CHINA. 1751. 333 



The fruit of the Avicennla tomentofa> which 

 by our apothecaries is called Anacardium ori- 

 entale, was brought hither in a Szvedifo fhip 

 from Suratie. This fruit in bulk and hardnefs 

 equals a nut, but is blackifh, and foraewhat 

 compreffed, and contains, inflead of a kernel, 

 a thick black juice, with which names are 

 written upon cotton, fluffs, and handkerchiefs, 

 as with ink, though it does not flow fo well. 

 The letters are covered while wet with quick 

 lime, which makes them lad in warning, and 

 prevents them from hurting the Huff. 



I now longed to fee the country without the 

 town, and fome of my fellow travellers ho- 

 noured me with their company. We had 

 fcarce palfed through the principal flreets of 

 the fuburbs, but a croud of boys gathered 

 about us, who perhaps looked upon us as am- 

 baffadors from the moon, or fome fuch odd 

 animals, whom they were obliged to attend out 

 of the city with an univerfal clamour: the croud 

 continually increafed, and particularly in the 

 Miller* s : ftreet 9 in all the houfes of which, on 

 both fides, rice is pounded and ground. 

 Little flones, fand, and dirt being thrown 

 at us, we made the beft of our way 

 3 out 



