Sketch of the Hiftory of Sugar. 209 
’ Albertus Agnenfis * * relates, that about the fame 
period, “* the Crufaders found fweet honeyed reeds, 
** in great quantity, in the meadows about ‘Tripoli, 
** in Syria, which reeds were called Zucra. ‘Thefe 
** the people (the Crufaders army) fucked, and 
‘© were much pleafed with the {weet tafte of them, 
** with which they could fearcely be fatisfied. ‘This 
‘* plant (the author tells us) is cultivated with great 
*« Jabour of the hufbandmen every year. At the 
** time of harvelt, they bruife it when ripe in 
“* mortars; and fet by the ftrained juice in veffels,” 
« till it is concreted in form of fnow, or of white falt. 
‘© This, when fcraped, they mix with bread, or rub 
** it with water, and take it as pottage ; and it isto 
** them more wholefome and pleafing than the honey 
of bees. The people who were engaged in the 
. Ppa fieges 
- 
- 
* Calamellos ibidem mellitos, per camporum planicjem 
abundanter repertos, quos vocant Zucra, fuxit populus 
illorum falubri fucco latatus; et vix ad faturitatem pre 
dulcedine explere hog guftato valebant. Hoc enim genus 
herbe, fummo Jabore agricolarum, per fingulos excolitur 
annos, Deinde, tempore meffis, maturum mortariolis indi- 
genx contundunt, fuccum colatum in vafis fuis reponentes, 
quoufque coagulatus indurefcat, fub fpecie nivis vel falis 
albi. Quem rafum cum pane mifzentes, aut cum aqua 
terentes, pro pulmento fumunt; et fupra favum mellis 
guftantibus dulce ac falubre effe videtur. His ergo cala- 
mellis melliti faporis, populus ia obfidione Aibarie Marra 
et Archas multum horrenda fame vexatus, eft refocillatus, 
Geft. Dei per Francos, p. 270. 
3108. 
