354 ulloa's voyage to south America. 



flower, about the fize of a nut ; and as this increafes, the luftre of the /lower fades, 

 and the leaves expand themfelves to make room for it, and fecure it both as a bafe and 

 ornament. On the top of the apple itfelf, is a crown or tuft of leaves, like thofe of 

 the plant, and of a very lively green. This crown grows in proportion with the fruit, 

 till both have attained their utmofl magnitude, and hitherto they differ very little in 

 colour. But as foon as the crown ceafes to grow, the fruit begins to ripen, and its 

 green changes to a bright flraw colour : during this gradual alteration of colour, the 

 fruit exhales fuch a fragrancy as difcovers it, though concealed from fight. While it 

 continues to grow, it fhoots forth on all fides little thorns, which, as it approaches 

 towards maturity, dry and foften, fo that the fruit is gathered without the leaft incon- 

 venience. The fingularities which concentre in this produQ: of nature, cannot fail of 

 ftriking a contemplative mind with admiration. The crown, which was to it a kind of 

 apex, while growing in the woods, becomes itfelf, when fown, a new plant ; and the 

 flem, after the fruit is cut, dies away, as if fatisfied with having anfwered the intention 

 of nature in fuch a produ6l ; but the roots Ihoot forth frelh flalks, for the further in- 

 creafe of fo valuable a fpecies. 



The pine-apple, though feparated from the plant, retains its fragrancy for a confider- 

 able time, when it begins to decay. The odour of it not only fills the apartment where 

 the fruit is kept, but even extends to the contiguous rooms. The ^jeneral length of 

 this delicious fruit is from five to feven inches, and the diameter near its bafis three or 

 four, diminifhing regularly, as it approaches to its apex. For egiting, it is peeled and 

 cut into round flices, and is fo full of juice, that it entirely diffolves in the mouth. Its 

 flavour is fweet, blended with a delightful acidity. The rind, infufed in water, after 

 a proper fermentation, produces a very cooling liquor, and ftill retains all the proper- 

 ties of the fruit. 



The other fruits of this country are equally valuable in their feveral kinds ; and fome 

 of them alfo diftinguilhed for their fragrancy, as the guayaba, which is, befides, both 

 peroral and aftringent. 



The mofl common of all are, the platanos, the name of which, if not its figure and 

 tafte, is known in all parts of Europe *. Thefe are of three kinds. The firfl is the 

 banana, which is fo large as to want but little of a foot in length. Thefe are greatly 

 ufed, being not only eaten as bread, but alfo an ingredient in many made difhes. Both 

 the (tone and kernel are very hard ; but the latter has no noxious quality. The fecond 

 kind are the dominicos, which are neither fo long nor fo large as the bananas, but of a 

 better tafte ; they are ufed as the former. 



The third kind are the guineos, lefs than either of the former, but far more palatable, 

 though not reckoned fo wholefome by the natives, on account of their fuppofed heat. 

 They feldom exceed four inches in length ; and their rind, when ripe, is yellower, 

 fmoother, and brighter, than that of the two other kinds. The cuftom of the country 

 is to drink water after eating them ; but the European failors, who will not be confined 

 in their diet, but drink brandy with every thing they eat, make no difference between this 

 fruit and any other ; and to this intemperance may, in fome meafure, be attributed the 

 many difeafes with which they are attacked in this country, and not a few fudden deaths ; 

 which are, indeed, apt to raife, in the furvivors, concern for their companions for the 



* The plantane and banana are, I believe, little known in Europe by name. The firft two forts the 

 Author defcribes, are better known by the names of the long and fhort plantane, and the laft by the name 

 of banana, than by thofe he has given them. They have neither ftone nor kernel, but a very fmall feed, 

 as fmall as that of thyme, which lies in the fruit in rows like that of a cucumber, to which the banana bears 

 the greateft refemblance of any thing in England j only it is fmooth, and not fo large. A. 



prefentj 



