Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tion,
en route
from Mexico to Manila. While this exchange was going
on some sailors slipped over the side and took command of the boat.
The priest was taken to the great cabin, where Swan informed him
that he was now a hostage. No ill would befall him as long as the gov-
ernor satisfied their reasonable demands.
Whether or not the governor was worried about the fate of the
priest, he was in no position to refuse Swan provisions. He had a gar-
rison of only twenty or thirty soldiers and was faced by two ship-
loads of well-armed buccaneers. Such men had never before broken
through the barrier of the Pacific and their arrival now was a con-
siderable shock. Furthermore, any conflict with these
other
white
men would almost certainly spark off a revolt among the islanders,
who were only with difficulty kept in subjection. Thus, all the voy-
agers' needs were met and they passed an agreeable twelve days on
Guam. Dampier spent every possible moment ashore making notes
of everything he saw. Here are his observations about bread fruit:
The bread-fruit (as we call it) grows on a large tree, as big and
high as our largest apple trees. It has a spreading head full of
branches, and dark leaves. The fruit grows on the boughs like apples: it
is as big as a penny loaf, when wheat is at five shillings the bushel. It is
of a round shape, and has a thick tough rind. When the fruit is ripe, it is
yellow and soft; and the taste is sweet and pleasant. The natives of this
island use it for bread: they gather it when full grown, while it is green
and hard; then they bake it in an oven, which scorcheth the rind and
makes it black: but they scrape off the outside black crust, and there
remains a tender thin crust, and the inside is soft, tender and white,
like the crumb of a penny loaf. There is neither seed nor stone in the
inside, but all is of a pure substance like bread: it must be eaten new,
for if it is kept above 24 hours, it becomes dry, and eats harsh and cho-
aky; but 'tis very pleasant before it is too stale. This fruit lasts in season
eight months in the year; during which time the natives eat no other
