SACATE. 29 



hard, and the side poles, of about the thick- 

 ness of a man's thigh, placed at the top on 

 these forks, and round the whole building. 

 The roof must be made very steep to allow 

 the violent tropical rains to run off without 

 wetting the inner thatching, and to support 

 the great weight several stout and long poles 

 are placed perpendicularly inside the hut to 

 sustain the ridge, and slanting ones laid 

 from the eaves to the top where they are 

 made fast together, and the ridge-pole placed 

 over all. Slighter ones, like hop-poles, are 

 then laid horizontally and parallel from the 

 top of the roof to the eaves. 



While the above operations are going on, 

 the lads that accompany the men so engaged 

 are picking sacate on the hills. Sacate is a 

 very long wiry grass, that, when young, is 

 willingly eaten by cattle of all sorts, but 

 when old is fit for nothing but thatching, 

 and harbouring snakes and wild beasts. A 

 large quantity is gathered, and laid to dry in 

 small bundles ; and when the skeleton of 

 the house is finished, half a dozen men place 

 themselves abreast and thatch the house with 

 this grass in a very neat and creditable 

 manner ; twisting a good ridge on the very 

 top, and squaring the lowest layer with their 



