1697] TEA AND COFFEE ROOMS. 229 



Tea, which the Chineses sell for the most part in Eooins^ for 

 that purpose. For two Dutcli Pence, they give you four 

 different Cups of Sweet-Meats, containing each half a Pound, 

 and another like Cup of White- sugar-candy ; besides which 

 they bring you as much Tea as four People can drink. They 

 vise ordinarily the best common Tea, which is sold at ten 

 Pence^ a Pound. Imperial Tea, is worth twice that Money. 

 In these same Places, you may likewise have Coffee, but it is 

 sold a Penny a Dish, as in England and Holland. 



They have at Batavia divers sorts of excellent Fruits, of 

 which Grapes only and Water-Melons are known in Euro])e. 



The Ananas, Coco's, and Banaiies are to be met witli in 

 great abundance. 



Every one knows what the Seifc^-Leaves, and Areqna Nuts 

 are, which all the Natives of this Island, both Men, Women, 

 and Children chaw incessantly to fortifie their Gums and 

 Stomach, for sometimes they swallow the Juice. This Juice 

 is as red as Blood, and gives a like Tincture to the Spittle, 

 which it provokes abundantly,^ so that all who use this Drink 

 have their Lips continually bloody as it were, which is no 

 pleasant sight to look upon. When you are not accustom'd 

 to this Drug, you find its Tast insupportably sharp, but 

 •otherwise it becomes like Tobacco,* and you find it difficult 

 to leave it. If this Betel strengthens the Gums, as all say it 

 does,^ with all my Heart, but I'm sure at the same time it 

 blackens the Teeth in that frightful manner, that these 

 People must needs be ignorant of the sweetness and charms 

 of a fair Mouth. Betel is a Shrub, shap'd somewhat like a 

 Pepper-Tree, but has triangular Leaves^ and is green all the 



1 In orig. : " & ce sont les Chinois qui tiennent ces sortes de cabarets." 



2 In orig. : " dix soiis" = bd. 



3 In orig. : "qu'il faut perpetuellemeut craclier," omitted by trans- 

 lator. 



* In orig. : " quand une f ois on en a pris I'habitude," omitted by trans- 

 lator. 



^ In orig.: "j'y cousens & je m'en rapporte a ce qui en est." 



