chap, v.] THE DURIAN. 117 



both by natives and Europeans in the Malay Archipelago 

 is reckoned superior to all others. The old traveller 

 Linschott, writing in 1599, says: — "It is of such an 

 excellent taste that it surpasses in flavour all the other 

 fruits of the world, according to those who have tasted it." 

 And Doctor Paludanus adds : — " This fruit is of a hot and 

 humid nature. To those not used to it, it seems at first 

 to smell like rotten onions, but immediately they have 

 tasted it they prefer it to all other food. The natives 

 give it honourable titles, exalt it, and make verses on it." 

 When brought into a house the smell is often so offensive 

 that some persons can never bear to taste it. This was 

 my own case when I first tried it in Malacca, but in 

 Borneo I found a ripe fruit on the ground, and, eating it 

 out of doors, I at once became a confirmed Durian eater. 



The Durian grows on a large and lofty forest tree, some- 

 what resembling an elm in its general character, but with 

 a more smooth and scaly bark. The fruit is round or 

 slightly oval, about the size of a large cocoanut, of a 

 green colour, and covered all over with short stout spines 

 the bases of which touch each other, and are consequently 

 somewhat hexagonal, while the points are very strong and 

 sharp. It is so completely armed, that if the stalk is 

 broken off it is a difficult matter to lift one from the 

 ground. The outer rind is so thick and tough, that from 

 whatever height it may fall it is never broken. From the 



