318 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



tivation of indigo, which at one time was carried on success- 

 fully, has greatly fallen off. The plant which yields indigo 

 grows up in about six months ; when cut, it is placed in layers 

 within a tub of water, and pressed down by weights. The 

 water soon begins to ferment, then becomes opaque and green, 

 and lastly acquires a putrid smell. After a certain length of 

 fermentation, the leaves grow white ; the green liquid is then 

 poured off and agitated until blue streaks appear ; after this, 

 fresh water is added, and a blue precipitate is formed, which, 

 being drained in linen bags and dried in the sun-shine, forms 

 the dying drug called indigo. Maize, cassia, varrilla, have 

 succeeded, but not conspicuously at Cayenne; with the cassia, 

 however, a very transparent colourless liqueur is prepared from 

 rum, which is in great request on the tables of the luxurious 

 at Paramaribo and throughout these colonies. The Cayenne 

 pepper, as it is called, is the fruit of the capsicum baccatum, 

 gathered when ripe, dried in the sun, then pounded and 

 mixed with salt. It is sometimes baked with a small addition 

 of flour; and the biscuit rasped into powder, is sent to Europe. 

 Several kinds of grapes have been lately introduced, and a 

 wine is made there said to be peculiarly medicinal in fevers. 

 The French have succeeded better than other Europeans in 

 obtaining labourers from among the bucks, or native Ameri- 

 cans, and are supposed to import them from near the river of 

 Amazons, toward which an annual caravan marches, and 



