got the sweet melon from the Greeks, whilst for the water-melon they have an old and probably true
Semitic word. For battikh Syriac has pattikh, indicating that in literary Arabic the a has been changed
to i, only to agree with rules of grammar. Thus popular pronunciation seems always to have kept the
old form, as popular usage seems always to have used the word mainly in its old specific meaning. The
Bible and the Mishna suffice to refute Hehn’s view (of the introduction of the water-melon from India).
Old Kimhi, in his Miklol, illustrates the Hebrew word by the Spanish budiecas.”
1598.—“…ther is an other sort like Melons, called Patecas or Angurias, or Melons of India, which are
outwardlie of a darke greene colour; inwardlie white with blacke kernels; they are verie waterish and hard
to byte, and so moyst, that as a man eateth them his mouth is full of water, but yet verie sweet and
verie cold and fresh meat, wherefore manie of them are eaten after dinner to coole men.”—Linschoten,
97; [Hak. Soc. ii. 35].
c. 1610.—“Toute la campagne est couverte d’arbres fruitiers…et d’arbres de coton,
de quantité de melons et de pateques, qui sont espèce de citrouilles de prodigieuse grosseur.…”—Pyrard
de Laval, ed. 1679, i. 286; [Hak. Soc. i. 399, and see i. 33].
„ A few pages later the word is written Pasteques.—Ibid.
301; [Hak. Soc. i. 417].
[1663.—“Pateques, or water-melons, are in great abundance nearly the
whole year round: but those of Delhi are soft, without colour or sweetness. If this fruit be ever found
good, it is among the wealthy people, who import the seed and cultivate it with much care and expense.”—Bernier,
ed. Constable, 250.]
1673.—“From hence (Elephanta) we sailed to the Putachoes, a Garden
of Melons (Putacho being a Melon) were there not wild Rats that hinder their growth, and so to Bombaim.”—Fryer,
76.
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