1769 COOKERY 137 
or baking, as we called it, is done thus: a hole is dug, the 
depth and size varying according to what is to be prepared, 
but seldom exceeding a foot in depth; in this is made 
a heap of wood and stones laid alternately, fire is then put 
to it, which, by the time it has consumed the wood, has 
heated the stones just sufficiently to discolour anything 
which touches them. The heap is then divided, half is left 
in the hole, the bottom being paved with them, and on them 
any kind of provisions are laid, always neatly wrapped up in 
leaves. Above these again are laid the remaining hot 
stones, then leaves again to the thickness of three or four 
inches, and over them any ashes, rubbish or dirt that is at 
hand. In this situation the food remains about two hours, 
in which time I have seen a middling-sized hog very well 
done; indeed, I am of opinion that victuals dressed in this 
way are more juicy, if not more equally done, than when 
cooked by any of our European methods, large fish more 
especially. Bread-fruit cooked in this manner becomes soft, 
and something like a boiled potato, though not quite so 
farinaceous as a good one. Of this two or three dishes are 
made by beating it with a stone pestle till it becomes a 
paste, mixing water or cocoanut liquor with it, and adding 
ripe plantains, bananas, sour paste, etc. 
As I have mentioned sour paste, I will proceed to 
describe what it is. Bread-fruit, by what I can find, remains 
in season during only nine or ten of their thirteen months, 
so that a reserve of food must be made for those months 
when they are without it. For this purpose, the fruit is 
gathered when just upon the point of ripening, and laid in 
heaps, where it undergoes a fermentation, and becomes dis- 
agreeably sweet. The core is then taken out, which is 
easily done, as a slight pull at the stalk draws it out entire, 
and the rest of the fruit is thrown into a hole dug for that 
purpose, generally in their houses. The sides and bottom 
of this hole are neatly lined with grass, the whole is covered 
with leaves, and heavy stones laid upon them. Here it 
undergoes a second fermentation and becomes sourish, in 
which condition it will keep, as they told me, many months. 
