It was now necessary to apply strong pressure to extract the juice from the root, as this juice is a deadly poison.

I selected an oak beam, one end of which we fixed between the roots of our tree; beneath this I placed our bags on a row of little blocks of wood; I then took a large bough, which I had cut from a tree, and prepared for the purpose, and laid it across them.

We all united then in drawing down the opposite end of the plank over the bough, till we got it to a certain point, when we suspended to it the heaviest substances we possessed; hammers, bars of iron, and masses of lead.

This acting upon the manioc, the sap burst through the cloth, and flowed on the ground copiously.

When I thought the pressure was complete, we relieved the bags from the lever, and opening one, drew out a handful of the pollard, still rather moist, resembling coarse maize-flour.
"It only wants a little heat to complete our success," said I, in great delight.