9r'i^ 



ULL6a's voyage to south AMERICA. 459 



divided into feveral cells, each containing a certain fpungy medulla, very light, and 

 equal to cotton in whitenefs. In this are inclofed fome black feeds of a very difpro- 

 portionate fize, the medulla, whofe juice is fweet and cooling, not being above a line 

 and a half in thicknefs round each feed. 



The granadilla refembles a hen*s egg in fhape, but larger. The outfide of the fliell 

 is fmooth and glofly, and of a faint carnation colour, and the infide white and foft. 

 It is about a line and a half in thicknefs, and pretty hard. This fhell contains a vifcous 

 and liquid fubftance, full of very fmall and delicate grains lefs hard than thofe of the 

 pomegranate. This medullary fubftance is feparated from the fhell, by an extreme 

 fine and tranfparent membrane. This fruit is of a delightful fweetnefs, blended with , 

 acidity, very cordial and refrefhing, and fo wholefome that there is no danger in 

 indulging the appetite. The two former are alfo of the fame innocent quality. The 

 granadilla is not the produce of a tree, but of a plant, the bloiTom of which refembles / / 

 the paflion-flower, * and of a moft delicate fragrance. But we muft obferve a remark- ^^ 

 able fmgularity in the fruits of this country, namely, that they do not ripen on the 

 trees, like thofe of Europe, but muft be gathered and kept fome time ; for if fulFered 

 to hang on the trees they would decay. 



The laft of the fruits I fhall mention is the frutilla, or Peru ftrawberry, very differem 

 from that of Europe in fize ; for though generally not above an inch in length, and 

 two-thirds of an inch in thicknefs, they are much larger in other parts of Peru. Their 

 tafte, though juicy and not unpalatable, is not equal to thofe of Europe. The whole 

 difference between the plant and that known in Spain confifb in its leaves being fome- 

 what larger. 



The papas are natives of a cold climate; and being common in feveral parts of 

 Europe, wh^e they are known by the name of potatoes, all I fhall fay of them is, that 

 they are a favourite food with the inhabitants of thefe countries, who eat them inftead 

 of bread, nor is there a made difh or ragout in which they are not an ingredient. The 

 Creoles prefer them to any kind of meat, or even fowl. A particular difh is made of 

 them, and ferved up at the beft tables, called Locro ; and is always the laft, that water 

 may be drank after it, which they look upon as otherwife unwholefome. This root is 

 the chief food of the lower clafs ; and they find it fo nutritive and ftrengthening, that 

 they are not defirous of more folid food. 



The oca is a root about two or three inches in length, and about half an inch, or 

 fomething more, in thicknefs, though not every where equal, having a kind of knots 

 where they twift and wreath themfelves. This root is covered with a very thin an4 

 tranfparent fkin, whofe colour is in fome yellow, in fome red, and others orange. 

 It is eaten either boiled or roafted, and has nearly the fame, tafte as a chefnut ; with 

 this difference, however, common to all the fruits of America, that the fweetnefs pre- 

 dominates. It is both pickled and preferved, the latter being what the Americans are 

 very fond of. This root is alfo an ingredient in many made difhes. The plant is fmall, 

 like the camote, yucas, and others already defcribed. 



With regard to the corn of this country, there is no neceffity for enumerating the 

 fpecies, they being the fame with thofe known in Spain. The maize and barley are 

 ufed by the poor people, and particularly by the Indians, in making bread. They 

 have feveral methods of preparing the maize ; one is by parching, which they call 

 Camea. They alfo make from this grain a drinK called Chica, ufed by the Indians in 



* This is the identical paflion-flower, which in England never bears any fruit, the climate being too 

 cold. A. 



3 N 2 



the 



