The Natural Hifi ory of Jamaica. “131, 
Martyr, by Relations from the Weff-Indies, gives it two years to ripen, 
to make of it the Bread Cazabi, which keeps two years, and fays that they 
planted it in raifed heaps nine Foot {quare, putting therein twelve pieces 
and that they hada Tradition that one Boitzws, a wife old Man, finding it 
on a Rivers brink brought it to his Garden, and that after feveral Trials, by 
which fome were killed, they came to the knowledge of the Juices being the 
Poyfon, and fo came to prepare it right. The Juice when boiled is pleafanter, 
and as innocent as Whey. | 
Yuca, as Oviedo tellsus in his Coron. lid..7. cap.2. Is of two forts, the firt 
with long and narrow Leaves, the fecondfhort and broad. The /ndians make 
{mall round hillocks, almoft touching one another, in which are put eight or 
ten pieces of the Trunc of the Yuca, which takes Root, and is weeded in the 
Continent. It killsnot as that in Aifpaniola, called Boniata, which is like 
the other, therefore they eat its Root, not made into Bread. Cazabi Bread 
is made by taking of the Rind of the Root with Shells, grating it, putting 
it into Bags made of Tree-Bark, prefling it, and putting it over the Fire. A 
Draught of the Juice Kills, but if ic has three or four heats the Poyfon 
vanilhes, and the Judians eat it, but they eat not this when cold; becaufe, 
though ic be no Poyfon, yet it is of bad Digeftion. Evaporated ic turns 
Sweet, and then Vinegar, but there's need of neither, becaufe of the plenty 
of Limons and Sugar. It keeps a year, and the Root muft be ten months 
old at leaft. The Root killd the Znvdians in two or three days, and the 
Juice prefently. Fifty died together with the Juice. 
The venemous quality lics not in the Juice only, feparated from Earth, 
elfe the Juice alone would be Poyfon, whereas the whole Root is fo. The 
Venom lies chiefly in volatile parts, going away by Coction. Aldinus. 
The Plant figur’d by Hernand:z and Terrentius, under the name of Aiiuca 
five Mizmaitl, {cems not this Caffada, but rather a Serpentaria by its Figure, 
but | am notwithftanding apt to belicve, confidering Hermandez’s Errors, 
this may be ic. : 
~The Juice of this Root (called: Manipuera in Brafile) is poyfonous, not 
only to Men, but all: forts of Cattle, unlef$ they be ufed to it. 1 have 
feen Swine ufed to it, drink of it running from the Prefs, very f{weerly, al- 
though to others, of thé fame kind, not ufed to it, it had been prefent 
death, by the relation of thofe knowing it. 
The Symptoms following its being taken according to Pifo, are {welling of 
the Body, pain and fqueamifhnef$ at the Stomach, with tenef{mus and belch- 
ings, dimnefs of the Eyes, Vertigos, conftant Head-aches, cold in the extreme 
parts, Swoonings, and Death follows ; wherefore thofe preparing this Root 
fortifie their Stomach and Heart, with fome 4rvotto, Roots and Flowers of 
Nhambi, againft it, mixing them with their Meats and Drinks. The }uice 
kept fome time corrupts, breeding Worms, called Topurn, of which pow- 
dered is made a greater Poyfon, which, if given alone, in fmall quantities, 
kills prefently, buc if mix’d with Nhambi Flowers does it leifurely, whereby 
the Authors are undifcovered. The beft Remedies are Vomits given pre- 
fently , and Clyfters mix’d with Alexipharmacs ; then Diuretics, and fuch 
as caufe Sweat, as Malva d’ Ico, pe de Galinha, Furupeba, Uruca, oc. Then 
the Root, and efpecially the Juice of the Pine-Apple frequently taken, and 
in large Draughts. If the Juice be boiled the Poyfon evaporates, and the 
remaining part becomes nourifhing. Pifo. 
It was in Angola, and there called Aviucca (Monardes,) it Loves high dry 
Land. Wet {poils the Bread, Farinha relada is the name given the Meal 
when dry, The Juice evaporated over the Fire gives the 7ipioca Meal, the 
Leaves beaten atid boiled are eaten after the manner of Spinach, and called 
Mapicoba. Tipioca, if well kept, is good againft Dyfenteries, ce. e 
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