METHODS OF MAKING COFFEE. 69 



placed on a little trencher of platted grass, when all blackened 

 grains or other non-homologous substances *are picked out. 

 After much cleansing and shaking the grains are poured into 

 a large open iron ladle, which is placed over the mouth of the 

 funnel, stirring them carefully round and round till they 

 crackle, redden, and smoke a little, but withdrawing them 

 from the heat long before they turn black or charred; after 

 which they are put to cool a moment on the grass platter. 

 Drawing between his trouserless legs a large stone mortar, with 

 a pit large enough to admit the stone pestle, and pouring in 

 the half-roasted berries, he proceeds to pound them with won- 

 derful dexterity, never missing a blow, till the beans are 

 smashed, but not reduced to powder. After these operations, 

 which are performed with much seriousness and deliberation, 

 a smaller coffee-pot is taken in hand, which he fills more than 

 half with hot water from the larger vessel, and, shaking the 

 pounded coffee into it, sets it on the fire to boil, occasionally 

 stirring it with a small stick as the water rises, to check ebul- 

 lition and prevent overflowing. Nor is the boiling stage to 

 be long or vehement; on the contrary, it should be as light 

 as possible. In the interim he takes out of another rag-knot 

 a few aromatic seeds called heyl, an Indian product, or a 

 little saffron, and, after slightly pounding these ingredients, 

 throws them into the simmering coffee to improve its flavor, 

 for such an additional spicing is held indispensable in Arabia. 

 Sugar would be a totally unheard-of profanation. Last of all, 

 he strains off the liquor through some fibres of the inner palm- 

 bark, placed for that purpose in the jug-spout, and gets ready 

 the tray of delicate parti-colored grass, and the small coffee- 

 cups ready for pouring out. All the preliminaries have taken 

 up a good half-hour. Meantime the host and his friends have 

 become engaged in active conversation, while the silver deco- 

 rated swords proclaim the importance of the family who are 



