The Hiftory of B o o k 1 1 



faid ftrings, and having boil*d them eat them as a Sallet, like 

 the tops of Afyaragusot Hops. 



ANANAS. 



THe Ananas or Pine- Apple is accounted the raoft delicious 

 fruit, not only of thefe Iflands, but of all America. It 

 is fo~ delightful to the eye, and of fb fweet a fcent, that Na- 

 ture may be faid to have been extreamly prodigal of what was 

 raoft rare and precious in her Treafury to this Plant. 



It grows on a ftalk about a foot high, encompafied by about 

 15 or 1 6 leaves, as long as thofe of fome kinds of Thirties, 

 broad asthePalmof a mans hand, and in figure like thofe of 

 Aloes : they are pointed at the extremity, as thofe olCorn-GU- 

 den, fomewhat hollow in the midft, and having on both fides 

 little prickles, which are very (harp. 



The fruit which grows between thefe leaves, ftrait up from 

 the ftalk, is fometimes about the bignefs of a Melon : its figure 

 is much like that of a Pine- Apple : its rind, which is full of lit- 

 tle compartiments like the fcales of fifh, of a pale-green co- 

 lour, border'd with Carnation upon a yellow ground, hath on 

 the out-fide feveralfmall flowers, which, according to the diffe- 

 rent Afpecls of the Sun, feem to be of fo many different colours 

 as may be feen in the tvain-bow, as the fruit ripens moft of thefe 

 flowers fall. But that which gives it a far greater luftre, and 

 acquir'd it the mpremacy among Fruit is, that it is crown'd 

 with a great Pofie, confifting of flowers and feveral leaves, fo- 

 lid and jagged about, which are of a bright red colour, and 

 extreamly add to the delightfulnefs of it. 



The Meat or Pulp which is contained within the rind, is a 

 little fibrous, but put into the mouth isturn'd all to juice: it 

 hath fo tranfcendent a tafte, and fo particular to it felf, that 

 thole who haveendeavour'd to make a full defcription of it, 

 not able to confine themfelves to one comparifon, have bor- 

 row'd what they thought moft delicate in the Peach, the Straw- 

 berry , the Mnfcadine-grape, and the Pippin, and having faid all 

 they could, been forc'd to acknowledg that it hath a certain 

 particular tafte which cannot eafily be exprefs'd. 



The vertue, or {hoot by which this fruit may be perpetu- 

 ated lyes not in its root, nor yet in a fmall red feed, which is 

 many times found in its Pulp, but in that Garland -wherewith it 

 is cover'd for as foon as it is put into the ground it takes root, 

 {hoots forth leaves, and at the years end produces new fruit. 

 It happens fometimes that thefe fruits are chargd with three 

 pofies or crowns, all which have the vertue of propagating their 

 fpecies : but every ftalk bears fruit but once a year. 



There are three or four kinds of them, which the Inhabi- 

 tants diftinguilh by the colour, figure, or fcent, to wit, the 



White- 



