:1<J /: V ' | PPK4p r - FRUIT. 
able soup, essence of meat, sour krout, and dried 
malt ; to which were added some articles of iron 
and steel, trinkets, beads, and looking-glasses, 
for traffic with the natives. The plants, the 
best that he could obtain, he was to convey to 
the West Indies, in order to attempt their growth 
for the support of the slave population ; it having 
been the opinion of Sir Joseph Banks, who had 
visited Otaheite with Captain Cook in 1769, 
that the bread-fruit-tree might be successfully 
cultivated in those colonies. 
The bread-fruit grows on a tree, which is 
about the size of a common oak, and, towards the 
top, divides into large and spreading branches. 
The leaves are of a very deep green. The fruit 
springs from twigs to the size of a penny loaf. 
It has a thick rind ; and before becoming ripe, 
it is gathered, and baked in an oven. The 
inner part is like the crumb of wheaten bread, 
and found to be very nutritive. Captain Wm. 
Dampier,* who sailed round the world in the 
year 1688, described the bread-fruit as having 
" neither seed nor stone in the inside ; but all 
is of pure substance like bread. It must be 
eaten new ; for if it is kept above twenty- four 
hours, it grows harsh and choaky; but it is 
very pleasant before it is too stale. This fruit 
lasts in season eight months in the year, during 
which the natives of Guam eat no other sort of 
food of bread kind. I did never," says he, "see 
* An old English navigator, born in 1652, whose name is 
associated with that of the celebrated Alexander Selkirk, 
who sailed in company with him. Selkirk's wonderful ad- 
ventures suggested to De Foe the idea of his inimitable 
Robinson Crusoe. 
