nieuhoff's bra>51l. . . 859 



root itfeif be not touched. This root does not come to its full perfedion till a year after 

 planting of the taks, though, in cafe of neceflity, they may be drawn in fix months, but 

 afford but little farinha. Each fhrub produces two, three, four, nay fometimes twenty, 

 roots, according to the goodnefs of the ground, and after they are come to full matu- 

 rity, will keep two or three years under-grovmd ; but it is much more fafe to take them 

 up at the year's end, for elfe many of them will rot ; nay if the feafon happens to prove 

 very wet, they muft of neceflity be drawn, though they are but half ripe. The root, 

 after it is taken out of the ground, will not keep above three days, but ftinks, take 

 what care you can ; for which reafon they feldom draw more at a time than they can make 

 immediately into farinha or meal. That kind of mandioka, commonly called Mandibuka, 

 grows fafter and ripens fooner than any other, and affords the bed farinha ; it thrives beft 

 in fandy and hot grounds. But that kind which is mofl generally ufed is called Mandiik- 

 parata, and grows indifferently in all grounds. The farinha is prepared thus : the root 

 after it is taken out of the ground is purged from its outward rind by a knife, and waflied 

 in fair water ; then the end of the root is held clofe to a wheel of about four or five 

 foot diameter, which being covered round the edges with a copper or tin plate full 

 of fharp fmall holes, not unlike a nutmeg-grater, and the wheel being turned round 

 continually, grates the faid root into fmall particles, which fall into a trough under- 

 neath. The wheel is by the Brazilians called Ibecem Babaca, and by the Portuguefe, 

 Roda de farinha, or the flour-wheel ; the trough the Brazilians call Mukaba, and the 

 Portuguefe, Koche de rater Mandihoka. But the poorer fort are fain to be contented 

 with a hand-grater, called Tapiti. The root thus grated is put into a bag, made of the 

 rinds of trees, about four inches wide, called by the Portuguefe, Efpremondouro de 

 Mandihoka. This bag with the root is put into a prefs, and all the juice preffed out, 

 (it having a venomous quality) which is by the Brazilians called Manipoera, or Muni- 

 puera, and by the Portuguefe, Agoa de Mandihoka, i. e. the water of Mandihoka. 

 The next thing to be done is to beat the root through a fieve, called by the Brazilians, 

 Urupema ; and then to lay it upon a copper-plate, or earthen pan, over the fire, and 

 to ftir it continually with a wooden fpoon or fpattle till it be quite dry. This pan or 

 veffel the Brazilians call Vimovipaba, and the flice Vipucuitaba. The farinha, before 

 it be quite dry, is called by the Brazilians, Vitinga, and by the Portuguefe, Farinha 

 Relada ; but when it is completely dried and fit for keeping, the Brazilians call it 

 Viata or Viccia, and the Portuguefe, Farinha Seca, or dry meal ; or Farinha de 

 Guerra, war-meal, becaufe it is moft ufed in time of war. For the more it is dried the 

 better it keeps, but never keeps good above a year, the leall moiflure being apt to 

 taint it ; which is the reafon, that both the Portuguefe and we, in imitation of the Brazi- 

 lians, make bifcuits of it upon a grate iron, with hot coals underneath, for the magazines. 

 The juice Manipuera, which is preffed out of the root mandioka, put into a veffel, 

 gets in two hours time a white fettlement at the bottom, called by the Brazilians, 

 Tipioja, Tipiaka, and Tipiabika ; this dried, affords a very white meal, called Tipi- 

 ocui, which, baked into cakes as before, called by them Tipiacika, tafte as well as 

 wheaten bread. This juice is alfo boiled to pap, and eaten, and ferves likewife inftead 

 of ftarch or pafte. The Portuguefe take this pap, mix it with fugar, rice, and 

 orange-flower-water, which they make into a conferve of a delicious tafte ; they call 

 it Marmelada de Mandihoka. The juice Mandiga or Manipuera is of a fweetifh tafte, 

 which is the reafon the beafts covet it, but commonly die foon after they have drank 

 of it, it being pernicious, nay mortal, both to man and beaft. If the juice be kept 

 twice twenty-four hours, it produces worms, called by the Brazilians Tapucu ; yet it 

 has been found by experience, that this juice lofes its pernicious quality after it has 



5 E 2 flood 



