396 DESCRIPTION OF BATAVIA CHAP, xvn 



the outside and about three inches long : it is seldom eaten 

 raw, but when fried with butter makes very good fritters. (30) 

 Catappa (Terminalia catappa) and (31) canari (Canarium 

 commune) are both nuts, the kernels of which are compared 

 to almonds, and indeed are fully as sweet, but the difficulty 

 of getting at their kernels out of their tough rinds and hard 

 shells is so great that they are nowhere publicly sold, nor 

 did I taste any others than those which for curiosity's sake 

 I gathered from the tree and had opened under it. (32) 

 Madja (Limonia), under a hardish brittle shell, contains a 

 slightly acid pulp, which is only eaten mixed with sugar, 

 nor is it then to be called pleasant. (33) Suribul (Trichilia) 

 is by far the worst fruit of any I .have to mention : it 

 is in size and shape much like the madja, as large as a 

 middling apple, but rounder ; it has a thick hide, containing 

 within it kernels like the mangostan ; its taste is both acid 

 and astringent, without one merit to recommend it, indeed I 

 should not have thought it eatable, had I not seen it often 

 publicly exposed for sale upon the fruit stalls. (34) Blim- 

 bing (Averrhoa bilimbi), (35) blimbing-bessi (Averrhoa caram- 

 lola), and (36) cherrema (Averrhoa acida) are all three 

 species of one genus, which, though they differ much in 

 shape, agree in being equally acid, too much so to be used 

 without dressing, except only blimbing-bessi, which is sweeter 

 than the other two ; they make, however, excellent sour 

 sauce, and as good pickles. (37) SalacJc 1 (Calamus rotang- 

 zalacca) is the fruit of a most prickly bush ; it is as big as a 

 walnut, and covered over with scales like a lizard or snake ; 

 these scales, however, easily strip off, and leave two or three 

 soft and yellow kernels, in flavour resembling a little, I 

 thought, strawberries : in this, however, I was peculiar, for no 

 one but myself liked them. In short, I believe I may say that 

 bad as the character is that I have given of these fruits, I 

 ate as many of them as any one, and at the time thought I 

 spoke as well of them as the best friends they had. My 

 opinions were then as they are now ; whether my shipmates 

 may change theirs between here and home I cannot tell. 



1 A species of rattan cane. 



