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An.1686
The Natives of Guam.
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 be- comes dry, and eats harsh and choaky; but 'tis very pleasant before it is too stale. This Fruit lasts in season 8 months in the year, during which time the Natives eat no other sort of food of Bread kind. I did never see of this Fruit any where 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 any of it any where else.
They have here some Rice also: but the Island being of a dry soil, and therefore not very proper for it, they do not sow very much. Fish is scarce about this Island: yet on the Shole that our Bark came over there was great plenty, and the Natives commonly go thither to fish.
The natives of this Island are strong bodied, large limb'd and well shap'd. They are Copper- coloured, like other Indians: their hair is black and long, their Eyes meanly proportioned; they have pretty high Noses; their Lips are pretty full, and their Teeth indifferent white. They are long visaged, and stern of countenance; yet we found them to be affable and courteous. They are many of them troubled with a kind of a Leprosie. This distemper is very common at Mindanao: therefore I shall speak more of it in my next Chapter. They of Guam are otherwise very healthy, especially in the dry season: but in the wet season, which comes in in June, and holds till October, the air is more thick