FOOD OF THE SERTAM. 



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now give any account of it. Instances of con- 

 sumption occur. The hooping-cough did not 

 appear to be known in any part of the country 

 which I visited ; I made may enquiries respect- 

 ing it, but could not obtain any information upon 

 the subject. I slept many times in the open air, 

 and never felt any bad effects from so doing. 

 The dew is trifling, and a high wind is usual in 

 the night. The sun is powerful, and is of course 

 particularly felt in travelling over sandy loose 

 soil ; but it did not seem to do any mischief. I 

 never suffered from head-ache, and, excepting 

 the attack of the ague, which is accounted for 

 from the heavy rain which we experienced, I 

 never enjoyed better health. 



The food of the inhabitants of the Sertam 

 consists chiefly of meat, of which they make 

 three meals j and to this is added the flour of 

 the mandioc stirred up into paste, or rice some- 

 times supplies its place. The bean, which is 

 commonly called in England the French bean, 

 is a favourite food ; it is suffered to run to seed, 

 and is only plucked up when quite dry and hard. 

 I have often been surprised to see of how little 

 service maize is to them as food, but yet it is oc- 

 casionally used. In default of these, the paste 

 of the carnauba is made ; and 1 have seen meat 

 eaten with curds. Of green vegetables they 

 know nothing, and they laugh at the idea of 

 eating any kind of sallad. The wild fruits are 

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