, while the fruit 

 of Artocarpus integrifolia, which grows out of the side 

 of the trunk or the larger branches, is a huge thing, as 

 big as a large watermelon, weighing thirty or forty 

 pounds. The flesh of the jack fruit is coarser and more 

 woody than that of the breadfruit, and not so palatable, 

 though I must confess after eating roasted breadfruit 

 that I do not regard it as a very choice viand. I have 

 eaten things I liked better. From the trunks of the 

 jack trees in the park in Bahia were hanging several 

 large specimens of the fruit, at which I gazed with 

 interest. It was the first time I had ever seen the 

 plant in life. In a fountain in the park were a couple 

 of small alligators and a big turtle, which a little 

 mulatto boy was teasing with a long stick. 



As I was going out of the park a well-dressed gentle- 

 man came toward me, and I ventured to accost him in the 

 French language and inquire whether I was correct in 

 my surmise that the stately building at the entrance was 

 the palace of the Governor. He responded courteously 

 in the affirmative and volunteered the information 

 that he himself was the private secretary of the Gover- 

 nor. We stood and chatted for a few moments. 

 I told him that I wished to improve my few hours on 



