is no harder than Butter in Winter, and is much of the colour of the purest yellow Butter. It is of a delicate taste, and melts in ones Mouth like Marmalet. It is all pure Pulp, without any Seed, Kernel or Stone. This Fruit is so much esteemed by all Europeans that settle in America, that when they make a new Plantation they commonly begin with a good Plantain-walk, as they call it, or a field of Plantains; and as their Family encreaseth, so they augment the Plantain-walk, keeping one Man purposely to prune the Trees, and gather the Fruit as he sees convenient. For the Trees continue bearing, some or other, most part of the Year; and this is many times the whole Food on which a whole Family subsists. They thrive only in rich fat ground, for poor sandy will not bear them. The Spaniards in their Towns in America, as at Havana, Cartagena, Portabel, &c. have their Markets full of Plantains, it being the common Food for poor People; Their common Price is half a Riol, [i.e., real] 3. d. a Dozen. When this Fruit is only used for Bread, it is roasted or boil'd when it's just full grown, but not yet ripe, or turn'd yellow. Poor People, or Negroes, that have neither Fish nor Flesh to eat with it, make Sauce with Cod-pepper, Salt and Lime-juice, which makes it eat very savory; much better than a crust of Bread alone. Sometimes for a change they eat a roasted Plantain, and a ripe raw Plantain together, which is instead of Bread and Butter. They eat very pleasant so, and I have made many a good meal in this manner. Sometimes our English take 5 or 7 ripe Plantains, and mashing them together, make them into a lump, and boil them instead of a Bag-pudding; which they call a Buff-jacket: and this is a very good way for a change. This Fruit makes also very goad Tarts; and the green Plantains slic'd thin, and dried in the Sun, and grated will make a sort of Flour which is very good to make Puddings. A ripe Plantain slic'd and dried in the Sun may be preserved a great while; and then eats like Figs, very sweet and pleasant. The Darien Indians preserve them a long time, by drying them gently over the Fire; mashing them first, and moulding them into lumps. The Moskito Indians will take a ripe Plantain and roast it; then take a pint and a half of Water in a Calabash, and squeeze the Plantain in pieces with their Hands, mixing it with the Water; then they drink it all off together: This they call Mishlaw, and it's pleasant and sweet, and nourishing; somewhat like Lambs-wool (as 'tis call'd) made with Apples and Ale; and of this Fruit alone many thousands of Indian Families in the West-Indies have their whole subsistence. When they make drink with them, they take 10 or 12 ripe Plantains and mash them well in a Trough: then they put 2 Gallons of Water among them; and this in 2 Hours time will ferment and froth like Wort. In 4 Hours it is fit to Drink; and then they Bottle it, and Drink it as they have occasion: but this will not keep above 24 or 30 Hours.