1770 FRUIT MARKETS 397 



Besides these they have several fruits eaten only by the 

 natives, as Kellor Guilandina, Moringa, Soccum of two or 

 three kinds, the same as is called bread-fruit in the South Seas. 

 All the kinds here, however, are so incomparably inferior to 

 the South Sea ones, that were it not for the great similitude 

 of the outward appearance of both tree and plant, they would 

 scarcely deserve that name. There are also lilinju (G-netum 

 gnemon), loa lune, etc. etc., all which I shall pass over in 

 silence as not deserving to be mentioned to any but hungry 

 people. 



They no doubt have many more which were not in season 

 during our stay : we were told also that several kinds of 

 European fruits, as apples, strawberries, etc., had been planted 

 up in the mountains, where they came to great perfection ; 

 but this I can only advance upon the credit of report. 

 Several other fruits they have also, which they preserve in 

 sugar, as kumquit, boa, atap, etc., but these require to be 

 prepared in that way before they are at all eatable. 



Batavia consumes an almost incredible quantity of fruits, 

 generally over-ripe, or otherwise bad, before they are sold : 

 nor can a stranger easily get any that are good, unless he goes 

 to a street called Passar Pisang, which lies north from the great 

 church, and very near it. Here there live none but Chinese who 

 sell fruit : they are in general supplied from gentlemen's gardens 

 in the neighbourhood of the town, and consequently have the 

 best always fresh. For this excellence of their goods, however, 

 they are well paid, for they will not take less for any kind 

 than three or four times as much as the market price ; nor 

 did we ever grudge to give it, as their fruit was always ten 

 times better than any in the market. The chief supplies of 

 Batavia come from a pretty considerable distance, where 

 great quantities of land are cultivated merely for the sake of 

 the fruits. The country people, to whom these lands belong, 

 meet the town's people at two great markets ; one on 

 Mondays, called Passar Sineen, and the other on Saturdays, 

 called Passar Tanabank, held at very different places ; each 

 however, about five miles from Batavia. Here the best of 

 fruits may be got at the cheapest rates. The sight of these 



