163- nOTl-'FUS- J:AM-ArCENSm. i.A^Ar>.*. 



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"\v 



wortTis or mn!ip;ots, and powdrr them ; which powd(?sr,'.iii a little quantitv, tlicy piU 

 under their ti-iiimh-naii, ,, and, , after they drink to iti\os they intend to poisoi>, they put 

 their thiimh upon the how), itnd. so cwtningly convey tiie poison; wherefore, when 

 ^ve sec a negro with a lon^ thumh nail, he is to he mistrusted.. Cassada broad, niilk, 

 and sweet oil, make a,n;adruirabl^ poultice to npen aud breali.any swelling. Barham,_ 

 p.M. .''_'"' ' ' . 



This plant, which furnishes the Brasihans with great part of their sustenance, is . 

 much cuhivgted in this island. !j thrives best in a free mixed soil, and is propagated, 

 by the bud or gcrni, in the foilowing- manner. TJie ground is first cleared, and liocd , 

 into shaliow holes, of about ten inches or a foot .square, and. seldom. above thre-e or four 

 inches in depth, and v/ithoiU much regularity. A number of the full grown plants be- 

 ing proA-ide;!, they are cwt into junks, of. about six or seyen iiiches in length, as far as , 

 tliev are found to be tougiv and woody, and wfi! furnished with swelling, full-grown, 

 hardy, buds. Of these one or two are laid in evi'ry hole, .and covered over with mould , 

 from the. adjoining bank. , The graund'must be keptclsan till the plants rise to a suf- 

 ficient height ; tii^ plants moulded up ; and tlie growth of weeds prevented. They - 

 come to perfe<.:tion in about eight mor.ths ; but tiie roots v/ill remain in the- ground h.? 

 a considerable time uninjured, if the want of fresh plants, or bad yveuther,. should make 

 it necessary to ciil the stalks.. When the- leaves wither, and the- plant blossoms, tlie 

 roots are fit to dig. They a re then, (in good land) nearly as thick as a man's thigh. 

 They are taken out for use, as occasion requires, and then j>re]iared, viz. after being 

 .well washed and scraped, a(>d then rubbed into a kind of pulpy meal with an iron grater, 

 they are put into sti.ong linen bags, and plaped iu .convenient presses. The connnc;i 

 method of pressing is, as eftectnafas any. One or more; large flat stones are placed to 

 a proper height upon, the ground, noar the root of some old tree, in the side of whii Iv. 

 a hole, or notch, has been cut ec[ual to the elevation of the stones. Into this hole is. 

 fiKCd the exti-eniity of asirong plank, or beam,, -.\;hich. stretches over the stones by way 

 of a lever, pressing with all its weight upon the,cassad.abag> which is, laid upon.the uyj- 

 permost stone. . Several heavy load& are fixed at the other end of this lever, or as many; 

 as it will bear ; and in this state the bag remains until the juice is thoroughly squeezed 

 out. After this operation,, the meal is spread in the .suii for some time ; then pouiided 

 in a large wooden mortar, passed through a coarse sieve, and baked on fiat, circular^ 

 iron plates, .fixed in, a.stoye. The particles of the meal are united by the heat, and,, 

 %v;hen thoroughly baked in this manner, for.m cakes, which are sold at the. markets, 

 and universally esteemed a wholesome Idnd of bread.* Toasted and buttered, they 

 ai'e very relishing, , and .used by most families. , They are also made into very delicious 

 puddings. The juice of the root is of a poisonous nature ; .hut, when boiled, it throws 

 up a scum,, which, being taken off, the remainder is found, by long experience, to he 

 an inoftensive and agreeable drjn};, much resembling whey in las.ie and quality. But, 

 however nozvious.the juice ntay be in its crude state, unmixed with a.ny corrective, it; 

 is well knovs'n that hogs eat the, fresh roots with great avidity, and suffer no inconveni- 

 ence : either, therefore, their stomachs and intestines are formed to assimilate it jnti . 

 wliolesome nourishment, or they correct its bad qualities by the surrounding mould 

 swallowed with it, or by some antidote which instinct prompts them to eat afiep 



it.,^ 



The 'Spaniards when tlie.v first discavered tlie West Indies, found it in general use among .the natire IiidiarSit- 

 wh" cjlli-'d il enzijbb!, and by whom it was preferred to everj ottier kind of lireadj On a<;couul of .its eaajr^i^esti*;^^ 

 (4^ '^<"^i''tj ^'^^' winch itwas cultivated, and itsprodigious increase.. 



