DYAK FRUITS. 283 



supply him with abundance of the choicest fruits of 

 the earth. 



Any one accustomed only to eat the fruits of the 

 Malayan bazaars, cannot imagine the superior delicacy 

 of flavour in those fresh plucked. In this state, 

 the durian, which, after it has been gathered for a 

 day or two sends forth a most offensive smell, is one 

 of the most delightful of fruits, and its odour neither 

 strong nor unpleasant. No one who has been used to 

 this fruit in perfection, would never think of touching 

 those of the bazaars ; one taste of the garlic-like flavour 

 which if the offensive odour has not been sufficient 

 usually prevents the European from enjoying this fine 

 fruit. To have it in perfection, it must be eaten 

 immediately on its falling from the tree ; those which 

 are plucked, and ripen afterwards, being equally useless 

 with those which have been two or three days from 

 the orchard. 



The Dyaks are passionately fond of this fruit, and 

 distinguish it by the name " dien," which signifies 

 " the fruit," par excellence ; " dien," being the term for 

 fruit in general, as well as for this species in particular. 

 Its seeds, which are large, are roasted, when they 

 resemble chesnuts, and are carefully preserved by the 

 people, to be eaten when the season of fruits is past. To 

 keep up the succession of these forests of fruit-trees, no 

 care on the part of the Dyaks is necessary, so that they 

 never think of planting young trees, but trust to 

 Nature, which is here so prodigal of its care for a 

 continuance of the supply, that a constant succession of 

 young plants is kept up by the fallen fruits, precisely 



