ROTH] DRINKS 233 
269. Of the many nonfermented liquors known to the Indians per- 
haps the most important on the coast lands is that obtained from 
the ite palm, either from the trunk or from the fruits. In the 
former case the tree has to be felled. When fallen, a concavity is 
made in the upper surface about the middle of the trunk, the exca- 
vation is covered with leaves, and in about half an hour’s time the 
sap will be found collecting there. It is drunk without any further 
preparation. This beverage is the Warrau ohi(ju)-hobi (lit., ite 
drink) and the pulke of the Orinoco Indians (G, 1, 147). Among 
the Makusi to accelerate the collection of the sap, the upper end of 
the trunk is raised on a scaffolding of about a foot to 18 inches 
high and a fire lighted under its whole length (SR, 1, 203). When 
the drink is made from the fruits the tree need not necessarily be 
sacrificed. The large bunches of fruits, when more or less mature, 
are stacked in a close heap and covered with a thick layer of the 
leaves for some four days, at the end of which time the fruits will all 
be found to have dropped from their stalks. The Indian then digs a 
pit in the swampy ground about 3 feet wide by 2 feet deep, into 
which the water wells up from below, and into this he throws 
basketful after basketful of the fruits. A thick covering, composed 
of many layers of ite leaves, is again placed over the whole, which 
is left as it is for about eight days. By this time the seed coverings 
will have become soft, and hence can be easily scraped off, a pro- 
cedure in which the Indian will probably be assisted by his family, 
who either come and work at it on the spot or carry the mush home 
with them. When removed this soft stuff is mixed, as required, 
with water and a little honey and thus drunk. It tastes good and is 
said to be very fattening. 
270. The turu (Qenocarpus) and manicol (Futerpe edulis) drink, 
being prepared on identical lines may be described together: When 
the fruits are ripe (1. e., black) the palm is felled if the Indian is too 
lazy or unable to climb it. They are packed in baskets and carried 
home, where they are placed in a wooden trough and warm water 
poured over them. (Boiling water would render them hard.) Here 
they are left for about 20 minutes, when they will become soft. 
They are then removed from the trough and pounded in a mortar, 
the seeds being either picked out by hand or allowed to remain. The 
mush is drunk with a little honey, and mixed with more or less water 
according to taste, some Indians preferring it thick and others thin. 
In Surinam the Qenocarpus drink was known as kumu (St, 1, 391; 
AK, 78-79). The seeds of the lu palm (Qenocarpus sp.) taste very 
like those of turu. After softening the skins in tepid water, they are 
drained off and crushed in cold water. Asséi is a drink made from 
the Huterpe oleracea (RS, u, 519). 
60160°—24——_16 
