Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-09-27
vol. $40. so.
eArRIcEs or THE HUMAN AppErirg.

cAFRIcEs or THE HUMAN APPETITE.
The human being has been described as an
animal capable Of suiting himsclfto every des-
cnpiion Of climate ranging from the pole to
the equator. and o. adapting bis habits either
to those Of savage life. or the highest state Of
reaaemeat His power Of enduring a tenn
pcrature which would freeze the blood Of an
alligator. or melt the body Of bear. is not
more remarkable than the variety Of food
which be eau digest. aud the perfect power
whi b be possesses Of suting bis appetite to
the digereat products Of the animal aud veg
ctable kingdoms. ln the selection Of food. be
is more governed by caprice and fashion, than
the excellence Of the repast; and the pcrycr
sity Of taste in this rsspoc. is really astonish.
irg. We are informed by Tacitus thatthcrs
was msn at Cuiouia Agrippiua, whose ia
vorite dish was spiders; aud various tribes
in TIE ancient world are noticed as having
lived on species q sour made Of snakes and
scorpions Some babarous nations 10 modern
times fed on locusts, fresh or picked. whi'o
the inhabitants Of Madagascar are said to pre-
Ger them to .he duest fish. But what must
we say Of the Cochin Chinese, who esteem
rotson eggs as one Of toe greatest ael.cacies.
and SO far do they carry this desire, that pu-
trid eggs rated Thirty per cent higher than
fresh ones his taste, however, need not
excite so much surprise. when VIC recolleet
that certain classes in this country prefer pu-
tiiil to fresh game, and would not taste i, till
it acquired the fashionable goat. II is
standing joke against TIC French that they
dress andeat frogs, and yet have seen French
men who were partial 70 these reptiles scken
when they saw rock or crow pies eaten in
Scotland.
\ story is told Of British soldier who
could swallow aud digest clasp or pen knives,
sometimes pouring half-a dozen into bis stom-
aeh at time; and by which freak be ulti-
! mstely killed himself. Perhaps it will be con-
sidsede nearly as strange, when it Is known
that the Chinese gentry are passionately fond
Of birds nests the real nests Of birds u the
swallow species. This fancy for birds nests
obtains all over Cliua, but can be followed
up ouly By the very woalthicst classes Such
is the extraordinary demand for this deserip-
ton Of food that its cost is enormous aud
to say 10 China that man eats birds nests,
is equivalent to saying that be is grandeo
o. person O. great opulcnce. The nosts
which are thus in such repute are not formed
of clay, like those Of our swallows. but arc
made Of a substance resembling isinglass in
appearance which is understood By some to
be gathered by the animal from certain ma
tiae matter
''fhe birds nests are those obtained in
ieey dmrp caves, aud such as are taken be-
fore tie birds have laid their eggs The
csaFsest are those obtained after tue young
have been Gedgcd The finest nests are tho
whitest, that i, those taken before tho nest
has been rendered impure by the food and
frres Of the young birds. They are taken
twice year. and. ii regularly collected. ard
no unusual injury be offered to the cayerns.
VIII produce. very equally the same quaint
t., being very little. ii at all improved by tho
caves being LEFT altogether unmolested fof
] year or two Some Of the caverns are ex-
tremely difficult Of access, and the nests can
only be collected by persons accustomed from
their youth to the o1cc. Ia coe place tho
caves are only to be approached By pcrpcn-
dieular descent ofmauy hundred feet. ty lad
ders Of bamboo and rattan, over sea rolling
violently against the rocks. When the mouth
Of tho cavern is attained, the perHous Office
Of taking tie nests must often be performed
by torch light, by penetrating into the recess
es Of the rock. where the slightest trip would
be Instantly fatal to the adyenturcrs. who SEQ
nothing below them but the turbulent surf
making is way into the ehasms Of the rock.
The only preparation the birds nests
undergo is that Of simple drying. without d.
rect exposure to the sun, after which they
are pacaeS IN small boxes Tbey are assort-
ed for the Chinese market into three kinds.
according to quality
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now TO GET RID OF RATS.