The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-10-11

which is in high esteem in one country is
regarded in others with abhorrenee, " hich
even famine can hardly surmount
In the Shetland Islands it is said that
crabs and Holsters abound, which the
people catch for the London market, but
refuse to eat even when half-starved.
The John Derry is reckOned by epicures
one of the choicest Of fish, but in Devon
shire, where it aboundS, and also in Ire
land, it used to be thrown away as unit
for food. There seems to be some super
sti;ion connected with this, as it is said
that Devonshire cook fatty refuses to
dress it.
Eels, which are abundant and Of good
quality in Cumberland and Westmore-
land, and also in Scotland, are regarded
by the people there with as much disgust
as snakes.
Skate, which is in high estimation in
England, in Ireland is hardly ever eaten
except by the fishermen.
Scaliops, on the other hand, which are
reckoned dainty in Ireland, are hardly
ever eaten in England and although they
are abundant on many Of the coasts, few
of the English have any idea that they are
eatable.
The cuttletish Chat kind which pro.
ducGs tho ~ r14.+5> >.;;-1ttGgd tound on
our coasts, is not eaten by US. But at
EapIes it Is &s,ity estevrnru, unn' -rr7rSl /
lerS report that il tastes like veal.
Cockchafers are caudied, and served up
with other confectionery by the Italians.
The hedgehog no one .thi"t@ s. ss(Yag
in England except the GipSieS, and some
who have joined them report that it is
better than rabbit.
The sailors in the English and Dutch
whaleships do not eat the flesh of the
whale; but those in the French whalers
with their well known skill in cookery
are said to make palatable dish Of it.
By almost all the lower classes in Eng
land vrnisOn anu game OF all kinds are
held in adherence, and so are fresh figs.
BY the Australian SavageS, frogs, snakes.
large moths aud gru5S picked out from
the wood all Of which the English set
tiers turn from with d,Sgust-are esteem
ed as daintie>; but they are shocked at
our eating oysters.
Milk as an article of food Except for
sucking babies), is loathed by the South
Sea Islanders. Goats have been intro
duced into several Of the islands, but the
people deride the settlers with using their
milk, and ask them why they do not milk
their SowS. On the other hand, dogs and
rats are lavO,ite articles of food with
them.
Those last as is well known, arc often
eaten by the Chinese, who also eat salt
earth worms, and kind Of sea-slug, which
most Europeans will turn from with dis
gust.
In a narrative Of Anson's voyages is n
full account of the prejudice Of the South
Americans doth Creoles and lndianS)
against turtle RS poisonous. The prison
ers captured on the prize ships warned
the sailors against eating them, and for n
time lived OH bad ship beef; but seeing
our men thrive on the turtle they began
to eat it-at hrst sparingly and at length
heartily and when sent ashore and libe-
rated, they declared they blessed the day
of their capture, which had introduced 10
them n Plentiful supply of wholesome and
delicious food.
HOrsehesh, which most Europeans
would refuse to cat, except in great ex
tremity, is preferred by the TartarS to all
other and the flesh Of a wild ass colt was
greatly esteemed by the Romans.
As for pork, it is on religious grounds
that Jews aud Mahomedans abstain from
it, as the HindOos do from beef. But the
Christians Of the East seem to havenearly
an equal aversion to it and the like pre-
vailed till lately in Scotland.
The large shell snail, called escargot,
was a favoritc dainty with the ancient
Romans, and still is SO in a great part of
the south Of Europe, though most English
would eat it.
In Vienna the large wood ants are Serv
ed up and eaten alive.
Small land crabs are eaten alive in Chi
na.
The igauana, large species Of lizard,iS
reckoned II great dainty in some Of the
West India Islands.
Maize Uhe Indian corn of America) has
been introduced into Ne~ Zealand by the
Missionaries, and the people cultivate aud
highly esteem it. But their mode of pre-
pairing IL lot lOOu is u Europeans Hloht
disgusting. They steep it in water till it
is putrid, and then make it into kind of
porridge, which emits q most intoleI able
stencil. .-.
Human flesh has been and still is eate:l
in many parts Of the world, and tb,.t bv
people considerably above the l.w est rank
Of savagrs-such as the Fiji Island! ers and
an Indian people called tie Ba,. ca. wf,0 are
said to have a written l..ugnage. And
even in cannibaliSrn tn ere arc great diver.
sites; some n".tiors eat their enemies and
some their lrie.,ds.
Hcr0ditrs relates that a Persian king
aS"ed .ue Indian soldiers that were in his
ser vice what reward would induce them
to burn the dead bodies Of their friends
instead Of eating them. They replied by
entrcating him not to mention anything
SO shocking.
On the other hand the New Zealanders
before their conversion, who seemed to
have considered that the proper diet OF
mankind is man-seem to have eaten only
their enemies.
The DEAD CnILD.-The little child is
dead, dead. Move softly round tte boys;
tread revercntly when YOU near the room