Page:A voyage to New Holland - Dampier.djvu/72

34 dle a few small black Stones or Kernels; but no Core, for 'tis all Pulp. The Tree that bears this Fruit is about the bigness of a Quince-tree, with long, small, and thickset Branches spread much abroad: At the Extremity of here and there one of which the Fruit grows upon a Stalk of its own about 9 or 10 Inches long, slender and tough, and hanging down with its own weight. A large Tree of this sort does not bear usually above 20 or 30 Apples; seldom more. This Fruit grows in most Countries within the Tropicks. I have seen of them (tho' I omitted the Description of them before) all over the West-Indies, both Continent and Islands; as also in Brazil, and in the East-Indies.

The Papah too is found in all these Countries, though I have not hitherto describ'd it. It is a Fruit about the bigness of a Musk-Melon, hollow as that is, and much resembling it in Shape and Colour, both outside and inside: Only in the middle, instead of flat Kernels, which the Melons have, these have a handful of small blackish Seeds, about the bigness of Pepper-corns; whose Taste is also hot on the Tongue somewhat like Pepper. The Fruit it self is sweet, soft and luscious, when ripe; but while green 'tis hard and unfavory: tho' even then being boiled and eaten with Salt-pork or Beef, it serves in-