106 



the inhabitants cuUivite eight or nine varieties 

 of it^ several of which are very productive. 

 But that which is in the highest repute with 

 them is called uminta ; from this thej prepare a 

 dish bj bruising the corn while it is green be- 

 tween two stones into the form of paste^ to 

 which is a ded sufficient salt or butter and sgar 

 to season it ; it is then divided into small por- 

 tions or cakeSj which are enclosed separately 

 within the inner skin or husk of the corn and 

 boiled. 



When the maize is ripe the Indians prepare it 

 f(>r winter in two different modes^ either by 

 slightly roasting it^ which they call chucJiocaj or 

 by drying it in the sun ; from the former they 

 make a kind of soup^ by boiling it in water^ and 

 fro'.ri the latter a beer cf a very pleasant taste. 

 They sometimes reduce it to meal^ but before 

 grinding, roast and crack it by means of heated 

 sand. For this purpose they prefer a kind of 

 maize called curagua, the grains of which arc 

 smaller than the others^ and furnish a meal that 

 is more liglitj v/hiter and in greater c[uantitv. 

 From this raeal^ mixed with sugar and water, 

 either hot or cold, they make two different be- 

 ve.ajjes, called iili)0 and chcrchan. 



A species of rye called niagii, and of barley 



most general; it is produced in all parts of the West-Inilic?, 

 ill Peru, in Now Spain, in Guatini;;l;i, in Chili, and throughout 

 Terra rirnia. Acosta's Naiural History, book iv.' 



