a peece of fresh cheese. In the granges abroad in the
countrie there are other great pineapples, which grow on low trees, and
are like the Aloe tree:(126) they are of a very good smell and exceeding
good taste. Other trees do beare a fruit, which they call Mameis of the
bignes of Peaches. This the Islanders do hold for the best fruit of the
country. There is another fruit which they call Guayahas like Filberds, as
bigge as figges. There are other trees as high as a iaueline, hauing one
only stocke without any bough, and the leaues as long as a casting dart:
and the fruite is of the bignesse and fashion of a Cucumber, one bunch
beareth 20. or 30. and as they ripen, the tree bendeth downeward with
them: they are called in this countrie Plantanos; and are of a good taste,
and ripen after they be gathered, but those are the better which ripen
vpon the tree it selfe: they beare fruite but once: and the tree being cut
downe, there spring vp others out of the but, which beare fruite the next
yeere. (M604) There is another fruit; whereby many people are sustained,
and chiefly the slaues, which are called Batatas. These grow now in the
Isle of Tercera, belonging to the Kingdome of Portugal, and they grow
within the earth, and are like a fruit called Iname, they haue almost the
taste of a chestnut. (M605) The bread of this countrie is also made of
rootes which are like the Batatas. And the stocke whereon those rootes doe
grow is like an Elder tree: they make their ground in little hillocks and
in each of them they thrust 4. or 5. stakes; and they gather the rootes a
yeere and an halfe after they set them. If any one, thinking it is a
Batata or Potato roote, chance to eate of it neuer so little, he is in
great danger of death: which was seene by experience in a souldier, which
assone as hee had eaten a very little of one of those rootes, hee died
quicklie. They pare these rootes and stamp them and squese them in a thing
like a presse: the iuyce that commeth from them is of an euill smell. The
bread is of little taste and lesse substance. Of the fruits of Spaine,
there are Figges and Oranges, and they beare fruite all the yeere, because
the soile is very ranke and fruitfull. (M606) In this countrie are many
good horses, and there is greene grasse all the yeere. There be many wild
oxen and hogges, whereby the people of the Island is well furnished with
flesh: Without the townes abroad in the Countrie are many fruites. And it
happeneth