FRUITS OF THE INDIES. 237 



growes in hote and moist groundes, and the best are those LlB - IVi 

 of the Hands of Barlovente. It growes not in Peru, but 

 they carry them from the Andes, the which are neither 

 good nor ripe. One presented one of these Pine-apples to 

 the Ernperour Charles the fift, which must have cost much 

 paine and care to bring it so farre, with the plant from the 

 Indies, yet would he not trie the taste. I have seene in 

 New Spaine, conserves of these pines, which was very good. 

 Those which they call Pepinos are not trees, but 

 shrubbes, continuing but one yeere. They gave it this 

 name, for that some of this fruite, and the most part, is in 

 length and roundnes like to the cucumbers of Spain ; but 

 for the rest they differ much, for they are not greene, but 

 violet, yellow, or white, neither are they thornie or rough, 

 but polished and even, having a very different taste, and 

 farre better then that of Spaine, for they have a sharpe 

 sweet taste, very pleaasant when it is ripe, yet is it not so 

 sharpe as the pine. They are very coole, full of liquor, and 

 of easie digestion, and in time of heate, fit to refresh. 

 They take away the rinde which is white, and all that 

 remaines is meat. They grow in a temperate soile and 

 require watering. And although for the resemblance they 

 call them cucumbers, yet are there many of them round, 

 and others of a different fashion, so as they have not the 

 figure of cucumbers. I do not remember to have seene 

 this kinde of fruite in New Spaine, nor at the Hands, but 

 vpon the llanos of Peru. That which they call the straw 

 berry of Chile, is of the same sort, very pleasant to eate 

 and comes neere the taste of cherries, but in all other 

 things it differs much for that it is no tree, but an hearbe, 

 which grow r es little and spreades vpon the earth, casting 

 forth this little fruite, the which in colour arid graines re 

 sembles almost the mulbery, when it is white and not ripe, 

 yet is it more rough and bigger then the mulbery. They 

 say this little fruite is naturally found in the fieldes of 



