230 ARTS AND CRAFTS OF GUIANA INDIANS [BTH, ANN. 38 
does in three or four days. They next cut it into several pieces, 
which they lay on banana leaves, sprinkle lightly over with water, 
and let them remain uncovered. After one night this becomes quite 
red, when it is ready to make ouicou with. It is next boiled without 
potatoes (RO, 501). Ovicou was also the name given to certain 
drinking feasts by these Antilleans (RO, 515). 
261. Couria is a drink mentioned by Crévaux as met with on the 
Guaviar River, and made from sweet potatoes and cassava, diluted 
and fermented (Cr, 508). Unfortunately no further particulars of 
its manufacture are forthcoming. Berria is another cassava product 
noted by Gumilla. On the Orinoco and in other parts, especially on 
the Ayrico, the Indians heap up hot cassava cakes, cover them with 
plantain leaves, and after fermenting through the action of the heat 
they dissolve them in warm water, and placing the resulting broth in 
earthen jars (tinajas),it eftervesces like must, and produces a beer 
which is called berria, because it comes from the berri—i. e., the 
cassava (G, 1, 243). Iam informed that the present day Demerara 
River Indians manufacture a cassava drink on practically identical 
lines—i. e., without the use of any kereli. Palino appears to have 
been a Cayenne drink identical with the berria (GB, 51). It seems 
to me that this is the drink referred to by van Berkel under the name 
of bassia, as it was called by the Dutch, and as pernou, pernouw, 
perrinoe, ete., by the Indians (BER, 25). 
262. Kumani, of the Demerara River, Surinam, etc., is a composi- 
tion of cassava bread, cassava sticks or twigs, and soft wood, all 
burned and pounded together, and placed in jars with water for 
weeks to ferment. Portions of the fermented matter are then wrapped 
in leaves. It is sweet and honey-like, and when mixed with water, 
used as a beverage (Da, 214). But, according to the Makusi, kumani 
is made thus: After removal from the matapi the cassava is broken 
up, sifted, mixed with charcoal ashes, and baked into cakes. These 
cakes are cut into long strips and tied up in bundles with “ bushes,” 
leafy twigs, for about six weeks, when they are soaked in water for 
24 hours, and the mixture, intoxicating, is ready to be drunk. Para- 
kari is prepared in a similar manner with similar effects, but has no 
charcoal mixed with it. I have seen it used by Makusi. 
Sakura (sec. 259), invariably taken on a sea journey by the Suri- 
nam Carib, was a kind of pap, made of chewed cassava, cooked yams, 
and such like. A handful of it mixed with a calabashful of water 
formed a sort of soup (AK, 181). This was perhaps akin to the 
procedure mentioned by Schomburgk, who thus describes how the 
Makusi were wont to insure a supply of cassava drink when travel- 
ing; “A few days before starting on a journey the housewife bakes 
some fresh cassava bread, of which one is chewed, while the others 
