of the Natives of Ruffia. 631 
and wliolefome article of food, ever at hand to qualify 
the feamen’s fait provifions, which they commonly eat in 
form of brothin the Ruffian navy, with the addition of 
this bread, which is put in as we do the white bread in 
our foups of that name, or they take off the faltnefs of 
their fea beef by making it into foup with their pre- 
pared vegetables; but never buffer their bailors to eat it 
dry as they call it, being of opinion that it promotes the 
fcurvy in the fleet. 
This rufk albo not only anfwers the common purpole. 
of bread, but when thrown into warm water produces 
their favourite liquor quafs, with or without the addition 
of ground malt : and I am likewibe told, that they put 
this laff article into the four dough, with which they 
make a fort of rufk for the purpofe of quafs alone. 
There are prepared cucumbers which are eaten with 
meat in this country, and the people are remarkably 
fond of them. They are called falted cucumbers, as fait 
is the principal ingredient ufed in the preparation ; but 
they have the fame fourifli tafte fo often mentioned, and 
feem to have their Ihare alfo in the merit afcribed to the 
regimen at large. 
