substances found in Guiana, 239 



chewed an hour daily, it will retain its aromatic bitter for 

 weeks.* 



Mani. 



Whilst on this subject of the gummy products of Guiana, 

 it would not be right to pass unnoticed that of Mani. This 

 is the name it is known by in Guiana, as well as at Cayenne, 

 and on the Rio Negro. On the Orinoko, this black resin is 

 called Paraman, and by the Arowakes Caraman. 



The tree, as suggested by Humboldt, is the Moronobea coc- 

 cinea of Aublet. It is abundant on the back of the Deme- 

 rara coast. The wood, which is white and soft, is used chiefly 

 as heading for sugar hogsheads. 



It is collected, they say, chiefly by the Piarsa Indians of 

 the Raudalas of Atures, who prepare it by boiling. It is of 

 most extensive use throughout Guiana, as fastening for the 

 arrows and every purpose to which shoemakers wax might be 

 applicable, as well as for candles. It forms an important ar- 

 ticle of traffic amongst the natives of Guiana, to whom it is 

 almost as necessary as gas light to the inhabitants of London. 



I have seen at Angostura quantities of the three last men- 

 tioned substances from the Rio Negro, abounding with dirt 

 and impurities, thrown together, and sold under the name of 

 brea and carana indifferently. — It is this which has led M. Hum- 

 boldt into perplexity ; and the inhabitants of Angostura, ig- 

 norant of those products, were unable to satisfy his inquiries. 



* To this account of Arakmiri, I may subjoin an old notice of it by 

 Philippe Fermin, in his Descrip. de Surin. p. 83. — " La frugalite de ces 

 peuples les met a I'abri de presque toutes les incommodites que nous con- 

 naisons, si Ton en excepte la caducite qui les oblige a rester dans leur bu- 

 mac, et s'il leur en survient, ce qui est fort rare, ils sont leur propres me- 

 decins et chirurgiens, et si ont pour tons remedes que quelques huiles, 

 qu'ils prennent interieurement, et un excellent baume qu'on appelle raca- 

 ciri. Ce baume sort d'un arbre des environs de la riviere des Amazons ; 

 on le fait decouler, dans un calebasse, par des incisions qu'on a faites 

 dans I'arbre. Cest un souverain remede pour toutes plaies recentes, de 

 meme que pour les vieux ulceres, en I'appliquant en forme d'emplatre, le 

 plus chaudement qu'il est possible." — " II est encore fort salutaire pour la 

 poitrine, et infaillible pour arreter les fleurs blanches et les vieilles gonor- 

 rh^es." 



I 



