Evening star., 1923-02-25

dTical, wicker-work containef This
is suspended from a rafter, stfHk or
lever is inserted through the csher
end Of this metapee, or containe1. a
large calabash or bowl is placed De-
low 1t and one or more women seat
themselves on the lever. Their weight
results in the metapee stretching
Iengthwise and contracting in cir
cumference. with irresistible force,
and. as a result, the juice of the
grated cassava is forced out through
the interstices Of the metapee. leaving
the pulp dry and compressed in the
form of a solid cylinder, which is re-
moved piecemeal from the metapee.
These hard. cylindrical cores are
then pounded In "a wooden mortar
(some of the Indians use prehistoric
stone mortars found on ancient VII
lage sites), and the resultant meal is
sifted through a wicksr-work sieve
! held between the toes of the women.
| The fine meal thus obtained Is next
| spread, by the aid OF wooden trowel
! known as waisoo. upon. a hot stone
or a piece OF sheet iron over a small
| fire.
| As-the big circular cakes harden and
| bake they are turned and lifted by
means of small woven m ats, or fans.
! and are placed on frame of sticks.
or on a basketlike tray, In the bright
| sunshine until thoroughly dried.
| The cooking or baking is not. as is
1 often supposed, for the purpose of
| cooking the! meal only; it Is done
mainly to insure perfect freedom from
| the. poisonous juice. which contains
prussic acid. The juice itself. as
squeezed from the metapee, is care
fully preserved and is known as cas-
sareep. = This is the basis OF the ia
| nrous' pepper pot, and Is boiled to the
consistency of sirup to evaporate all
. the poisonous acid II. contains
= Into the prepared "cassareep are
thrown peppers and bits of meat. The
cassareep preserves the food, and by
| frequent lboilings> the mess is kept
fresh a-and edible for months or
years. This pepper pot is far from
! aspetizing in appearance, for in color
! and consistency. It resembles a mass
| of asphalt or coal tar, but it is really
f-AEpiiCAlf IoeSplte tHc -IACe lAaL oilc
freaneptly finds init the, hand of
| monkey, the head or foot of fowl
or SOME similar anatomical fragment.
Whatever the effect OF this diet
| which. to many might appear-dubtous
/ upon the health ,of the Patamonas.
1 il may be 1well to dispel some 'of, the
popular illusions, In regard to
"feyers" and <other dread diseases of
| the! Guiana. Wilderness Nearly. all
the cases of fever" which have
treated-and I'.have treated scores
were simply severe colus or were due
| to stomach, intestinal or. liver trou-
! bies Indeed. every illness In which
/ lassitude. a slight temperature or
headache, occurs is dubbed fever"
by the indians. and black people. One
case Of fever. which came under
my notice proved to be case Of
bolts, while another was due to a
| snake bite .r-fs. -.,-- =, r..
OF their own curative skill. or in
stinct, these Indians give some evil
! dence in having discovered an anti
dote for the terrible wurali-and the
toniy one existing. so far as is known.
This'is a mixture, Of cane Juice and
salt: And while the Patamonas are
extremely careful not to prick. them
.sefves with the poisoned darts, they
/ assert that a strong draught of cane
I Juice and salt will prevent serious
results. L have never seen this cure
Ltried on a human being, but il. is q