Ch. VIH. SOUTH AMERICA. 69 



CHAP. viir. 



Of the efculent Vegetables produced i?j the Terri- 

 tories of Carthage?ia, and the Food of the In^ 

 habitants of that City. 



''PHOUGH Carthagena has not the convenience 

 of being furnifhed by its foil with the diíFerent 

 kinds of European vegetables, it does not want for 

 others, far from being contemptible, and of which the 

 inhabitants eat with pleafurc. Even the Europeans, 

 who at their firii coming cannot eañly take up with 

 them, are not long before they like them ib well as to 

 forget thole of their own country. 



The conftant moifiure and heat of this climate 

 will not admit of barley, wheat, and other grain of 

 that kind ; but produces excellent maize and rice in 

 luch abundance, that a bufhel of maize, fown, ufually 

 produces an hundred, at harveft. From this grain 

 they make the bollo, or bread, ufed in all this coun- 

 try ; they alfo ufe it in feeding hogs and fattening 

 poultry. The maize bollo has no refemblance to the 

 bread made of wheat, either in fhape or tafte. It is 

 made in form of a cake ; is of a white colour, and 

 an inñpid tafte. The method of making it is, to foak 

 the maize, and afterwards bruife it between two 

 fiones ; it is then put into large bins filled with water, 

 where, by rubbing and fhifting it from one veifel 

 into another, they clear it from its hulk; after this it 

 is ground into a paite, of which the bollos are made. 

 Thefe bollos, being wrapped up in plantoue or 

 vijahua leaves, arc boiled in water, and uled as bread; 

 but, after twenty four hours, becoinc tough and of a 

 difagreeable taite. In families of diftinclion the 

 bollo is kneaded with milk, which greaily improves 

 it ; but, being not thoroughly penetrated by thf^ li- 

 quids, it never rifes, nor changes its natural colour ; 



F3 fo 



