A.D. 



1597- 



Passing good 

 drinke made 

 of maiz. 



The commodi- 

 ties ofWiana. 



THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



which now wee have left among them. They keepe no 

 order of marriage ; but have as many wives as they 

 can buy, or win by force of their enemies, which princi- 

 pally is the cause of all their warres. For bread there is 

 infinite store of casavi, which is as good bread as a man 

 need to eate, and better then we can cary any thither. 

 We spent not a bit of our owne all the while we were 

 upon the coast. It is made of a root so called ; which 

 they take and scrape, and crush all the juyce out, being 

 poison ; and when it is drie it is as fine floure as our white 

 meale maketh : which dry as it is, without any moisture, 

 they strew upon a round stone, having a still fire under 

 it, and so it congealeth to a cake ; and when it commeth 

 new off, it eateth like to our new white bread. Besides 

 there is great store of Guiny-Wheat (whereof they make 

 passing good drinke) which after it is once sowed, if you 

 cut off the eare, on the same stalke groweth another. 



For victuals, wee either did not, or at least needed not 

 to have spent any of our owne : for there is great store of 

 as good fish in the rivers, as any is in the world. Great 

 store of fowle, of divers sorts. Tortoise-flesh plentifuU, 

 and Tortoises egges innumerable. Deere, swine, conies, 

 hares, cockes and hennes, with potatoes more then wee 

 could spend. Besides, all kinde of fruits, at all times of 

 the yeere : and the rarest fruits of the world, the pine, the 

 plantan, with infinite other variable and pleasant, growing 

 to their handes, without planting or dressing. For com- 

 modities, though wee had but small time to search, because 

 wee spent so much time in searching the rivers : yet wee 

 have brought examples of some, which the countrey 

 yeeldeth in great plenty : as a kinde of long hempe like 

 unto Steele hempe, fine cotton wooll, which the trees 

 yeeld great store of; and wherewith the wom.en make a 

 fine threed, which will make excellent good fustians or 

 stockings. Great store of pitch, divers sorts of sweet 

 gummes, & West Indian pepper, balsamum, parrots and 

 monkies. Besides divers other commodities, which in 

 good time may be found out to the benefit of our 



14 



