CHAPTEE V. 



FISH SAUCES. 



rPHE classic worlds besides being eminently piscivo- 

 -*- rous, as we bave seen, was as much addicted to 

 fisb sauces as ourselves, and a Eoman and Grecian gen- 

 tleman could no more bave got througb bis coena or 

 deipnon witbout frequent recourse to tbe garum and 

 alec bottle, tban we witbout our cruets of Harvey and 

 Burgess. As botb tbese celebrated Latin sauces were 

 manufactured from fisb, we sball, before proceeding for- 

 tber, say a few words about tbem, together witb tbat 

 universal condiment which entered so largely into their 

 composition — salt. 



Tbe ancients were very particular as to what kinds 

 of salt they put into their saltcellars, exhibitiag as 

 many different kinds as we do of sugars. Sicily was 

 particularly rich in its supplies, producing three or four 

 very remarkable species, which differed not less in saline 

 properties than in colour and general appearance. The 

 Centuripine salt from this island was, according to Pliny, 

 purple; that of Memphis, in Egypt, deep red; that ex- 

 cavated from the banks of the river Oxus, in Bactriana, 

 tawny, inclining to a russet hue; whilst that in Cappa- 

 docia was of a yeUow saffron-colour, quite transparent, 

 and of a most agreeable odour; about Gela, in Sicily, 

 the salt was so bright and clear that objects were re- 

 flected in it as in a mirror. The Tragasoean salt would 

 neither spit, crackle, leap, nor sparkle in the fire, whilst 



