320 A MISSION TO VITI. 



Like its congener, it changes the colour of its foliage, 

 but the tints are neither so rich as those of the former, 

 nor is the general habit of the tree so striking. The 

 Oleti or papaw-tree (Carica Papaya, Linn.), has been 

 introduced in the early part of this century, and has 

 spread with such rapidity that there is hardly a part of 

 the group in which it is not to be found ; neither the 

 natives nor the white settlers (who sometimes will per- 

 sist in calling it mamey-apple, a very different fruit) 

 seem to care much for it. Only a few seem to be aware 

 that saponaceous properties reside in the leaves, which, 

 in the absence of soap, may be, and in tropical America 

 are, turned to advantage ; that both the leaves and the 

 fruit act in an hitherto unexplained way upon the ani- 

 mal fibre, and make the toughest meat tender, if either 

 boiled with portions of them, or even wrapped up in 

 the leaves ;* that the fruit is very good eating, either 

 raw or boiled ; and that the seeds, distinguished by a 

 mustard-like pungency, are an efficacious vermifuge for 

 children. The Guayava (Psidium Guayava, Raddi) is 

 another fruit of recent introduction, that has spread ra- 

 pidly over the country, and is eaten either raw or made 

 into sweetmeats. One of the custard-apples (Anona 

 squamosa, Linn.) has not made such progress. I met a 

 few trees on the Somosomo estate of Captain Wilson 

 and M. Joubert, of Sydney, and a few at Levuka, in the 

 garden of a French settler. The loquat (Eriobotrya Ja- 

 ponica, Lindl.) is of recent introduction, and seems to 



* I heard a wag telling a story of an old bachelor, who, sitting for a 

 while under this tree with a young lady, became so tender-hearted as to 

 pop the question. 



