EXPEDITION TO SURINAM. 



Befides thefe, fioce their intercourfe with the Eu- 

 ropeans, many of them are furnifhed with a hatchet 

 and a knife, which laft, hke a dagger, the Indians ahvays 

 wear by their fide. But I mull not forget that every In- 

 dian family is provided with a large boat or canoe to 

 carry all that they poffefs when they travel by water, 

 which is not unfrequent. 



The only vegetables cultivated by thefe people are 

 the yams, plantains, and bananas, already defcribed, and 

 particularly cojfava and manioc. This laft is a flirub, 

 which grows about three feet high, of a grey colour, 

 and knotted ; the leaves are digitated and large, and 

 fupported by cinnamon -coloured foot-ftalks. Of this 

 flirub there are two fpecies, diftinguiflied by the appel- 

 lation of the fweet and the bitter caffava, of which the 

 roots alone are for ufe. Thefe are foft and farinaceous ; 

 and in colour, fize, and fliape, much refemble European 

 parfnips. The fweet caffava, roafled in hot aflie,:, like 

 the green plantains, and eaten with butter, is an agree- 

 able and healthy food, tafting miv:h like the chefnut. 

 But tl^ bitter caiTava, which when raw is the moft fatal 

 poifon both to man and beail, is (however ftrange it may 

 feem) when prepared by fire, not only a very fafe food, 

 but the moft natural bread of the Indians in this coun- 

 try, as v/ell as of feveral Europeans and negroes. The 

 manner in which the Indians prepare it is firft by grind- 

 ing or grating thefe roots on the matta or rough ftone : 



. after 



