This Bread is eaten dry as ours, or dipt in water, on which it immediately swells, and has no very pleasant taste this way, though dry it has none at all. Dipt in sugar'd water this Bread is still more pleasant, and if it be a little tosted afterwards, it eats yet better. If dipt in Wine, it will not swell as if dipt in Water. It will keep a long time without Corruption, so that it is taken as Provision for the Sloops trading to the Spanish Main, &c. This Bread is worth about seven Shillings and six pence the hundred weight, sometimes double that, according to its scarcity. People who feed altogether on this, live as long, and in as good Health as they who feed on any other sort of Bread.
Plantains is the next most general support of Life in the Island. They are brought in from the Plantain-Walk, or place where these Trees are planted, a little green; they ripen and turn yellow in the House, when, or before they are eaten. They are usually rosted, after being first clear'd of their outward Skins, under the Coals. They are likewise boil'd in Oglio's or Pepper-Pots, and prepar'd into a Past like Dumplins, and several other ways. A Drink is also made of them.
The next Succedaneum for Bread, in this place, are Patatas. They are rosted under the Coals, or boil'd, and are eaten as the former.
Yams are likewise us'd here in lieu of Bread, and are prepar'd as the others, only because they are very large, they are usually cut in pieces.
Grains in use here, are, 1. Guinea-Corn. 'Tis prepar'd, and us'd as Rice, and tasts as well, and is as nourishing. It is usually the Food of Poultry and Pigeons.
2. Indian Corn or Maiz, either tosted or boil'd, is fed on by the Slaves, especially the young Ears of it, before ripe, are rosted under the Coals and eaten; this is thought by them very delicious, and call'd Mutton; but 'tis most us'd for feeding Cattle and Poultry.
3. Rice is here planted by some Negros in their own Plantations, and thrives well, but because it requires much beating, and a particular Art to separate the Grain from the Husk, 'tis thought too troublesom for its price, and so neglected by most Planters.
Pease, Beans, and Pulse of sorts different from those of Europe, are here very common. They are eaten when green, as ours of Europe, and when dry, boil'd, afford the Negros very good and strong Provision.
Flour from New-York is counted the best, but this as well as all other Flour, and Bisket, are subject to be spoil'd with Weevils, or small Scarabæi, if long kept.
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