Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/449

1770 my judgment of each, which I confess is not so much in their favour, as is that of the generality of Europeans after their return home; though while here I did not find that they were more fond of them, or spoke more in their praise, when compared with European fruits, than I did.

(1) The pine-apples (Bromelia ananas), called here nanas, are very large, and so plentiful that in cheap times I have been told that a man who buys them first hand may get them for a farthing apiece. When we were there we could without much haggling get two or three for twopence halfpenny at the common fruit shops. In quality they are certainly good and well flavoured, as good, but not a bit better, than those which are called good in England. So luxuriant are they in their growth that most of them have two or three crowns, and a large number of suckers from the bottom of the fruit: I have counted nine. These are so forward, that they often, while still adhering to the mother, shoot out their fruit, which by the time the large one is ripe, are of a tolerable size. Of these I have seen three upon one apple, and have been told that nine have been seen; but this was esteemed so great a curiosity, that it was preserved in sugar and sent to the Prince of Orange.

(2) Oranges (Citrus aurant. sinensis) are tolerably good, but while we were here were very dear, seldom less than sixpence apiece. (3) Pumplemouses (Citrus decumanus), called in the West Indies shaddocks, were well flavoured, but had no juice in them, which we were told depended upon the season. (4) Lemons (Citrus medica) were very scarce, but the want of them was amply made up by the plenty of (5) limes, of which the best were to be bought for about twelvepence a hundred. Of Seville oranges I saw two or three only, and they were almost all peel. There are many other sorts of oranges and lemons; none of which are at all esteemed by the Europeans, or indeed by the natives themselves. (6) Mango (Mangifera indica): this fruit during our stay was so infested with maggots, which bred inside them, that scarcely four out of ten would be free; nor were those