1892 Drinks of the world

drinks:

351

The Melo-cacti of South America have earned for themselves the name of " springs of the desert," owing to their Hquor-preserving properties. An in- genious drink is that of the natives of Siberia, a drink prepared of an intoxicating mushroom,^ in a pecuHar and economical manner, by natural distillation. Vinegar appears as a beverage in a few countries only, and then for special purposes. The Roman soldiers received it as a refreshing drink on their marches, and even in the time of Constantine their rations included vinegar on one day and wine on the other. After all, this vinegar may have been nothing more than what many of us drink at present under the title of wine. That " excellent claret," for instance, '' fit for any gentleman's table," which may be had at \s. 6d. a bottle, may be very like the vinegar of the Roman soldier. Roman reapers used it mixed with water, we are told by Theocritus (Idyl x.), and before that time Ruth was directed to dip her morsel In the vinegar when she gleaned in the field of Boaz. Ptisana, mentioned by Celsus (lii. 7), appears to have been a mixture of rice or barley water and vinegar. Toast-water is a drink which may be held by * The mushroom used by the Chukchees is described by Lans- dell, Jhrough Siberia^ ii. 269, as "spotted like a leopard, and sur- mounted by a small hood — the fly agaric, which here has the top scarlet, flecked with white points. It sells for three or four reindeer. So powerful is the fungus that the native who eats it remains drunk for several days. Half a dozen persons may be successively intoxi- cated by a single mushroom, but every one in a less degree than his predecessor/ Goldsmith, Chinese Philosopher.