But that which was brought hither is not yet knowne neither
by vs nor by the inhabitants to serue for any vse or purpose; although
the rootes in shape are very like.
'Coscushaw', some of our company tooke to bee that kinde of roote which
the Spaniards in the West Indies call 'Cassauy', whereupon also many
called it by that name: it groweth in very muddie pooles and moist
groundes. Being dressed according to the countrey maner, it maketh a
good bread, and also a good sponemeate, and is vsed very much by the
inhabitants: The iuice of this root is poison, and therefore heede must
be taken before any thing be made therewithal: Either the rootes must
bee first sliced and dried in the Sunne, or by the fire, and then being
pounded into floure wil make good bread: or els while they are greene
they are to bee pared, cut into pieces and stampt; loues of the same to
be laid neere or ouer the fire vntill it be soure, and then being well
pounded againe, bread, or sponemeate very good in taste, and holsome may
be made thereof.
'Habascon' is a roote of hoat taste almost of the forme and bignesse of
a Parseneepe, of it selfe it is no victuall, but onely a helpe beeing
boiled together with other meates.
There are also 'Leekes' differeing little from ours in England that grow
in many places of the countrey, of which, when we came in places where,
wee gathered and eate many, but the naturall inhabitants neuer.
'Of Fruites.'
CHESTNVTS, there are in diuers places great store: some they vse to eate
rawe, some they stampe and boile to make spoonemeate, and with some
being sodden they make such a manner of dowebread as they vfe of their
beanes before mentioned.
WALNVTS: There are two kindes of Walnuts, and of then infinit store: In
many places where very great woods for many miles together the third
part of trees are walnuttrees. The one kind is of the same taste and
forme or litle differing from ours of England, but that they are harder
and thicker shelled: the other is greater and hath a verie ragged and
harde shell: but the kernell great, verie oylie and sweete. Besides
their eating of them after our ordinarie maner, they breake them with
stones and pound them in morters with water to make a milk which they
vse to put into some sorts of their spoonmeate; also among their sodde
wheat, peaze, beanes and pompions which maketh them haue a farre more
pleasant taste.
MEDLARS a kind of verie good fruit, so called by vs chieflie for these
respectes: first in that they are not good vntill they be rotten: then
in that they open at the head as our medlars, and are about the same
bignesse: otherwise in taste and colour they are farre differet: for
they are as red as cheries and very sweet: but whereas the cherie is
sharpe sweet, they are lushious sweet.
METAQVESVNNAVK, a kinde of pleasaunt fruite almost of the shape & bignes
of English peares, but that they are of a perfect red colour as well
within as without. They grow on a plant whose leaues are verie thicke
and full of prickles as sharpe as needles. Some that haue bin in the
Indies, where they haue seen that kind of red die of great price which
is called Cochinile to grow, doe describe his plant right like vnto this
of Metaquesunnauk but whether it be the true Cochinile or a bastard or
wilde kind, it cannot yet be certified; seeing that also as I heard,
Cochinile is not of the fruite but founde on the leaues of the plant;
which leaues for such matter we haue not so specially obserued.
GRAPES there are of two sorts which I mentioned in the marchantable
comodities.
STRABERIES there are as good & as great as those which we haue in our
English gardens.
MVLBERIES, Applecrabs, Hurts or Hurtleberies, such as wee haue in
England.
SACQVENVMMENER a kinde of berries almost like vnto capres but somewhat
greater which grow together in clusters vpon a plant or herb that is
found in shalow waters: being boiled eight or nine hours according to
their kind are very good meate and holesome, otherwise if they be eaten
they will make a man for the time franticke or extremely sicke.
There is a kind of reed which beareth a seed almost like vnto our rie or
wheat, & being boiled is good meate. [In]
In our trauailes in some places wee founde wilde peaze like vnto ours in
England but that they were lesse, which are also good meate.
'Of a kinde of fruite or berrie in the forme of
Acornes.'
There is a kind of berrie or acorne, of which there are fiue sorts that
grow on seuerall kinds of trees; the one is called 'Sagatemener', the
second 'Osamener', the third 'Pummuckoner'. These kind of acorns they
vse to drie vpon hurdles made of reeds with fire vnderneath almost after
the maner as we dry malt in England. When they are to be vsed they first
water them vntil they be soft & then being sod they make a good
victuall, either to eate so simply, or els being also pounded, to make
loaues or lumpes of bread. These be also the three kinds of which, I
said before, the inhabitants vsed to make sweet oyle.
An other sort is called 'Sapummener' which being boiled or parched doth
eate and taste like vnto chestnuts.
