Joseph Banks - Endeavour journal, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771 - No. 0151
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[Page 151]
Rio de Janeiro
but cheifly of an indifferent quality tho doubtless there is such as is very good as the sugar & tobacco which is sent to Europe from hence plainly testifies but all that I saw was employd either in Breeding cattle of which they have great plenty tho their pastures are the worst I ever saw on account of the shortness of the grass & consequently the beef sold in the market tho it is tolerably cheap is so lean that an Englishman can hardly Eat it I likewise saw great plantations of Cassada Jatropha manihot, which is calld in the West Indies Cassada & here Farina de Pao i.e. wooden meal a very proper name for the cakes they make with it taste as if they were made of Sawdust & yet it is the only bread which is Eat here - for European bread is sold at