st Sumatra. 
fpawn of Ihrimps, or of the fiirimps themfeJves, which they take abotit 
the mouths of rivers. Thc^' are left in the fun to dry, then pounded 
in a mortarj with fait, moiftened with a little water, and formed 
into cakes I which is all the procefs. The black fort, ufed by the 
lower clafs, is made of fmall fiib^ prepared in the fame manner. On 
fome parts of the eaft coaft of the liland, they fak the roes of large fifii^ 
and preferve them perfectly dry, and well flavored. 
When the natives kill a bufFaloc, which is always done at their pub- 
lic meetings^ they do not cut it up into joints, as we do an ox, hxit 
into fmall pieces of flcfh, or ftakes, which they call bantye. The hide 
of the byffaloe is fcalded, fcraped, and hung up to dry in their hoiifes, 
where it flirivels, and becomes perfedly hard. When wanted for ufe, 
a piece is chopped off, and being flewed down for a great number of 
hours^ in a Imall quantity of water, forms a rich jelly, which, proper* 
ly feafoned, is efteemed a very delicate dilh. 
The fagoo, though common on Sumatra, and ufed occafioually by 
the natives, is not an article of food of fuch general ufe among them, 
as with the inhabitants of many other eallern iflands, whece it is em- 
ployed as a fubftitute for rice. The tree which yields it, is a fpecles 
of palm, whofe' trunk contains a glutinous pith, that being foaked, 
dried, and granulated, becomes the fago of our {hops, has been too 
frequently and accurately defcribed, to need a repetiaon from me. Mil- 
let (rarJjt jaouj is alfo cultivated for f©od, but not in any confiderable 
quantity* 
When thefe feveral articles of fubliftance fall, the Sumatra n has 
recourfe to thofe wild roots, herbs, and leaves of trees, which the 
woods abundantly afford in every feafon, without culture, and which 
the habitual fimplicity of his diet, teaches him to confider as no very 
extraordinary circumtlance of hardfhip. Hence it is, that famines, in 
this ifland ; or more properly fpcaking, failures of crops of grain ; 
are never attended with thofe dreadful confequences, which more im- 
proved countries, and more provident nations experience* 
