Chap. XVII. 
MANIOC-POEKIDGB. 
303 
these are planted pieces of the manioc-stalk, at four feet apart. 
A crop of beans, or ground-nuts, is sown between them, and 
when these are reaped, the land around the manioc is cleared of 
weeds. In from ten to eighteen months after planting, accord¬ 
ing to the quahty of the soil, the roots are fit for food. There 
is no necessity for reaping soon, as the roots do not become 
bitter and dry until after three years. When a woman takes up 
the roots, she tlnusts a piece or two of the upper stalks into 
the hole she has made, draws back the soil, and a new crop is 
thereby begun. The plant grows to a height of six feet, and 
every part of it is useful: the leaves may be cooked as a 
vegetable. The roots are from three to four inches in diameter, 
and from twelve to eighteen inches lang. 
There are two varieties of the manioc or cassava—one sweet 
and wholsome, the other bitter and containing poison, but much 
more speedy in its gro^vth than the former. Tliis last property 
causes its perpetuation. When we reached the village of 
Kapende, on the banks of the rivulet Lonaje, we were presented 
with so much of the poisonous kind, that we were obliged to 
leave it. To get rid of the poison the people place it foui* days 
in a pool of water. It then becomes partially decomposed, and 
is taken out, stripped of its skin, and exposed to the sun. When 
dried, it is easily pounded into fine white meal, closely resem¬ 
bling starch, which has either a little of the peculiar taste 
arising from decomposition, or no more flavour than starch. 
When intended to be used as food, tliis meal is stirred into 
boiling water: they put as much in as can be moistened, one 
man holding the vessel and the other stmlng the porridge 
with all his might. This is the common mess of the country. 
Though hungry, we could just manage to swallow it with the aid 
of a little honey, which I shared with my men as long as it 
lasted. It is very unsavoury (Scottice wersh); and no matter 
how much one may eat, two hom:s afterwards he is as hungry as 
ever. Wlien less meal is employed, the mess is exactly like a 
basin of starch in the hands of a laundress ; and if the starch 
were made from diseased potatoes, some idea might be formed 
of the Balonda porridge, which hunger alone forced us to eat. 
Santuru forbade his nobles to eat it, as it caused coughing and 
expectoration. 
