1770 FRUITS 395 
natives are vastly fond of; but few Europeans, at first, how- 
ever, can endure its taste, which resembles sugared cream 
mixed with onions. The smell also prejudices them much 
against it, being most like that of rotten onions. (24) 
Nanca (Sitodiwm cauliflorum), called in some parts of India 
jack, has like the durian a smell very disagreeable to 
strangers, resembling very mellow apples with a little 
garlic. The taste, however, in my opinion makes amends 
for the smell, though I must say that amongst us English 
I was, I believe, single in that opinion. Authors tell 
strange stories about the immense size to which this 
fruit grows in some countries which are favourable to it. 
Rumphius says that they are sometimes so large that a man 
cannot easily lift one of them: the Malays told me that at 
Madura they were so large that two men could but carry 
one of them; at Batavia, however, they never exceed the 
size of a large melon, which in shape they resemble, but are 
coated over with angular spines like the shootings of some 
crystals: they are, however, soft, and do not at all prick any 
one who handles them. (25) Tsjampada (Sitodiwm) differs 
from nanca in little else than size. (26) Rambutan? is a 
fruit seldom mentioned by Europeans; it is in appearance 
much like a chestnut with the husk on, being like it covered 
with soft prickles, but smaller and of a deep red colour: 
when eaten, this skin must be cut, and under it is a fruit, 
the flesh of which indeed bears but a small proportion to the 
stone, but makes rich amends for the smallness of its quan- 
tity by the elegance of its acid, superior to any other (maybe) 
in the whole vegetable kingdom. (27) Jambolan (Myrtus) 
is in size and appearance not unlike an English damson, but 
has always rather too astringent a flavour to allow it to be 
compared even with that fruit. (28) Boa bidarra (Rhamnus 
jujuba) is a round yellow fruit, about the size of a musket 
bullet; its flavour is compared to an apple, but like the 
former has too much astringency to be compared with any 
thing but a crab. (29) Nam nam (Cynometra cauliflora) is 
shaped something like a kidney, very rough and rugged on 
1 Artocarpus integrifolia, Linn. f. 2 Nepheliwm lappaceum, Linn. 
