A true & exact history of the island of Barbados

by Richard Ligon

Bread, which is accounted the staffe, or main supporter of mans life, has not here that full taste it has in England; but yet they account it nourishing and strengthening. It is made of the root of a small tree or shrub, which they call Cassavie; the manner of his grouth I will let alone, till I come to speak of Trees and Plants in generall.

His root only, which we are now to consider, (because our bread is made of it) is large and round, like the body of a small Still or retort; and as we gather it, we cut sticks that grow neerest to it, of the same tree, which we put into the ground, and they grow. And as we gather, we plant. This root, before it come to be eaten, suffers a strange conversion; for, being an absolute poyson when ’tis gathered, by good ordering, comes to be wholsome and nourishing; and the manner of doing it, is this: They wash the outside of the root clean, and lean it against a Wheel, whose sole is about a foot broad, and covered with Latine, made rough like a large Grater. The Wheel to be turned about with a foot, as a Cutler turnes his Wheel. And as it grates the root, it falls down in a large Trough, which is the receiver appointed for that purpose. This root thus grated, is as rank poyson, as can be made by the art of an Apothecary, of the most venomous simples he can put together: but being put into a strong piece of double Canvas, or Sackcloth, and prest hard, that all the juice be squeezed out, and then opened upon a cloath, and dried in the Sun, ’tis ready to make bread. And thus ’tis done.

They have a piece of Iron, which I guesse is cast round, the diameter of which, is about twenty inches, a little hollowed in the middle, not unlike the mould that the Spectacle makers grinde their glasses on, but not so much concave as that; about halfe an inch thick at the brim or verge, but thicker towards the middle, with three feet like a pot, about six inches high, that fire may be underneath. To such a temper they heat this Pone, (as they call it) as to bake, but not burn. When ’tis made thus hot, the Indians, whom we trust to make it, because they are best acquainted with it, cast the meal upon the Pone, the whole breadth of it, and put it down with their hands, and it will presently stick together: And when they think that side almost enough, with a thing like a Battle-dore, they turn the other; and so turn and re-turn it so often, till it be enough, which is presently done. So they lay this Cake upon a flat board, and make another, and so another, till they have made enough for the whole Family. This bread they made, when we came first there, as thick as a pancake; but after that, they grew to a higher degree of curiosity, and made it as thin as a wafer, and yet purely white and crispe, as a new made wafer. Salt they never use in it, which I wonder at; for the bread being tastlesse of it selfe, they should give it some little seasoning. There is no way it eats so well, as in milk, and there it tasts like Almonds. They offer to make Pie-crust, but very few attain to the skill of that; for, as you work it up with your hand, or roll it out with a roller, it will alwaies crackle and chop, so that it will not be raised to hold any liquor, neither with, nor without, butter or eggs.

But after many tryalls, and as often failings, at last, I learnt the secret of an Indian woman, who shew’d me the right way of it, and that was, by searsing it very fine, (and it will fall out as fine, as the finest wheat-flower in England) if not finer. Yet, this is not all the secret, for all this will not cure the cracking. But this is the main skill of the businesse: Set water on the fire in a skillet, and put to it as much of this fine flower, as will temper it to the thicknesse of starch or pap; and let it boyl a little, keeping it stirring with a slice; and mix this with the masse of flower you mean to make into pye-crust, which being very well mingled, and wrought together, you may add what cost you will of butter and eggs, and it will rise and stand nere as well as our past in England.

But those that have not Cows, & cannot make butter upon the place, but must make use of such as is brought from England or Holland, were better leave it out, & be content to eat their pie-crust drie. Yet I make a main difference, between butter that is brought from either of those places, in respect of the times it is brought. For, if a ship set out from England in November, and that ship arive at the Barbadoes at the middle, or neer the end of December, when the Sun is at the farthest distance, the butter may come thither in very good condition; and being set in cool places, may retain the taste for a while: But, if the ship set out in Spring or Summer, that brings this butter, it is not then to be endured, it is so restie and loathsome. Nor can Cheese be brought from thence without spoyle, at that time of the year, except you put it in oyle. Neither are Candles to be brought, for the whole barrell will stick together in one lump, and stinck so profoundly, as neither Rats nor mice will come neer them, much lesse eat of them. For which reason, the Planters, who are much troubled with this annoyance, as also, for that these candles cannot be taken out of the barrell whole, nor will stand in the candlestick without drooping, and hanging down; they burn for the most part wax lights, which they make themselves, of wax they fetch from Africa, and have it at a reasonable rate, there being no Bees in the Barbadoes.

But I am too apt to flie out in extravagant digressions; for, the thing I went to speak of, was bread only, and the severall kinds of it; and having said as much of the bread of Cassavie as I know, I will give you one word of another kinde of bread they make, which is a mixt sort of bread, and is made of the flower of Mayes and Cassavie mixt together; for the Maies it selfe will make no bread, it is so extream heavy and lumpish: But these two being mixt, they make it into large Cakes, two inches thick; and that, in my opinion, tasts the likest to English bread of any.

But the Negres use the Mayes another way, which is, toasting the ears of it at the fire, and so eating it warm off the eare. And we have a way, to feed our Christian servants with this Maies, which is, by pounding it in a large Morter, and boyling it in water, to the thicknesse of Frumentie; and so put in a Tray such a quantity, as wil serve a messe of seven or eight people; give it them cold, and scarce afford them salt with it. This we call Lob-lollie. But the Negres, when they come to be fed with this, are much discontented, and crie out, O! O! no more Lob-lob.

The third sort of bread we use, is only Potatoes, which are chosen out of the dryest and largest they can chose: And at the time we first came, there was little else used, at many good Planters Tables in the Iland. And these are all the sorts of bread that I know growing upon the place.

Drink of Mobbie.

The next thing that comes in order, is Drink, which being made of severall materialls, afford more variety in the description. The first, and that which is most used in the Iland, is Mobbie, a drink made of Potatoes, and thus done. Put the Potatoes into a tub of water, and, with a broom, stir them up and down, till they are washt clean; then take them out, and put them into a large iron or brasse pot, such as you boyl beefe in, in England; and put to them as much water, as will only cover a quarter part of them; and cover the top of the pot with a piece of thick canvas doubled, or such cloth as sacks are made with, covering it close, that the steam go not out. Then make a little fire underneath, as much only as will cause these roots to stew, and when they are soft; take them out, and with your hands, squeeze, break, and mash them very small, in fair water, letting them stay there, till the water has drawn and suckt out all the spirit of the roots, which will be done in an houre or two. Then put the liquor and roots into a large wollen bag, like a jelly-bag, poynted at the bottom; and let it run through that, into a Jar, and within two hours it will begin to work. Cover it, and let it stand till the next day, and then ’tis fit to be drunk. And as you will have it stronger or smaller, put in greater or lesser quantities of roots; some make it so strong, as to be drunk with small quantities. But the drink it selfe, being temperately made, does not at all flie up into the head, but is a sprightly thirst-quenching drink. If it be put up in small casks, as Rundlets, or Firkins, it will last foure or five daies good, and drink much more sprightly then out of the Jar. I cannot liken it to any thing so neer, as Rhenish-wine in the Must; but it is short of it in the strength of the spirit, and finenesse of the tast.