1770 FRUIT MARKETS 397 
Besides these they have several fruits eaten only by the 
natives, as Kellor Guilandina, Moringa, Soccwm of two or 
three kinds, the same as is called bread-fruit in the South Seas. 
All the kinds here, however, are so incomparably inferior to 
the South Sea ones, that were it not for the great similitude 
of the outward appearance of both tree and plant, they would 
scarcely deserve that name. There are also bilinju (Gnetwm 
gnemon), boa bune, etc. etce., all which I shall pass over in 
silence as not deserving to be mentioned to any but hungry 
people. 
They no doubt have many more which were not in season 
during our stay: we were told also that several kinds of 
European fruits, as apples, strawberries, etc., had been planted 
up in the mountains, where they came to great perfection ; 
but this I can only advance upon the credit of report. 
Several other fruits they have also, which they preserve in 
sugar, as kumgquit, boa, atap, etc., but these require to be 
prepared in that way before they are at all eatable. 
Batavia consumes an almost incredible quantity of fruits, 
generally over-ripe, or otherwise bad, before they are sold: 
nor can a stranger easily get any that are good, unless he goes 
to a street called Passar Pisang, which lies north from the great 
church, and very near it. Here there live none but Chinese who 
sell fruit: they are in general supplied from gentlemen’s gardens 
in the neighbourhood of the town, and consequently have the 
best always fresh. For this excellence of their goods, however, 
they are well paid, for they will not take less for any kind 
than three or four times as much as the market price; nor 
did we ever grudge to give it, as their fruit was always ten 
times better than any in the market. The chief supplies of 
Batavia come from a pretty considerable distance, where 
great quantities of land are cultivated merely for the sake of 
the fruits. The country people, to whom these lands belong, 
meet the town’s people at two great markets; one on 
Mondays, called Passar Sineen, and the other on Saturdays, 
called Passar Tanabank, held at very different places; each 
however, about five miles from Batavia. Here the best of 
fruits may be got at the cheapest rates. The sight of these 
