134 
PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
An apple, in shape and nearly in colour resembling a red 
pepper—it is aqueous and cooling, but rather insipid, the natives 
are very fond of it, it contains a hard round stone in the centre, 
and I could never learn whether it grew on a tree or a vine. 
The fruit, formerly mentioned as resembling a walnut, and 
producing much oil—it appears they were ate by the Spaniards, 
and by captain Marchand’s crew at St Christiana, and were found 
to be of an excellent flavour; but although they were much relish¬ 
ed, they were found to be a pernicious fruit, occasioning all those 
who had eaten of them violent retchings or violent cholies, follow¬ 
ed by strong purging. It is stated that the natives ate of them 
without experiencing any of these effects. At Nooaheevah they 
are never used but for the purpose of ripening bananas, agreea¬ 
ble to the method formerly mentioned (they possessing a heating- 
quality) or are baked and used as candles; they give a brilliant 
light, but require a person to attend them constantly, as one will 
not burn more than two minutes. 
Pine apples of an inferior quality, for the want of proper cul¬ 
tivation, and the castor-oil bean are to be found on the island. 
The first is confined to a few tabooed spots in the valley of Tieu- 
hoy, the latter grows in the most flourishing manner in the great¬ 
est abundance: these two plants were introduced, as Wilson in¬ 
formed me, by an English missionary who, about five or six years 
ago, remained a short time here with a view' of converting the na¬ 
tives to Christianity. I could not learn that he had any success in 
his undertaking; if how r ever, he had, wdiile lie remained, all traces 
of it were completely worn off when I arrived. It seems he first 
endeavoured to convert Gattanewa’s wife, as being the most in¬ 
telligent woman on the island. She appeared to have a perfect re¬ 
collection of some conversations he had with her on religion, 
through the medium of Wilson, and among other things related 
to me, that he had informed her that our God was the only God 
that every one should worship, that he made the island of Noo¬ 
aheevah and had sent clown his Son to let us know that he was the 
true and only God. He ridiculed their gods as blocks, and stones, 
and rags, which, said Taiea-taiaa was not right, for we did not ri¬ 
dicule his god, who, if he- wished us to be convinced that we 
should worship only him wouid also send his Son to instruct us» 
