S72 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLB KINGDOM. 



not bo of much importance, to ascertain. It is 

 the one cnltivated in the South Sea islands ; it 

 wns originally found only there; and the tree 

 was not in much repute till these islands were 

 discovered. 



The bread-fruit continues productive for about 

 eight months of the year. Such is its abundance, 

 that two or three trees will suffice for a man's 

 yearly supply ; a store being made into a sour 

 paste, called mahe in the islands, which is eaten 

 during the unproductive season. The planting 

 of the seedless variety is now saved, as the creep- 

 ing roots send up suckers which soon grow to 

 trees. "When the fruit is roasted till the outside 

 is charred, the pulp has a consistency not very 

 unlike that of wheaten bread ; and the taste is 

 intci-mcdiate between that of bread and roasted 

 chestnuts. It is said to be very nourishing, and 

 is prepared in various ways. 



The timber of the bread-fruit, though soft, is 

 found useful in the construction of houses and 

 Itoats; the male flowers dried, serve for tinder ; 

 the juice answers for bird-lime and glue; the 

 leaves for packing and for towels; and the inner 

 bark, beaten together, makes one species of the 

 South sea cloth. 



The earliest account of the bread-fruit is by 

 Captain Dampier, in 1688. " The bread-fruit," 

 says this navigator, "grows on a large tree, as 

 big and high as our largest apple trees. It hath 

 a spreading head, full of branches, and dark 

 leaves. The fniit grows on the boughs like 

 apples ; it is as big as a penny loaf, when wheat 

 is at five shillings the bushel ; it is of a round 

 shape, and hath a thick tough rind. When the 

 fruit is ripe, it is yellow and soft, and the taste 

 is sweet and pleasant. The natives of Guam use 

 it for bread. They gather it when full grown, 

 while it is green and hard ; then they bake it in 

 nn oven, which scorcheth the rind, and maketh 

 it black ; but they scrape off the outside black 

 crust, and there remains a tender thin crust; and 

 the inside is soft, tender, and white, like the 

 cramb of a penny loaf. There is neither seed 

 nor stone in the inside, but all of a pure substance, 

 like bread. It must be eaten new, for if it be 

 kept above twenty-four hours, it grows harsh 

 and choky; but it is very pleasant before it is 

 too stale. This fruit lasts in season eight months 

 in the year, during which the natives eat no other 

 sort of bread kind. I did never see of this fruit 

 any where but here. The natives told us tliat 

 there is plenty of this fruit growing on the rest 

 of the Ladrone islands ; and I did never hear of 

 it any where else." 



'J'he scientific men who accompanied Captain 

 Cook in his voyages, came home with the most 

 enthusiastic ideas of the bread-fruit, Dr So- 

 lander calls it " the most useful vegetable in the 

 world," and urges that no expense should be 

 Sjmred in its cultivation. The mere idea of 



bread, the most valuable food of man, growing 

 sjiontaneously, was doubtless calculated to excite 

 attention — almost, perhaps, as strongly as the 

 subsequent description of the poet : — 



" Tlic bread- tree, which, without the ploughshare yields 

 Tlie unreap'd liarvest of unfurrow'd fields. 

 And bakes its unadulterated loaves 

 Witliout a furnace in unpurcliased groves, 

 And flings off famine from its fertile breast, 

 A priceless market for the gatlicring guest." * 



A tree, of the value and easy culture of wliich 

 so very encouraging accounts were given, could 

 not but attract the notice of the public generally, 

 and more especially of those colonists of Great 

 Britain who lived in a climate warm enough for 

 its cultivation. An application to be furnished 

 with plants of the bread-fruit tree was accord- 

 ingly made to his late Majesty by the planters 

 and others interested in the West Indies, and it 

 met with a lavourable reception. The Bounty, 

 a vessel of about two hundred and fifteen tons 

 burthen, was fitted up for a voyage to Ota- 

 heite. Lieutenant (afterwards Admiral) Bligh, 

 who had accompanied Cook on his last voyage, 

 and shown himself an officer of great talents, en- 

 terprise, and bravery, was appointed to the com- 

 mand. In addition to the crew of the vessel, 

 two men were appointed, at the recommendation 

 of Sir Joseph Banks, to take immediate charge 

 of the procuring, shipping, and tending of the 

 plants. 



The Bounty was skilfuUy fitted up for her in- 

 tended purpose. A large cabin between decks, 

 in midships, was prepared for the reception of 

 the plants. Tliis had two large skylights on 

 the top for light ; three scuttles on each side for 

 ventilation of air, and a double bottom ; an upper 

 one of timber on which to place the pots and 

 tubs containing the plants, which was drilled fuU 

 of holes to allow escape to the superfluous water 

 which might have injtired them by stagnation, 

 and a leaden one upon the lower deck, in which 

 the water that ran through the other was col- 

 lected, and from which it was conducted by a 

 leaden pipe at each corner, into casks below for 

 future use. 



Thus prepared, the vessel put to sea about the 

 middle of November, 1787, but was beat about 

 and baffled by contrary winds, so that the voy- 

 age was not commenced till the 23d of December. 

 The instructions given to Lieutenant Bligh were 

 full and explicit. lie was to resort to those 

 places in the Society isles where Captain Cook 

 had stated that the bread-fruit tree was to be 

 found in the greatest luxuriance, and there pro- 

 cure as many plants as the vessel could carry ; 

 after which he was to proceed with them to the 

 West Indies with all possible expedition. 



* Byron. 



