41 NUTRITIVE PLANTS. 



serves as a substitute for bread among the inhabitants of Otaheife, 

 and the neighbouring islands, but also, variously dressed, composes 

 the principal part of their food. It grows on a tree that is about 

 the size of a middling oak; its leaves are frequently a foot and a 

 half long, of an oblong shape, deeply sinuated like those of the fi^. 

 tree, which they resemble in colour and consistence, and in the 

 exsuding of a milky juice upon being broken. The fruit is about 

 the size and shape of a new-born child's head, and the surface is 

 reticulated, not much unlike a truffle ; it is covered with a thin skin, 

 and has a core about it as big as the handle of a small knife. The 

 eatable part lies between the skin and the core ; it is as white as 

 snow, and somewhat of the consistence of new bread : it must be 

 roasted before it is eaten, being first divided into three or four parts ; 

 its taste is insipid, with a slight sweetness, somewhat resembling that 

 of the crumb of wheaten bread mixed with a Jerusalem artichoke. 

 This fruit is also cooked in a kind of oven, which renders it soft, 

 and something like a boiled potatoe ; not quite so farinaceous as a 

 good one, but more so than those of the middling sort. Of the 

 bread-fruit they also make three dishes, by putting either water or 

 the milk of the cocoa-nut to it, then beating it to a paste with a 

 stone pestle, and afterwards mixing it with ripe plantains, bananas, 

 or the sour paste which they call mahie. 



The unripe artocarpus mahie, is likewise made to serve as a sue- 

 cedaneum for ripe bread-fruit before the season is come on. The 

 fruit of the bread-tree is gathered just before it is perfectly ripe; 

 and being laid in heaps, is closely covered with leaves : in this state 

 it undergoes a fermentation, and becomes disagreeably sweet ; the 

 core is then taken out entire, which is done by gently pulling out the 

 stalk, and the rest of the fruit is thrown into a hole which is dug for 

 that purpose generally in the houses, and neatly lined on the bottom 

 and sides with grass: the whole is then covered with leaves, and 

 heavy stones laid upon them , in this state it undergoes a second 

 fermentation, and becomes sour, after which it will suffer no change 

 for many months. It is taken out of the hole as it is wanted for 

 use ; and being made into balls, it is wrapped up in leaves and 

 baked : alter it is dressed, it will keep for five or six weeks. It is 

 eaten both cold and hot ; and the natives seldom make a meal with- 

 out it, though to Europeans the taste is as disagreeable as that of a 

 pickled olive generally is the first time it is eaten. 



