: ;&uti&:i<$&& m 



844 



CAROA. 



[APPEND. 



beat. After this the fibres are usually obtained clean ; 

 and they should be wound up and braided that they may 

 not be entangled. 



I have observed, that by beating the leaves, and thus 

 bruising them before they are in the first instance put 

 into water, the labour is much diminished ; and that 

 maceration in stagnant waters produces the desired 

 effect in much iess time than in a cold running stream. 

 If the fibres which are obtained by each process above- 

 mentioned, are examined, it will be found that those 

 which have undergone the first, are stronger than those 

 of the second, but more labour is necessary ; the differ- 

 ence, however, will not be experienced if the fibre is 

 bruised before it is steeped, because this operation ac- 

 celerates the maceration. The fibre of this, like that 

 of all other plants, is subject to rot, if it is allowed to 

 remain under water for any considerable time. 



The expense of obtaining the thread which is ex- 

 tracted by the first process, cannot be calculated with 

 exactitude, because it entirely depends upon the expert- 

 ness of the persons who perform the work ; and this 

 again depends upon habit and practice. I have pur- 

 chased it at 1200 rets per arroba of 32 lbs. or at 2 Id. 

 per lb. The fibre which is obtained by the second 

 process, is sold at a cheaper rate, because the labour is 

 less*. I have purchased this at 1000 rets per arrobu, 

 rather more than 2d. per lb. 



It is not necessary to cultivate the plant; many 

 leagues of land are covered with it; and there are 

 situations which are so completely overspread with it, 

 that the ground cannot be passed over. This occurs 

 in many parts of Curimatau, and of Cariri de Fora: 

 both these places are in the captaincy of Paraiba. It 



