Ch.VIII. south AMERICA. 



CHAP. VIII. 



Of the efculent vegetables produced in the territo- 

 ries of Carthagena, and the food of the inha^ 

 bit ants of that city, 



THOUGH Carthagena has not the convenience 

 of being furnifhed by its foil with the different 

 kinds of European vegetables, it does not want for 

 others, far from being contemptible, and of which the 

 inhabitants eat with pleafure. Even the Europeans, 

 who at their firft coming cannot eafily take up w^th 

 them, are not long before they like them fo well as to 

 forget thofe of their own country. 



The conftant moifture and heat of this climate 

 will not admit of barley, wheat, and other grain of 

 that kind ; but produces excellent maize and rice in 

 fuch abundance, that a bufhel of maize, fown, ufual- 

 ly produces an hundred, at harveft. From this grain 

 they make the bollo, or bread, ufed in all this coun- 

 try; they alfo ufe it in feeding hogs and fattening 

 poultry. The maize bollo has no relemblance to the 

 bread made of wheat, either in lhape or tafte. It is 

 made in form of a cake is of a white colour, and 

 an infipid tafte. The method of making it is, to foak 

 the maize, and afterwards bruife it between two 

 ftones \ it is then put into large bins filled with w^- 

 ter, where, by rubbing and fliifting it from one vef- 

 fel into another, they clear it from its hufk ; after this 

 it is ground into a pafte, of which the boUos are 

 made. Thefe hollos, being wrapped up in plaintain or 

 vijahua leaves, are boiled in water, and ufed as bread ; 

 but, after twenty-four hours, become tough and of a 

 difagreeable taile. In families of diftindtion the 

 bollo is kneaded with milk, v/hich greatly improves 

 it; but, being not thoroughly penetrated by the li- 

 quids, it never rifes, nor changes its natural colour ; 



F 3 U 



