134 Timehri. 
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 Oenocarpus drink was knownas Kumu (ST. i. 391, AK. 78-9). 
The fruit of the Awarra-palm (Astrocaryum tucumoide:) also furnishes a com- 
mon beverage. The soft seed covering is cut off in thin slices, a quantity 
of which is pounded up ina mortar so as to form a sort of thick paste. This 
will “ keep good ” for, say, three days and during this period, portions of it 
may be mixed with honey or sugar-water according to taste. In Surinam, the 
drink was prepared somewhat differently accoraing to the account left us by 
Kappler. The ripe {fruit was here buried in the ground for a day or two, while 
the seed coverings became soft, which were then, by pounding, easily separated. 
The mush was next overlaid with Heliconia leaves and pressed into a plaitea 
basket and the ‘whole dipped into the cold water of a creek where it was kept 
some few days, whereby the oily substance in the thready flesh became more 
fluid, the outside leaves preventing the water from getting inside. A handful 
of this soft stuff squeezed into a calabash of water colons it red, and gives it 
an agreeable acid sweet taste ; when mixed with sugar it is a delightful drink 
(AK. 144-5). 
The Paripi palm (Bactris minor) is utilised by the Caribs for obtaining a 
sweet drink from the fruit (SR. ii. 418). 
From the Artkodako and Hitjia berries, the Arawak names of two 
plants that I have not hitherto succeeded in identifying, are obtained 
drinks by pounding, picking out the seeds, mixing the remainder with 
water, and straining. Both used in the Pomeroon district : the former also 
on the Berbice where it is spoken of by Dance as “ very delicious.” This 
author also mentions a drink made from the Hiawaraballi berries, the Tabara- 
huih of the Akawais but no further particulars are furnished (Da. 55). 
[Since writing the above, Mr. Stockdale has kindly identified the Hitjia 
berries as Byrsonima spicata.] 
Note: REFERENCES TO THE LITERATURE :— 
BB Brown, C. Barrington. Canoe and Camp Life in British 
Guiana. 2nd Ed. 5 555 = London, 1877 
G Gumilla, Joseph. Historia Natural...... del Rio Orinoco ... Barcelona, 1791 
BA Barrere. Pierre. Nouvelle Relation de la France pee Paris, 1743 
Cr Crevaux, J. Voyages dans l'Amerique du Sud. . » —: 1883 
B W Boddam-Whetham, J. W. Roraima and British Ghianae a London, 1879 
SR Schomburgk, REDE sek eiccn: in British Guiana... Leipzig, 1847 
Sc F +, Journey from Fort St. Joaquim to Roraima 
and Esmeralda... «.R.G.S. London, 1839 
Se G * Expedition into the Interior of British Guayana 
in 1835-6 Sat; Pe 1838 
Se v1: Visit to the Sourecs ‘of the Takutu, ete? AF Ee AF F 1846 
Da Dance, Chas. D. Chapters from a Guianese Long Book... Georgetown, 1883 
iy Im Thurn, Everard. Among the Indiars of Guiana os London, 1881 
GB Grillet and Bechamel, Fathers. A Journal of the Travels, etc. F 1693 
ROP _ Rochefort and Poincy. Histoire Naturelle et Morale des 
Iles Antilles, ete. es aa Rotterdam, 1665 
AK Kappler, A. Sechs Jahre in Surinam mad Stuttgart, 1854 
Ti “ Timehri."” The Organ of the Royal Agricultural and 
Commercial Society * Georgetown. 
= a i Stedman, J. G. Narrative, etc., Revolted "Negroes of 
Surinam va hee i es London, 1796 
A V H_ von Humboldt, A, Porsonal Narrative, etc, ... od f 1852 
