212 



NARRATIVE OF AN 



hand in hand, and converling with fmiles near a flowery 

 bank that adorned the fide of a cryftal brbok, in which 

 they plunged the inftant they heard me ruftUng amongft 

 the verdure, Hke two mermaids : 



" Then to the flood they rufh'd ; the parted flood 

 " Its lovely guefts with clofing waves receiv'd, 

 " And every beauty foft'ning, every grace 

 ** Flufliing anew, a mellow luflre flied. 



Leaving them to enjoy their innocent amufement of 

 bathing, I fpent the remaining hour before dinner amongffe 

 the lhady fruit-trees, blooming bowers, and ferpentine 

 gravel walks ; where indeed I faw greater variety of Eu- 

 ropean plants than I imagined were produced in a tro- 

 pical climate, fuch as mint, fennel, fage, rofemary, gold- 

 en-rod and jeflamine, the fenfitive plant, pomegranates, 

 rofes, figs, and even fome grapes. — Of the pomegranate 

 flowers, a fpecimen may be feen in plate, N' XXIX. The- 

 figs are both within and without of a beautiful crimfon 

 colour ; but the rofes are rather pale. Here were fome 

 beautiful pine-apples and melons, which, though they 

 are fo generally known, I will neverthelefs give fome 

 account of. The imperial fruit, called jinana or pine- 

 apple grows in the centre of an elegant fea- green 

 plant, on a ftalk of the fame hue, about eight inches in 

 length, its leaves diverging near the furface of the earthy 

 which are fmooth, long, ftrong, pointed, and dentulated 

 with hard prickles. The fliape of this fruit is nearly 

 oval, the flze of a fugar-loaf, all over chequered, and of 



. a tioft 



CHAP. 



XXIV. 



