1770 FRUITS 391 



my judgment of each, which I confess is not so much in 

 their favour, as is that of the generality of Europeans after 

 their return home ; though while here I did not find that 

 they were more fond of them, or spoke more in their praise, 

 when compared with European fruits, than I did. 



(1) The pine-apples (Bromelia ananas), called here nanas, 

 are very large, and so plentiful that in cheap times I 

 have been told that a man who buys them first hand 

 may get them for a farthing apiece. When we were 

 there we could without much haggling get two or three 

 for twopence halfpenny at the common fruit shops. In 

 quality they are certainly good and well flavoured, as good, 

 but not a bit better, than those which are called good 

 in England. So luxuriant are they in their growth that 

 most of them have two or three crowns, and a large 

 number of suckers from the bottom of the fruit : I have 

 counted nine. These are so forward, that they often, while 

 still adhering to the mother, shoot out their fruit, which by 

 the time the large one is ripe, are of a tolerable size. Of 

 these I have seen three upon one apple, and have been told 

 that nine have been seen ; but this was esteemed so great a 

 curiosity, that it was preserved in sugar and sent to the 

 Prince of Orange. 



(2) Oranges (Citrus aurant. sinensis) are tolerably good, 

 but while we were here were very dear, seldom less than 

 sixpence apiece. (3) Pumplemouses (Citrus decumanus), called 

 in the West Indies shaddocks, were well flavoured, but had 

 no juice in them, which we were told depended upon the 

 season. (4) Lemons (Citrus medico) were very scarce, but 

 the want of them was amply made up by the plenty of 

 (5) limes, of which the best were to be bought for about 

 twelvepence a hundred. Of Seville oranges I saw two or three 

 only, and they were almost all peel. There are many other 

 sorts of oranges and lemons ; none of which are at all 

 esteemed by the Europeans, or indeed by the natives them- 

 selves. (6) Mango (Mangifera indica) : this fruit during our 

 stay was so infested with maggots, which bred inside them, 

 that scarcely four out of ten would be free ; nor were those 



