XXXIV ITINERARY. 



and casiri drinks. We were surprised at the abundance they had on 

 hand, but very probably they had been apprised of our coming. Our 

 carriers thoroughly appreciated the good fare, finishing a first lot in 

 easy style, and thus provoking a further supply which McConnell's 

 presents brought forth. We were particularly interested in some of the 

 pepper-pots, which were composed of insects. In one were a quantity 

 of young dark grasshoppers with reddish streaks, from which the 

 small wings and thin legs had been removed, in another were the 

 bodies of female cushie-ants ; and both were thick with peppers and 

 some leaves in the liquid, the whole contents forming a sort of thin 

 stew. The cassava bread at first was just dipped into the fiery hot 

 liquid, but at the end the whole mass was finished, pepper and all. It 

 was so thick with pepper that it must have blistered any uilaccustomed 

 palate. The drinks afterwards were no doubt a welcome relief. 



Many other kinds of drinks are met with at times at the various 

 settlements, such as those made from fermented cane-juice, pine-apple, 

 corn, cashew, etc. They are fairly strong liquors with a strong taste of 

 vinegar; but the fresh liquor is very pleasant, except for the liability 

 of being prepared and served in dirty vessels which have previously 

 been used for paiwarri or casiri, and have remained unwashed. By the 

 people themselves such vessels are not regarded as being dirty, and they 

 do not understand one's objection to drink from them, except with 

 the explanation that it is not English fashion. A very usual way in 

 which ripe bananas are prepared, by being crushed in water to a thin 

 pulp, is also a very good one, making a very pleasant drink, and 

 preventing the swallowing of large lumps of the fruit, especially by 

 children. 



The sugar-mill, which is so common an object in the villages, is a 

 very simple but effective machine. It is made of a good-sized log of 

 wood, peeled of its bark and planted in the ground in a slightly 

 inclined position, and having a hole through it at some three or four 

 feet up, where a platform is made on the leaning side by a transverse 

 cut in for about four or five inches, an oblique cut from above 

 removing the piece. The part below the platform is cut close up into 

 a sort of chin. The cane being placed on the platform is crushed by a 

 long stout pole insertedinto the hole; and the juice is collected below 

 the pointed chin by a gourd or other vessel. As the machine is always 

 placed outside the houses, the rain keeps it clean, but the collecting 

 vessels may be in quite a different condition. 



It was interesting to find that the cock-of-the-rock was common in 

 the low forests all around ; and along a trail leading to a low hill, 

 overlooking the Kotinga valley, it was quite easy to call the birds 

 overhead. Cozier was particularly good in his imitation of their cry, 

 which he had practised on the Merume mountains while making 

 collections, though indeed the birds did not appear to discriminate 

 against quite poor attempts. They would fiy to trees with quite open 

 branches, where they were clearly in view, and they did not seem 

 at all shy. 



We were fortunate in getting quite a large supply of cassava and 

 other provisions before leaving, so that not only was our depleted stock 

 again made good, but we had promises of more later. The people were 



