90 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



universal curry. As it ripens, tlie interior changes 

 from green to white, and then to a bright yellow. A 

 tough outer skin being removed, there is seen a soft, 

 almost pulpy, but somewhat fibrous mass within. 

 Some of these fruits are extremely rich, and quite 

 aromatic, while others have a sharp smack of turpen- 

 tine. They even vary greatly in two localities, which 

 may be but a few miles ajjart. Rumphius informs us 

 that it was introduced into the moluccas by the 

 Dutch in 1655. It has also been introduced into 

 Zanzibar and Madagascar. When the Spaniards first 

 visited the Philippines it was not noticed, but now it 

 is very common in those islands, and considerable 

 quantities of it are shipped to China, where I was 

 frequently assured it was very delicious; but those 

 who have tasted this or any other tropical fruit from 

 only one locality are by no means competent judges. 

 At Singapore I found some very nice ones that had 

 been brought down from Siam. It also flourishes in 

 India, and Mr. Crawfurd thinks, from the fact that 

 the Malay and Javanese names are evidently only 

 corruptions of the old Sanscrit, that it was originally 

 brought into the archipelago from the continent, and 

 should not be regarded as indigenous. 



The duku is another highly-esteemed fruit. The 

 tree is tall, and bears a loose foliage. From its trunk 

 and limbs little branchlets grow out, bearing in long 

 clusters the fruit, which is about the size of a robin's 

 ^'g^^. The outer coating of this fruit is thin and 

 leathery, and of a dull-yellow color. This contains 

 several long seeds, surrounded by a transparent pulp, 

 which is sweet or pleasantly acid. The seeds them- 



