^124 N A R R A T I V E O F A N 



CHAP, tiful plantation Knoppemombo^ in Caflawina Creek, where 

 • this worthy man had foretold, before the birth of my 

 boy, that both he and his mother fhould one day be 

 happy and free. Here I faw the follpwing roots and 

 plants, which I have not yet obferved. — The tayers, which 

 are the hearts of a farinaceous green fhrub, not above 

 two or three feet high, with remarkable large leaves, in 

 the form of a heart, the trunk fomething refembling that 

 of a banana-tree. This plant being cut down, and with 

 a knife diverted of its outer tegument, has the appear- 

 ance and confiftency of a yam or potatoe, but is better 

 eating, having a much finer grain. The tayers are of 

 different kinds ; the fmalleft is preferred, and made ufe 

 of in the fame manner as the above roots. I have here 

 alfo found a kind of real potatoe, and in large quantities, 

 but they are only ufed by the negroes, being inferior to 

 the hog-potatoes in Great Britain. 



The tobacco plant grows here with large downy leaves, 

 full of fibres ; it flowers almoft continually, and will laft 

 for twelve or fourteen years, but is fo inferior to the Vir- 

 ginia tobacco, that it is only ufed by the flaves. This 

 plant derived its name from the Jfland TobagOy where 

 it was firft difcovered, in 1560. 



They have here alfo a kind of wild tea, which is 

 accounted very wholefome, but in my opinion is no 

 better than Englifh ground -ivy. found plenty of 

 tomatey which being produced in many Britifh gar- 

 dens, I will not attempt to defcribe ; but only obferve 



that 



