1903 The Flowing Bowl by Edward Spencer

CHAPTER VIII

OTHER SPIRITS

01(1 Jamaica pine-apple—"Tots" for TommyAtkins—The grog tub aboard ship—Omelette au rhttm—Rum-and-milk—Ditto- and-ale — A maddening mixture — Rectifying gin—"The seasoning as does it"—Oil of turpentine and table-salt—A long thirst—A farthing's worth of Old Tom—Roach-alum —Dirty gin—Gin and bitters—"Kosher" rum—An active and intelligent officer—Gambling propensities ofthe Israelites —The dice in the tumbler—Nomenclature at "The Olde Cheshyre Cheese"—" Rack "—" Cork." We now come to Rum, "superior old Jamaica pine-apple," otherwise known as "sailors' tea" — the spirit in question having from time immemorial been held in high esteem by mariners both afloat and ashore. Rum is probably one of the easiest beverages to make, being, simply, fermented and distilled cane-sugar. Occasionally pine-apples and guavas are thrown into the still, but in making this spirit on a large scale no attempts are made to add to its flavour and thereby deduct from the profits to be made on the commodity. It is coloured with caramel, and the longer you keep it the better and, there fore, the more valuable, it becomes. In the city