Kerra Marie St Ch HE ATI Re At 
of the Arétium Lappa, or common Burdotk, which they frequently change till the 
cure is effected. 
The Heracleum Panaces, or Sweet gra/s, was a plant of the firft ufe with the Kamtf- 
chatkans, and formerly made a principal ingredient in all their difhes ; but fo 
powerful does the love of hot liquors fway with the Ruffans, that, fince their ar- 
rival, it is entirely applied to diftillation. The beginning of July the more fuc- 
culent ftalks and leaves are gathered ; after the down is {eraped off with fhells, 
they are layed to ferment ; when they grow dry, they are placed in bags, and in a 
few days are covered with a faccharine powder: only a quarter of a pound of 
powder is collected from a pood, or thirty-fix pounds of the plant, which taftes like 
liquorice. “They draw the fpirit from it by fteeping bundles of it in hot water ; 
then promote the fermentation in a fmall veflel, by adding the berries of the 
Lonicera Xylofteum, Sp. Pl. i. 248, and Vaccinium uliginofum, 499. They con- 
tinue the procefs by pouring on more water, after drawing off the firft: they then 
place the plants and liquor in a copper ftill, and draw off, in the common manner, 
a fpirit equal in ftrength to brandy *. Accident difcovered this liquor. One 
year, the natives happening to collect a greater quantity of berries of feveral kinds, 
for winter provifion, than ufual, found in the fpring that a great quantity had 
fermented, and become ufelefs as a food. They refolved to try them as a drink, 
and mixed the juice with water. Others determined to experience it pure; and 
found, on trial, the 4rétic beatitude, crunkennefs +. The Ruffians caught at the 
hint, introduced diftillation, and thus are enabled to enjoy ebriety with the pro- 
duétion of the country. 
The Moucho-more of the Rufians, the Agaricus mufcarius, Sp. P\. 1640, is an- 
other inftrument of intoxication. It is a fpecies of Toadftool, which the Kamtj- 
chadales and Koriaks fometimes eat dry, fometimes immerfed in a fermented 
liquor made with the Epi/obium, which they drink notwithftanding the dreadful 
effects. They are firft feized with convulfions in all their limbs, then with a 
raving fuch as attends a burning fever; a thoufand phantoms, gay or gloomy 
(according to their conftitutions) prefent them{felves to their imaginations: fome 
dance; others are feized with unfpeakable horrors. They perfonify this mufh- 
room; and, if its effets urge them to fuicide, or any dreadful crime, they fay 
they obey its commands. To fit themfelves for premeditated affafinations, 
they take the Moucho-more. Such is the fafcination of drunkennefs in this 
country, that nothing can induce the natives to forbear this dreadful potion { ! 
* Voyage, iil. 337+ + Gmelin, Fl, Sib, i, 217. t Hif. Kamt/chatka, 99, 100. 
q As 
Cxvik 
