CHaprer XIV 
DRINKS 
Water in times of scarcity (254) ; honey (255). 
Fermented drinks: Chicha, ‘ beer,” ete. (256); paiwarri (257); cassiri (258) ; 
beltiri (259) ; ovaku or ouicou (260); couria, berria, palino (261); kumani, 
parakari, sakura (262); maby (268) ; maize drink (264) ; caapim (265) ; pine- 
apple drink (266) ; wild cashew, cane juice, cupana or guarana (267) ; plan- 
tain, couscou, yahé (268). 
Nonfermented drinks: Ite (269); turu, manicol (270); awarra, paripi, arako- 
dak, hitchia, ete. (271). 
254. In times of scarcity water may be obtained from the sap of 
various creepers, etc., from the sheath bases of the leaves of certain 
plants, and from the soil in close proximity to one or two kinds of 
palm, ete. B. Brown, at Camuti Mountain, Essequibo River, thus 
speaks of procuring water from a vine called the waterwithe, a species 
of vitis (¢Hntada polystachya): “ My men sought for and found a 
number of these vines, which had wound themselves round the stems of 
large trees. Cutting them off as high as they could reach they severed 
them quickly lower down, obtaining portions of stem some 5 feet in 
length and from 3 to 6 inches in diameter. Holding these vertically, 
the sap, which appeared to be nothing but pure, clear, cool water, ran 
quickly out and was caught in a cup and drunk. From one length 
of the largest size we obtained at least a pint of water” (BB, 323). 
Gumilla had previously recorded this method of obtaining water 
from cut vines on the Orinoco (G, 11, 266) ; and Barrére had done the 
same in Cayenne (PBA, 178). In the latter area of the Guianas. 
when the Indians traverse the mountains, they drink the sap of 
Lonchocarpus rufescens, the salisali of the Roucouyenne (Carib), 
who use the creeper for poisoning fish. Though this water is fresher 
than that of a clear stream, one must only drink of its first flow, be- 
cause that which subsequently comes away is a white, milly juice, 
possessing toxic properties (Cr, 278). In periods of drought the old- 
time Arawak of the Pomeroon would obtain water from the young 
truli fruits after breaking. There is nothing strange about the taste 
of this water, with which I have more than once refreshed myself. 
The wild pine (Zillandsia spp.) provides the thirsty traveler with 
miniature water tanks in the sheath bases of its leaves (BW, 236). 
So also Schomburgk, when on Mount Warima, expresses himself: 
* Several others of the families related to that genus cover the rocks 
226 
