320 A MISSION TO VITI. 
Like its congener, it changes the colour of its foliage, 
but the tints are neither so rich as those of the former, 
nor is the general habit of the tree so striking. The 
Oleti or papaw-tree (Carica Papaya, Linn.), has been 
introduced in the early part of this century, and has 
spread with such rapidity that there is hardly a part of 
the group in which it is not to be found; neither the 
natives nor the white settlers (who sometimes will per- 
sist in calling it mamey-apple, a very different fruit) 
seem to care much for it. Only a few seem to be aware 
that saponaceous properties reside in the leaves, which, 
in the absence of soap, may be, and in tropical America 
are, turned to advantage; that both the leaves and the 
fruit act in an hitherto unexplained way upon the ani- 
mal fibre, and make the toughest meat tender, if either 
boiled with portions of them, or even wrapped up in 
the leaves ;* that the fruit is very good eating, either 
raw or boiled; and that the seeds, distinguished by a 
mustard-like pungency, are an efficacious vermifuge for 
children. The Guayava (Psidium Guayava, Raddi) is 
another fruit of recent introduction, that has spread ra- 
pidly over the country, and is eaten either raw or made 
into sweetmeats. One of the custard-apples (Anona 
squamosa, Linn.) has not made such progress. I met a 
few trees on the Somosomo estate of Captain Wilson 
and M. Joubert, of Sydney, and a few at Levuka, in the 
garden of a French settler. The loquat (Eriobotrya Ja- 
ponica, Lindl.) is of recent introduction, and seems to 
* T heard a wag telling a story of an old bachelor, who, sitting for a 
while under this tree with a young lady, became so tender-hearted as to 
pop the question. 
