250 GUAVAS. ALLIGATOR PEARS. 



LIB. iv. fruite, which is like to marmelade. The vse of this fruite is 

 reasonable good, but the conserves they make thereof are 

 better. They grow in the Hands. I have not seene any in 

 Peru. It is a great tree, well fashioned, and a reasonable 

 faire leafe. The Guayavos be other trees which commonly 

 carry an ill fruite, full of sower kernells, and are like to 

 little apples. It is a tree little esteemed vpon the Tierra 

 Firme and at the Hands, for they say it smells like to the 

 chinches. The taste and savour of this fruite is very grosse, 

 and the substance vnholesome. In Santo Domingo and other 

 Hands, there are whole mountaines full of these Guayavos, 

 and they say there was no such kinde of trees before the 

 Spaniards came there, but that they brought them they 

 know not from whence. This tree hath multiplied infinitely, 

 for that there is no beast that will eate the kernells or the 

 graine, so as being thus scattered on the earth, being hote 

 and moist, it multiplies in this sort. In Peru, the Guayavos 

 differs from others, for that the fruite is not red, but white, 

 neither hath it any ill smell, but is of a very good taste ; 

 and of what sort of Guayavos soever it bee, the fruit is as 

 good as the best of Spaine, especially of those which they 

 call Guayavos de Matos, and of other little white Guayavillas. 

 It is a fruit reasonably holesome, and agrees with the 

 stomache, being of a strong digestion, and cold. The Pai- 

 tas 1 commonly are hote and delicate. The Palta is a great 

 tree, and carries a faire leafe, which hath a fruite like to 

 great peares : within it hath a great stone, and all the rest 

 is soft meate, so as when they are full ripe, they are, as it 

 were, butter, and have a delicate taste. In Peru the Paltas 

 are great, and have a very hard skale, which may be taken 

 off whole. This fruite is most vsuall in Mexico, having a 

 thinne skinne, which may be pilled like an apple: they hold 

 it for a very holesome meate, and, as I have said, it declines 

 a little from heat. These Mamayes, Guayavos, and Paltns, 

 1 Alligator pears. 



