Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/454

396 the outside and about three inches long: it is seldom eaten raw, but when fried with butter makes very good fritters. (30) Catappa (Terminalia catappa) and (31) canari (Canarium commune) are both nuts, the kernels of which are compared to almonds, and indeed are fully as sweet, but the difficulty of getting at their kernels out of their tough rinds and hard shells is so great that they are nowhere publicly sold, nor did I taste any others than those which for curiosity's sake I gathered from the tree and had opened under it. (32) Madja (Limonia), under a hardish brittle shell, contains a slightly acid pulp, which is only eaten mixed with sugar, nor is it then to be called pleasant. (33) Sunbul (Trichilia) is by far the worst fruit of any I have to mention: it is in size and shape much like the madja, as large as a middling apple, but rounder; it has a thick hide, containing within it kernels like the mangostan; its taste is both acid and astringent, without one merit to recommend it, indeed I should not have thought it eatable, had I not seen it often publicly exposed for sale upon the fruit stalls. (34) Blimbing (Averrhoa bilimbi), (35) blimbing-bessi (Averrhoa carambola), and (36) cherrema (Averrhoa acida) are all three species of one genus, which, though they differ much in shape, agree in being equally acid, too much so to be used without dressing, except only blimbing-bessi, which is sweeter than the other two; they make, however, excellent sour sauce, and as good pickles. (37) Salack (Calamus rotang-zalacea) is the fruit of a most prickly bush; it is as big as a walnut, and covered over with scales like a lizard or snake; these scales, however, easily strip off, and leave two or three soft and yellow kernels, in flavour resembling a little, I thought, strawberries: in this, however, I was peculiar, for no one but myself liked them. In short, I believe I may say that bad as the character is that I have given of these fruits, I ate as many of them as any one, and at the time thought I spoke as well of them as the best friends they had. My opinions were then as they are now; whether my shipmates may change theirs between here and home I cannot tell.