«/CHINA.             185
is worked into Mads, Planks and Rudders, the Bark furnHhes Sails
and Ropes, and its Fruit lade our Ships, and is ufeful in Phyftck.
Arceka^ of which 1 fpoke in the XVth Chapter, treating of
the Province of Canton^ is an Indian Fruit, transplanted thence to
China: The Tree bears Tome fort of fimilitude to the Coco, but is nei-
ther fo thick, nor loaded with fo many Leaves; both Fruit and Tree
are called Arceka : The Fruit is hard, bitter and acrimonious; it is
chewed inter-mixed with Betel, and a little foftned with Lime, and
the Spittle tin&ures the Mouth and Lips red. The Indians chew it
inceflantly 5 and are moflly followed herein by the Inhabitants of
Jguantun^ Junan^ guoatigji, and feme other Chinefe: which is indeed
to be wdndered at, considering how little the Chinefe are addi&ed to
Traveling, and confequently the few opportunities they have of
catching Forreign Cuftoms; but finding by experience that it is good
for theiir Gumms, keeps their Mouths clean, as well as motif in
hot Countries, and befides caufes a fvveet Breath, hath drawn thetti
into this Cuftom, as well as feveral others which they borrowed
from the Europeans\ which convinces them that they are full as cleafr-
fighted, if not more enlightned than the Chinefe.
The Fruit Jambua is a fort of Lemmon or Orange^ as big as a Man's
Head; the Peel or Riftd is all round a Finger thick: The Fruit is
white and red, fpongy and of a bitter tafte ; its infide is almoft like
that of Oranges, with this difference only, that the Kernels or Seeds
are larger : The Juice q£ fome of them is fweet, and of others fower:
The Trees a^t much larfter than Lemnon-Trees,and their Leaves broader
and rough j th6y are externally prickly or thorny like the above-men-
tioned Lemnfon-Tree, which they alfo refemble in their Bloflbm 4 tliey
afford a very grateful fmell, as doth alfo the Water extra&ed from
them by Deco&ion.
The Indians call this Fpuit Pampelimans.
The Pepper-Tree is but a Shrub, which like Beans or Hops climbs
up Poles or Stakes, and when gotten to the top like them iodines
downwards: There is a fecond fort of Pepper which is round%nd
long: Both of them whitft green grow on long Bunches clofe to
the Stalk: But when ripe the Fruit turns black, is ftript off and dried
in the Sun; and if the black Skin falls off, as it is eafily made to do*
it is white, and taftes much hotter : The long Pepper which is more
ufed in Pharmacy than Cookery f grows much in the fame manner, but
creeps more on the Earth, and climbs about lower Stakes, wherefore
it becomes more moift, and if that humidity be not dried up, grows
Worm-eaten j  The long fort is dearer,  and harder than the round 5
13 b                                        and