138 TRAVELS IN THE EAST INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO. 



a grove of palm-trees into a thick forest, and tlien 

 zigzagged up a steep liill-side, until it reached a 

 small plateau. Here were the young cocoa-trees, 

 filled with theii' long, red, cucumber-like fruit. The 

 original forest had been felled and burned, and these 

 trees had been planted in its place. Almost the only 

 difficulty in cultivating the cocoa-tree here is in re- 

 moving the grass and small shi'ubs which are con- 

 tinually springing up ; yet the natives are all so idle 

 and untrustworthy that a gentleman must frequent- 

 ly inspect his garden himself, if he expects it to yield 

 a fair retui-n. This tree," the Theohroma cacao, Lin., 

 is not a native of the East. It was discovered by 

 the Spaniards in Mexico during the conquest of that 

 country by Cortez, From Mexico they took it to 

 their provinces in South America and the "West In- 

 dia Islands. At present it is cultivated in Trinidad, 

 and in Guiana and Brazil. It probably thrives as 

 well here as in Mexico, and is now completely sup- 

 planting the less profitable clove-tree. 



The chief article of food of the natives working 

 in this garden is our own yellow Indian corn, an- 

 other exotic, also introduced into the East by Euro- 

 peans. It is now raised in every part of the archi- 

 pelago in such quantities as to form one of the chief 

 articles of food for the natives. The Dutch never 

 use it, and generally think it strange that it should 



* The Dutch name for this tree and its fruit is cacao. Our word 

 cliocolate comes from the Spanish "chocolate," which was a mixture 

 of tlie fruit of this tree with Indian corn. These were ground up 

 together, and some honey was usually added. After sugar-cane was 

 introduced, that was also added to neutralize the bitter qualities of the 

 cocoa. 



