324 A VOYAGE TO Book IX. 



brackiQi. The Portugiiefe indeed fay that in the in- 

 ward parts of the ifland where thefe brooks have their 

 origin, water is never wanting ^ and that it is clear and 

 wholefome. 



In the inland part of the ifland is a Portuguefe 

 town, in Vv^hich relide the parifli priefl: and a go-- 

 vernor, who on advice of any fhips being in flghc 

 repair to the forts, which are all well garrifoned, 

 there being in fort Remedios alone, while we were 

 there, near looo men, partly regulars fent from Fer- 

 nambuco, which are relieved every fix months, and 

 partly tranfports, from all that coaft of Brazil : a a 

 Almojarife or treafurer, and a proveditore, who con- 

 tronls the payments and iffues of provifions to the 

 troops and others W'hich is done with an equity and 

 exa^tneis v/orthy the imitation of Europeans. 



The common food of the inhabitants of all ranks, 

 both here and throughout Brazil, is the farina de Pau 

 or wood-meal, which is univerfally eaten infliead of 

 bread. It is made of the root called Moniato, of 

 which I have given an account in the defcription of 

 Carthagena ; as v/cll as of thofe of Name and Yuca. 

 They firftcieanfe it and then macerate it in water, till 

 the ilrong and noxious juice in it be entirely extracTied ; 

 then grate or grind it into meal ; which having again 

 foaked in feveral waters, they dry, and then eat k 

 v/ith a fpoon, or mix it with other foods. They are 

 fo habituated to it, that even at a table where they have 

 wheat bread at command, with every mouthful of it 

 they take a little of this meal. Ecfldes this flour, 

 which is little more than vv^ood meal or faw dufl:, both 

 with regard to tafleand fmell, they eat a great deal of 

 rice and fugar-cane, brought from Pernambuco. J 



- ^ Cafava, in Portuguefe called Mandioc, which is a very iioii- 

 riiliing food, and the bell fubiiitute for bread 1 ever met with. A, 



X N. B. This town ought fco be written and pronounced Per- 

 nambuco. A. 



Here 



