Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-07-14
VOL. 4.-N0. 46.
WHAT is EATEN BY MANKIND

WHAT is EATEN BY MANKIND.
can Irish peasant, in windowless hut, din
ing off meal of potatoes and skinned milk,
favored by the aroma of lively Imagination,
as each mouthful is pointed a. the side OF
bacon hanging against the wall, and London
Alderman seated at Guildhall feast, are two
figures presenting an impressive contrast OF
of the varieties of Food with which, in the
restless activity of life, the human organism
repairs its inceSsant waste. Potatoes and
skinned milk, and it may be little sea-weed,
supply the wants of the one before the other,
there is spread a wastefGl profusion of turtle
captured ON the North American coasts, tur-
key reared in quiet farmyards, of mutton
grazed upon the downs of Sussex, of beef fed
on the rich pasture lands OF Herefordsi.ire, OF
pbeasents shot in nobleman's reserves, of
turbot from the Atlantic Ocean, OF salmon
from the Scotch and Irish rivers. of cheese
from France and Switzerland, oil from Italy,
spice from the East, and wines from Portugal,
Germany and France-a gathering from all
nations, assorted with exquisite culinary skill.
Yet, in spite of these differences in the things
consumed by the two men, the dinner Of the
one, and the dinner of the other, become
transmitted by the processes in the same flesh
and blood into the same organic force. How
ever various the articles of Food and Drink,
it is clear that there must be process by
which all differences are annulled, one similar
result attained. Whatever characters these
substances may have outside the organism,
they must quit them shortly after their en-
trance info it, putting off specific differences,
and merging all varieties in a vital unity.
The hunter on the Pampas subsists on buffalo
beef, with scarcely a particle of vegetable
food to vary his diet. The Hindoo is content
with rice and rancid butter, and cannot be in
duced to eat flesh. The Greenlander gorges
himself with whale oil and animals fats of any
kind he can secure ; the moderate Arab has
r. 4 /. lxx~ n dhnIr
On the coast of Malabar we find men regarding
with religious horror every species of animal
food; while the native of New Holland has
not single edible fruit larger than cherry
on the whole surface of this vast island. The
Englishman considers himself ignominiously
treated by fortune if he cannot get his beef or
bacon the peasants of the Appenines IS cheer
full with his meal of chestnuts.
Besides varieties in the staple articles OF
Food, they are infinite varieties of fancy.
Our Chinese enemies make delicacies of rats
and of birds nests; our French allies, OF
frogs. The aDcients, who carried epicurean-
ism to lengths. thought the hedgehog titbit,
and had a word to say in favor of the donkey,
which they placed on an equality With the OK
dogs they consider equal to chickens, and
even cats were not to be despised. The pork,
which we eat with great confidence, they con-
sidered, and not untruly, the least digestible
of animal meats, fit only for artisans and
athletes. They ate snails, at which we shud-
der, with the gusto we acknowledge in oysters.
1t would be difficult to persuade the British
stomach to dine, in full conciousness, off "a
sirloin of donkey flanked by sribs of dogs,
with fried toadstools.' Is this repugnance
only prejudice, or were Greek dogs and don
keys more succulen than ours7
The varieties just rehearsed are at any rate
easily accepted by the understanding as prob
able ailments, but what will the reader say on
hearing that in many parts of the world even
clay is respectable and respected food Trav-
eers who see strange things, are very posi-
boldt, man whose word justly carries with it
of Gumilla, that the Otomacs of South A
merica, during the periods of the floods, sub
sist entirely on fat ferruginous clay, Of which
each man cats daily pound or more Spix
and Martius declare that the Indians OF the
Amazon eat kind of loan, even when ether
food is abundant. Molina says the Peruvians
frequently eat sweet smelling clay; and
Ehrenberg has analysed the edible clay sold
in the markets of Bolivia, which he finds to
be mixture of tale and mica. The inhabi-
tants of Guiana mingle clay with their bread
and the negroes in Jamaica are said to eat
earth when other food is deficient. According
to Labillardiere, the Inhabitants of New Call
edonia appease their hunger with a white
friable earth, said by Vauquelin to be compos-
ed of magnesia, silica, oxide OF iron, and
chalk. The same writer asserts that at Java
a cake is made of ferrug inous clay which is
much sought for by women in their pregnancy.
To conclude this list We must add Siam, Sibe-
ria and Kamtschatka, as countries Of clay
eaters.'