1770 FRUITS 391 
my judgment of each, which I confess is not so much in 
their favour, as is that of the generality of Europeans after 
their return home; though while here I did not find that 
they were more fond of them, or spoke more in their praise, 
when compared with European fruits, than I did. 
(1) The pine-apples (Bromelia ananas), called here nanas, 
are very large, and so plentiful that in cheap times I 
have been told that a man who buys them first hand 
may get them for a farthing apiece. When we were 
there we could without much haggling get two or three 
for twopence halfpenny at the common fruit shops. In 
quality they are certainly good and well flavoured, as good, 
but not a bit better, than those which are called good 
in England. So luxuriant are they in their growth that 
most of them have two or three crowns, and a large 
number of suckers from the bottom of the fruit: I have 
counted nine. These are so forward, that they often, while 
still adhering to the mother, shoot out their fruit, which by 
the time the large one is ripe, are of a tolerable size. Of 
these I have seen three upon one apple, and have been told 
that nine have been seen; but this was esteemed so great a 
curiosity, that it was preserved in sugar and sent to the 
Prince of Orange. 
(2) Oranges (Citrus aurant. sinensis) are tolerably good, 
but while we were here were very dear, seldom less than 
sixpence apiece. (3) Pumplemouses (Citrus decumanus), called 
in the West Indies shaddocks, were well flavoured, but had 
no juice in them, which we were told depended upon the 
season. (4) Lemons (Citrus medica) were very scarce, but 
the want of them was amply made up by the plenty of 
(5) limes, of which the best were to be bought for about 
twelvepence a hundred. Of Seville oranges I saw two or three 
only, and they were almost all peel. There are many other 
sorts of oranges and lemons; none of which are at all 
esteemed by the Europeans, or indeed by the natives them- 
selves. (6) Mango (Mangifera indica): this fruit during our 
stay was so infested with maggots, which bred inside them, 
that scarcely four out of ten would be free; nor were those 
