THE BREAD-FRUIT TREE. 181 and flooring of their houses, are hewn out of its substance; and it also furnishes a good pitch, in the gum which exudes from holes bored into its stem. Of the bark a very useful description of cloth is prepared, and with this, indeed, they would want no other. The fruit is a delicate and wholesome substitute for bread; being very nutritious, and of a sweet and pleasant flavour. Various modes of dressing this food are in use among the natives. The skin being pared away, the pulp is most generally split and roasted, or rather baked, in earthen ovens, upon and under hot stones; and it is often thus cooked with part of a hog, a fowl, or a fish. When taken out, it is soft and mealy, much resembling, in colour and taste, fine sponge biscuit. The natives frequently beat or squeeze it in their hands, and dip the pieces in salt water, when they eat it. This fruit, in fact, is the principal support of the people, who seldom make a meal without a large proportion of it. They call it miory. E. And does the tree always yield fruit? Mr. E. No; there are more than three months out of the twelve when the fruit is either not to be obtained, or very scarce. To compensate this inconvenience, the inhabitants preserve great quantities of that which is quite ripe in pits, about four feet deep, and of the same width. These pits are carefully lined with grass, and then with the leaves of the tii plant, R 182 THE BREAD-FRUIT TREE. which give an agreeable flavour to the preserved fruit. The latter, being cleared of the green coating, and split, is thrown together on a heap, and covered with leaves for from twenty-four to forty-eight hours, as the state of the weather may be. The pile is then split pieces being opened, and the cores of all the extracted, these are again laid together; after which the whole undergoes a process of fermentation, and becomes soft. It is then stowed in the pit, covered with grass, and the grass pressed down with stones. The bread-fruit, thus cured, is taken out of these store-pits from time to time, as it may be wanted, in the state of a sour paste, when it is dressed according to every man's taste. Though the natives, from habit, are fond of it this way, the food is difficult of digestion, and by no means wholesome. Mrs. E. You have passed a pleasant evening, I am sure, my dears; and I think you have also learned much. We, too, have an advantage besides that of our pleasure in gratifying and instructing you. By and by, you will be more than listeners, and must contribute to others as well as receive from them; for so Mrs. Hannah More has said : "Our intellectual ore must shine, Not slumber, idly, in the mine. Let education's moral mint The noblest images imprint ; CONVERSATION. Let taste her curious touchstone hold, But, 'tis thy commerce, conversation, Must give it use by circulation; That noblest commerce of mankind, Whose precious merchandize is Mind!" 183 But here we must pause. How gloriously the sun is setting!—and hark! the blackbird and thrush are pour ing forth their evening song. THE AGED TREE. "I STOOD for some time, this morning," said Mr. Elwood, "to gaze once more at that noble forest-tree in the lane, which has so long continued beautiful and unmutilated. It stands on the side of the waste, shading and sheltering the neighbouring cottage, having escaped the hedger's bill, and the woodman's axe, and defied the fury of a hundred storms. It is not so gigantic as some are, but it deserves regard from the vegetable powers which have existed and still continue in its trunk. At some very distant period, the bole appears to have lost, either by accident or design, its leading shoot; and, in consequence, has thrown out several branches at each side; three still remain, which have now grown into trees, existing in full vigour, and presenting a beautiful appearance. It is, indeed, a fine specimen of an oak, with all the twistings, furrows, and irregularities, which this tree, when it grows freely, generally exhibits, stretching its arms to the sun with a graceful dignity. Its age I cannot tell. In young trees, the rings of the wood often enable us to judge, but, in old ones, these marks are not a sufficient guide. Still, it must have been longvery long-since it was a sapling, and first put forth its light green foliage." "It is, indeed, a fine object!" said Mrs. Elwood; "Emma and Frederick, you should observe it." "I have done so, again and again, dear mamma,” said Emma, "for my brother showed it me-I don't know how long since." "I am glad Frederick was so observant," rejoined Mrs. Elwood, "and so anxious, too, that you should partake the pleasure he enjoyed. Such qualities should always be discovered." "And they will never go unrewarded," added Mr. Elwood; "kindness always recompenses the heart which cherishes it, and the approval and attention of others will not always be withheld. This morning, for instance, I propose that we should give you an account of the oak, as a reward for this act. What say you, dears?" "We shall think it a very kind one," said Emma, while Frederick looked delighted. "In the Scriptures," said Mr. Elwood, "we read much of the oak; but there are several words which have been thus rendered by our translators although, in other passages, they have rendered them the plaintree, teel-tree, &c. Sometimes, it is thought, too, they have confounded it with the terebinth. This is |