On the Koumiss of the Calmucks. 9 
a kind of sour milk, like that so much used by the Lap- 
landers, called pina, and which has undergone, in a certain 
degree, vinous fermentation; and the brandy, an ardent 
spirit obtained from koumiss by distillation. 
In making the koumiss they sometimes employ the 
milk of cows, but never if mare’s milk can be had ; as the 
koumiss ftom the latter yields three times as much brandy 
as that made from cow’s milk. ‘only 
The manner of preparing the koumiss is by cae 
one-sixth part of warm water with any given quantity 
warm mare’s milk. To this they further add, as a leaven, 
a little ald koumiss, and agitate the mass till fermentation 
ensues. To produce the vinous fermentation, artificial heat 
and more agitation are sometimes necessary. This affords 
what is called koumiss, 
They gave us this last beverage in a wooden bowl, 
calling it vina. In their own language it bears the very re- 
markable appellation of rack and racky, doubtless nearly al- 
lied to the names of our East-India spirit, rack and arrack. 
We brought away a quart bottle of it, and considered it 
very weak bad brandy, not unlike the common spirit di- 
stilled by the Swedes and other northern nations. 
Some of their women were busy making it in an ad- 
joining tent. 
The simplicity of the operation and of their machinery 
was very Characteristic of the antiquity-of this chemical 
process. Their still was constructed of mud, or very 
coarse clay ; and for the neck of the retort they employed a 
cane. The receiver was entirely covered by a coating of 
wet clay, The brandy had already passed over, The wo- 
man who had the management of the distillery, wishing ug 
to taste of the spirit, thrust d stick with a small tutt of 
camel’s hair at its end, through the external covering of 
clay: and thus collecting a small quantity of brandy, she 
drew out the stick, dropped a portion upon the retort, and, 
waving the instrument above her head, scattered the re« 
maining liquor in the air, I asked the meaning of this 
ceremony ; and was answered, that it is a religious custom, 
to give always the first drop of the brandy which they draw 
from the receiver to their god. The stick was then plunged 
into the receiver asecond time; when more brandy adhering 
to the camel’s hair, she squeezed it into the palm of her 
dirty greasy hand, and, having tasted the liquor, presented 
M40, Our Lips. » dre-aie da’ s 
_ We traversed continued steppes [immense flats] from 
Kamenskaia. Camps of Calmucks were often stationed near 
A4 the 
