58 TIMEHRI. 
great measure exceed in their taste for strong liquors, 
which often causes quarrels and fightings ; the Salivas, a — 
nation of the Oronoque, boast however that they only 
drink in moderation, never quarrelling or fighting when 
intoxicated. Their liquors include Graaé, a mixture of 
syrup and water, which having stood for 3 or 4 days, 
is sufficiently strong to create intoxication; Be/tier, 
made of Cassava bread, which they break into pieces, 
or as others maintain is chewn by old women, and 
soaked in water, till turned into a thick pap, which 
they afterwards allow to dry, adding water thereto 
when they use it ; it is so thick that one is obliged, when 
drinking it, to close the teeth, to prevent being choked, 
Payewari is prepared almost in the same way, but 
requires only one night to stand over, by which time it gets 
a sharp and pleasant taste; it ought properly tobe pounded 
through a cloth to keep the large pieces in. Cassire 
is a beverage prepared in the same way of red yams, 
patates, cassava bread and sugar, leaving it two days to 
ferment, after which it gets the colour and strength of 
light red wine, very pleasant to drink. Chzca is a sort 
of beer, made of different grains of corn or fruits, but 
generally from maise, or turkish wheat. After they have 
ground this corn fine, the women make bread of it, wrap- 
ping it up in palmist leaves, and afterwards boil it in 
a pot filled with water; when this bread is fresh, they 
crumble it fine adding warm water; they then take 
five heads, which they call S4ery, which are mouldy, 
and reduce them as fine as flour, which they then mix 
with the aforesaid pap, and leave to ferment in pots for the 
space of three days, after which it becomes a good, and 
when used with moderation, a wholesome beer, 
