ifiiii Hh 



190 



THE BATATAS. 



The Batatas. — Of these there are several 

 species ; but that which I had the most oppor- 

 tunities of seeing was the batata rooca> or purple 

 potatoe, which is so called from the purple tinge 

 of the pulp after it has been boiled ; this is the 

 best of the tribe. The taste is pleasant, and 

 would be still more so, if it was not rather 



p. 87. he speaks of the same fruit being the " negroes' chief 

 food." 



Labat mentions a means of rendering the banana service- 

 able in travelling ; and as the ingredients of his receipt are 

 all of them good, the mixture must, I should imagine, be 

 likewise good, and therefore I insert it for the benefit of 

 those who may, as I have been, be much in want of some- 

 thing palatable, when crossing the Seara-Meirim. " Ceux 

 qui veulent faire cette pdte avec plus de soin, font d'abord 

 secher les bananes au four ou au soleil, puis Us les gragent, Us 

 y metent ensuitedu sucrepile, avec un pen depoudre de canelle, 

 de gerojjle et de gingembrc, tant soit peu dejarine et un blanc 

 d'eeuf pour Her toutes ces choses ensemble, apres quelles out 

 tie paitries avec un peu d' eau de fieur d' orange." — Nouveau 

 Voyage, &c. torn. iii. p. 3 14-. Fewer ingredients might be 

 made use of. 



Du Tertre says of the banana, " Quand on le coupe on 

 voit une belle croix imprimee sur chaque troncon ; erst qui a 

 fait croire a plusieurs que ce fruit est le meme qu Adam 

 mangea dans le Paradis terrestre" &c. — Histoire des An- 

 tilles, &c. torn. ii. p. 140. 



Labat speaks of the same story, but adds, " Adam pouvoit 

 avoir meUleure vd'e que nous, ou la croix de ces bananes etoit 

 mieux formSe." — Nouveau Voyage, &c. torn. iii. p. 307. I 

 was once desired by a Brazilian woman of colour to cut the 

 banana lengthways, and not across, for by the latter manner 

 of dividing the fruit, I should cut the Cruz de Nosso Smhor, 

 Our Saviour's Cross. 



