ISLAND OF C E Y I. O N. 243 



l^Ioderns do not fpeak in raptures of the fruit. Sir Jo'cph 

 Banks gives the moft favorable account, that they all have a 

 pleafant vinous tafte. Three fpecies merit that praife; the 

 others mud be dreffed by frying or boirmg, and fo eaten as 

 ?bread. But the form of the plant is the moft grotefque in na- 

 ture, and moft rich when lo?.den, as it is, with its fplendid look- 

 ing fruit. The ftem grows to the height of ten or twelve feet, 

 and to the thicknels of a man's leg, yet can readily be cut 

 through with a knife ; neither does it live above two years. It 

 cannot rife to the dignity of a tree : Its leaves are the largeft 

 of any known vegetable ; fome are more than twelve feet long, 

 and two broad ; are very fmootli, of an elegant green above, 

 and yellow beneath ; they more referable paper than a leaf, and 

 give a moft ruftling found. The fruit grows in vaft clufters, 

 and is of an oblong fliape, and is filled with a pulp foft as butter. 

 Doftor 7/"^-zt', by the fkilful hand of Ebrct, gives of it the moft 

 comprehenfive idea. 



This fine plant was not overlooked by the antients. P/wy Pala Piixn. 

 certainly means this fpecies by his Pala, which he delcribes in 

 thefe words, lib. xii. c. 6, — " Major alia porno et fuavitate prae- 

 •" cellentior, quo fapientes Indorum vivunt. Folium alas avium 

 " imitatur longitiidine trium cubitorum, latitudine duum. 

 " Fructum cortice emittit, admirabilem fucci dulcedine, ut uno 

 <' quaternos fatiet, Arbori nomen pate, pomo arien^." 



This account agrees well, not only in the ftze of the leaves 

 and fruit, and delicacy of the pulp, but it alfo gives us reaibnto 

 fuppofc, that there had been fome tradition delivered down to 



I i 1 the. 



