346 THE PROCESS OF 



a low fire, an attendant keeps stirring the contents, 

 using for this purpose the small reaping hook of 

 the country, the convex curve of which scrapes the 

 barley from the bottom of the saucer, and prevents 

 its burning. Whilst this is going on, another 

 servant washes the jars intended to receive the ale, 

 and which, after being well rinsed out, are fumi- 

 gated by a few leaves of the bitter gaislio plant, 

 placed upon a little lighted charcoal, on a broken 

 piece of earthenware, and is introduced beneath 

 the mouth of the vessel, which is held over it to 

 receive the ascending smoke. 



Gaisho are the leaves of a species of Rhamnus 

 indigenous to Shoa, for besides being regularly 

 cultivated in favourable situations between six to 

 eight thousand feet above the level of the sea, I 

 have also found it growing wild at the base of the 

 hill of Kundi, above the Tabeeb monastery, in that 

 neighbourhood. These leaves are serrated, and of 

 the form and size of bay leaves, only of a lighter 

 green. When used, after being dried in the sun, 

 they are pulverized in a mortar until a very fine 

 powder of an intensely but not permanent bitter is 

 produced. It is then ready for the purposes re- 

 quired, which are similar to those of hops and 

 gentian in brewing our beer. 



After the barley has been well roasted, it is 

 taken out of the pan and ground into a coarse meal, 

 which, after being slightly wetted with water, is 

 again exposed to the action of heat in the same 



