EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



I am forry to fay I have not particularly examined the 

 duncane, as it is called by the negroes. All that I can 

 fay is, that it is a Ihrub with a large green leaf, fome- 

 thing like that of the Englifh dock ; it grows fponta- 

 neoufly in low and marfhy places, and is inftant death to 

 whatever animal eats of its leaves ; the flaves therefore 

 fliould be obliged carefully to root it out from the grafs 

 favannas or meadows where cattle graze, lince flieep and 

 bullocks are faid to be remarkably fond of it, though 

 contrary to nature, as moft animals know, it is faid, in- 

 ftindtively how to diftinguifli their food from their poifon. 

 But the fheep in queftion not being the natural inhabi- 

 tants of Guiana, may for that reafon be admitted as an 

 exception to this general rule. This baneful plant had 

 inadvertently been permitted to grow in a negro's gar- 

 den, to which the flieep got accefs by breaking down the 

 fence, which occafioned this unpleafant cataftrophe. 

 • In this garden I faw feveral other roots and plants that 

 deferve to be noticed. T\vq yamejy^ or yam, a well-known 

 root in the Weft Indies, delights in a fat foil ; this grows 

 in Surinam fometimes to the weight of two or three 

 fcore pounds, and an acre will produce an aftonifliing 

 quantity * ; its tafte is very agreeable, either boiled or 

 roafted, eafy of digeftion, and very wholefome. The 

 infide is of a whitifli colour, without it is of a deep pur- 

 ple approaching towards black ; its lliape is very irre- 



* Sometimes from ten to twenty thoufand pounds weight, 



T t 2 gular. 



