498 LEWIS'S AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



their lips to the brimming bowl; moreover, there never was a 

 drunkard made a sot in a week; the dreadful vice is the conse- 

 quence of a long and obstinate use of these liquors, which actually 

 at first were very obnoxious to him. Water is the best solvent of 

 all food taken into the stomach, and there is no drink that favors, 

 or rather assists, the digestive apparatus so much, in a state of 

 health, in the performance of its duties. It should therefore be 

 used in preference to all other beverages by the sportsman, as well 

 as by all others who wish to live to an advanced age. It is a well- 

 known fact that all those individuals who have attained a great 

 age were and are water-drinkers ; and it is seldom that we hear 

 of an inebriate, or even of what are termed moderate drinkers, 

 arriving at old age free from chronic affections. 



If, however, it be necessary, either from habit or the peculiar 

 condition of the constitution, to take a "little something" occa- 

 sionally during our excursions, let that little be of the very best; 

 and, in order to insure this, carry it along with you. 



Avoid, by all decent means, partaking of the poisonous drugs, 

 called spirits, that are so generally found at the bars of our country 

 taverns. Such liquors, most frequently, are not fit even to bathe 

 the feet in, let alone putting into your stomach. A dose or two 

 of such trash is often sufficient to upset a temperate man for days. 

 To avoid the necessity of having recourse to this vile stuff, in case 

 of sickness or otherwise, take, as before recommended, a small 

 store of good spirits along with you, as a part and parcel of your 

 necessary ammunition; but, as before observed, consider it as a 

 medicine, only to be used when circumstances demand it. 



It is often very difficult, either from motives of politeness, or of 

 actual policy on the part of the sportsman, to avoid drinking at 

 the bars of country taverns ; in such cases, take as sparingly as 

 possible of the liquor, and largely of the water, and then take as 

 little of the abominable mixture as you can well get off with. We 

 have more than once been placed in this unfortunate position, but 

 have always succeeded in extricating ourselves by a little manoeuv- 

 ring, without suffering from an overdose of the nauseating drugs. 



