Mar 5, 1789 Home Logbook Mar 7, 1789
Revised Jun 29 2021
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Light Winds and Calms with Rain. Wind at West and round the Compass. Thermr. 80¾° to 83¾°.
Employed between the Rain filling Water. Armourer at the Forge making Copper nails. Sailmakers repairing the Awnings. Cooper Casks. Plentifull supplies. Sick List as yesterday. In the afternoon our Friend Teppahoo returned here from Tettahah and sent me a present of a large Hog, Bread fruit and Cocoa nutts. He still complains of ill health, which the Surgeon attributes to the Rheumatism and old age, he does not nowever appear above 50 years old. In return for his Hog I gave a Hatchet, a Shirt some Nails, File and a Knife.
I had some Fern root brought to me to day which is used as bread kind in scarce Seasons and when people are in the mountains and is an exellent succedaneum [Latin: subsitute] for yams. It bears a long and even edged leaf about an Inch wide.
Iddeah made me a present of a very fine pudding to day called Poeeteeapparu it is made as follows. Equal quantitys of Ripe Plantains and grated Tarro are well mixed together with a sufficiency of the expressed milk of the Cocoanutt to bring it to the consistency of our batter puddings. It is then wrapt up in many folds of leaves and put into the oven for near 24 Hours before they consider it done to perfection. Another pudding at the same time was made of only the grated Tarro and expressed Cocoa nutt milk and was in the oven the same time. This they call Poeeteoo it is not so rich as the first, but may be called a very fine Plain Pudding. I saw them put into the oven at 10 o'Clock yesterday morning, and was sent for to see them taken out at 10 oClock this morning. All this time the Stones must have retained a great heat, as I could not when the Oven was opened bear to touch them with my hand.
The pulp or properly the Kernel which is formed in the Cocoa nutt from the liquor, (commonly called the milk,) when it draws towards a State
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of Vegetation, they tells me adds much to the flavor of any pudding, but none could be got in time, it was however shown to me, and is a light spungy substance which occupies the whole space where the liquor was contained in the shell, and is possessed of all the flavor of the nutt.
This morning I sent the Master away to sound Taowne Harbour where I had not examined it myself and having not at present any leisure to do it. He returned by Noon.
Mar 5, 1789 Home Logbook Mar 7, 1789