<w- 



338 A V O Y A G E T O 



1779- to clofe up well the mcuth of the veflel, and to keep it in a 

 Odobcr. r ... . . 



— » warm place whillc the fermentauon is going on, which is 



generally fo violent as to occafion a confiderable noife, and 

 to agitate the vcfiel in which it is contained. After draw- 

 ing off this firft liquor, they pour on more hot water, and 

 make a fecond in the fame manner. They then pour both 

 liquor and herbs into a copper ftill, and draw ofFthe fpirit after 

 the ufual method. The liquor, thus obtained, is of the ftrength 

 of brandy ; and is called by the natives raka. Two pood 

 (feventy-two pounds) of the plant yield generally one vedro 

 (twenty-five pints) of raka. 



Steller fays, that the fpirit diftilled from this plant, un- 

 fcraped, is exceedingly prejudicial to the health, and pro- 

 duces the moil fudden and terrible nervous effects. 



Befides thefe, KrafcheninicofF mentions a variety of other 

 plants, from whence the inhabitants prepare feveral decoc- 

 tions > and which being mixed with their fifh, make palat- 

 able and wholefome ragouts. Such as the kipri*, with 

 which is brewed a pleafant common beverage ; and, by 

 boiling this plant and the fiueet herb together, in the pro- 

 portion of one to five of the latter, and fermenting the 

 liquor in the ordinary way, is obtained a flrong and excel- 

 lent vinegar. The leaves of it are ufed inilead of tea ; and 

 the pith is dried and mixed in many of their diihes; the 

 Morkovui -j-, which is very like angelica; the kotkorica J, the 

 root of which they eat indifferently, green or dried ; the 

 ikoum%\ the ntchichlei\\> which is much eaten with fi£h : 

 with many others. 



* Epilobium. -f Cbeerophyllum feminibus levibas. 



\ Tradefcantia frudlu molli tduh. § B'tjiorta fcliis ovatis, oblongis, accuminatis. 



I Jacobta foli'n cannabis, Steller. 



It 



