MANIOC THE CHIEF PRODUCT. 
277 
and appointed places of public sopulturo in every district 
*n tlio country. The people persist, however, in spite of 
the most stringent enforcement of tho law, to follow then 
ancient custom. 
The country between tho Coanza and Pungo Andongo is 
■overod with low trees, bushes, and fino pasturage. In the 
attor we were pleased to seo our old acquaintances, the 
gaudy gladiolus, Amaryllis toxicaria, hymanthus, and other 
bulbs, in as flourishing a condition as at tho Capo. 
It is surprising that so littlo has been done in tho way 
of agriculture in Angola. Raising wheat by means of ir- 
rigation has nover been tried ; no plough is over used ; and 
tho only instrument is tho native hoo, in the hands of 
slaves. Tho chief object of agriculture is tho manioc, 
which does not contain nutriment sufficient to give proper 
stamina to tho people. Tho half-caste Portuguese have 
not so much energy as their fathers. They subsist chiefly 
on the manioc; and, as that can bo eaten cither raw, 
roasted, or boiled, as it comes from tho ground, or for- 
nicntcd in water, and then roasted or dried after fermenta- 
tion, and baked or poundod into fino meal, or rasped into 
meal and#cookcd as farina, or made into confectionary 
with butter and sugar, it docs not so soon pall upon the 
palate as one might imagino when told that it constitutes 
their principal food. The leaves boiled mako an excellent 
vegetable for tho table ; and, when eaten by goats, their 
^tilk is much increased. Tho wood is a good fuel, and 
yields a largo quantity of potash. If planted in a dry 
soil, it takes two years to como to perfection, requiring 
during that time ono weeding only. It boars drought 
Woll, and never shrivels up liko other plants when de- 
prived of rain. When planted in low, alluvial soils, and 
cither well supplied with rain or annually flooded, twolve, 
°r oven ton, months are sufficient to bring it to maturity 
The root rasped whilo raw, placed upon a cloth, and rubbod 
With tho hands while water is poured upon it, parts with 
fa Starchy glutinous matter, and this, when it settles at 
24 , 
