purpose, although the roots in shape are very like.

Coscushaw some of our company tooke to be that kinde of root which the
Spanyards in the West Indies call Cassauy, whereupon also many called it
by that name: it groweth in very muddy pooles, and moist grounds. Being
dressed according to the countrey maner, it maketh a good bread, and also
a good spoonmeat, and is vsed very much by the inhabitants. (M307) The
iuice of this root is poison, and therefore heed must be taken before any
thing be made therewithall: either the roots must be first sliced and
dried in the Sunne, or by the fire, and then being punned into floure,
will make good bread: or els while they are greene they are to be pared,
cut in pieces, and stampt: loaues of the same to be layd nere or ouer the
fire vntill it be sowre; and then being well punned againe, bread or
spoonmeat very good in taste and holesome may be made thereof.

Habascon is a root of hote taste, almost of the forme and bignesse of a
Parsnip: of it selfe it is no victuall, but onely a helpe, being boiled
together with other meats.

There are also Leeks, differing little from ours in England, that grow in
many places of the countrey; of which, when we came in places where they
were, we gathered and eat many, but the naturall inhabitants neuer.

Of fruits.

Chesnuts there are in diuers places great store: some they vse to eat raw,
some they stampe and boile to make spoonmeat, and with some being sodden,
they make such a maner of dough bread as they vse of their beanes before
mentioned.

Walnuts. There are two kinds of Walnuts, and of them infinite store: in
many places where are very great woods for many miles together, the third
part of trees are Walnut trees. The one kind is of the same taste and
forme, or little differing from ours of England, but that they are harder
and thicker shelled: the other is greater, and hath a very ragged and hard
shell: but the kernel great, very oily and sweet. Besides their eating of
them after our ordinary maner, they breake them with stones, and punne
them in morters with water, to make a milke which they vse to put into
some sorts of their spoonemeat: also among their sodde wheat, peaze,
beanes and pompions, which maketh them haue a farre more pleasant taste.

Medlars, a kinde of very good fruit: so called by vs chiefly for these
respects: first in that they are not good vntill they be rotten, then in
that they open at the head as our Medlars