Page 123
An.1684
The Hog-Plumb Tree.
The other Town is not so big, yet it has a good handsom Church. One thing I have observed in all the Indian Towns under the Spanish Government, as well in these parts as in the Bay of Campeachy, and elsewhere, that the Images of the Virgin Mary and other Saints, (with which all their Churches were filled) are still painted in an Indian Complexion, and partly in that dress ; but in those Towns which are inhabited chiefly by Spaniards, the Saints also con- form themselves to the Spanish garb and complexion. The Houses here are but mean : the Indians of both Plains have good Field Maiz, remote from the Town : They have but few Plantains, but they have abundance of large Hog-plumb Trees growing about their Houses. The Tree that bears this Fruit is as big as our largest Plumb-tree : The Leaf is of a dark green colour, and as broad as the Leaf of a Plumb- tree ; but they are shaped like the Haw-thorn Leaf. The Trees are very brittle Wood ; the Fruit is oval, and as big as a small Horse Plumb. It is at first ve- ry green, but when it is ripe, one side is yellow, the other red. It hath a great Stone and but little substance about it : the Fruit is pleasant enough ; but I do not remember that ever I saw one through- ly ripe, that had not a Maggot or two in it. I do not remember that I did ever see any of this Fruit in the South Seas, but at this place. In the Bay of Campeachy they are very plentiful, and in Jamaica they plant them to fence their ground. These Indians have also some Fowls, as those at Mangera : no Spaniards dwell among them, but only one Padre or Priest, who serves for all three Towns ; these two at Amapalla, and that at Mangera. They are under the Governor of the Town of St. Mi- chaels, at the foot of St. Michaels Mount, to whom they pay their Tribute in Maize; being extreamly poor, yet very contented. They have nothing to make Money of, but their Plantations of Maiz and their