d described that to attempt a new
account of it would be unnecessary and useless. However as it may
contribute to the convenience of the reader I have given the following
extracts respecting it with the plate annexed.

EXTRACT FROM THE ACCOUNT OF DAMPIER'S VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD PERFORMED IN
1688.

The breadfruit (as we call it) grows on a large tree, as big and high as
our largest apple-trees: It hath 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 hath a thick tough rind. When the fruit is ripe it is yellow
and soft, and the taste is sweet and pleasant. The natives of Guam use it
for bread. They gather it, when full-grown, while it is green and hard;
then they bake it in an oven, which scorches 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 twenty-four hours, it grows harsh and choaky; but it is very
pleasant before it is too stale. This fruit lasts in season EIGHT MONTHS
in the year, during which the natives eat NO OTHER SORT OF FOOD OF BREAD
KIND. I did never see of this fruit anywhere but here. The natives told
us that there is plenty of this fruit growing on the rest of the Ladrone
islands; and I DID NEVER HEAR OF IT ANYWHERE ELSE. Volume 1 page 296.

...

EXTRACT FROM THE ACCOUNT OF LORD ANSON'S VOYAGE, PUBLISHED BY MR. WALTER.

There was at Tinian a kind of fruit, peculiar to these (Ladrone) islands,
called by the Indians rhymay, but by us the breadfruit; for it was
constantly eaten by us, during our stay upon the island, * instead of
bread; and so UNIVERSALLY PREFERRED that no ship's bread was expended in
that whole interval. It grew upon a tree which is somewhat lofty, and
which towards the top divides into large and spreading branches. The
leaves of this tree are of a remarkable deep green, are notched about the
edges, and are generally from a foot to eighteen inches in length. The
fruit itself is found indifferently on all parts of the branches; it is
in shape rather elliptical than round; it is covered with a tough rind
and is usually seven or eight inches long; each of them grows sing