The Old
Traveller Linschott, Writing In 1599, Says:
"It is of such an
excellent taste that it surpasses in flavour all the other fruits
of the world, according to those who have tasted it." And Doctor
Paludanus adds:
"This fruit is of a hot and humid nature. To
those not used to it, it seems at first to smell like rotten
onions, but immediately when they have tasted it, they prefer it
to all other food. The natives give it honourable titles, exalt it,
and make verses on it." When brought into a house the smell is often
so offensive that some persons can never bear to taste it. This
was my own case when I first tried it in Malacca, but in Borneo I
found a ripe fruit on the ground, and, eating it out of doors, I
at once became a confirmed Durian eater.
The Durian grows on a large and lofty forest tree, somewhat
resembling an elm in its general character, but with a more
smooth and scaly bark. The fruit is round or slightly oval, about
the size of a large cocoanut, of a green colour, and covered all
over with short stout spines the bases of which touch each other,
and are consequently somewhat hexagonal, while the points are
very strong and sharp. It is so completely armed, that if the
stalk is broken off it is a difficult matter to lift one from the
ground. The outer rind is so thick and tough, that from whatever
height it may fall it is never broken.
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