Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-28
JAMAICA GINGER DRUNKARDS.
Stretch OF Country Where No
Other Triple Can be Had.
Fr07a Tie Nelo York Sll

From the -Nel9 York sun.
TITUsvILLE, FLA, July 20.-l have
just seen an old copy Of the sun contain
ing something about Jamaica ginger
drunkards There are lots of them in the
Indian river country. After leaving this
town not a drop of whisky can be OBJ
tanned short of Miami, the trading place
OF the Seminoles from the Everglades. 1t
is probably because of the impossibility
OF catering to the wants OF the red
men without selling whisky that
the traveller is able to get his
flask filled at Miami. In the
language Of che Seminoles, Miami whisky
Is holowagus, not good, and they are
right, but they think it is better than
none; and in this they are right again, for
the worst drinking water 10 the world IS
that of the east Florida coast. Settlers
tell you that the water is "tOPable good,
but is apt to give you a little dysinterry."
No stranger IN these parts wants to be
laid up, and extravagant prices for
quart of whisky are offered between this
town and Miami by strangers whose
TASKS have run dry. A traveller feels
much safer when he has little
whisky along. Then he usually bOils
the water and drinks the whisky separ-
ately. Fair to middling liquor can be OBJ
tanned here, but the best that is sold IN
mas OGSn duuLLSEdbSu all Iuc way
from North Carolina to Jacksonville, and
then, beginning anew, all the way to the
Everglades. The only chance Of getting
drop OF preventive between Titusville
and Miami is in the event of falling in
with one of the river trading slo0ps and
making a favorable impression on the
skipper. But the traveller can get oceans
Of Jamaica ginger all the way down.
Last spring my flask ran dry twenty
haI hnn Of I rryoo nd
down the river in a small cruising craft,
and had a pretty fair knowledge of the
properties of the water in Eastern
Florida. went the rounds of the stores,
but could get no whisky.
''But can fix you up" said one of the
stOrekeepers, cheerfully. "Hake along a
dozen bottles ofJamaica ginger and gal
Ion of hard cider. Let me show you"
The man poured half the contents of a
four-ounce bottle into tumbler.
whats that|' | asked.
"Jamaica jinger."
"Great SoOttp'
Then the storekeeper went to barrel
! and drew the glass tull OF cider.
Try that" he said. 1.-The healthiest
drink in the world, and it'll make you
| fuller'n goat"
The Jamaica ginger was alcohol with q
dash Of essence of ginger. The cider was
vinegar, TdlnNdJeT, ana cdnea5ugdT. Inc
drink was the West that the evil inge-
nuity of a Yankee storekeeper in the
South could concoct. | slipped little Of
it, and offered to take along a gallon or
two if he would sell me pint OF whisky.
| He said be couldn't do 1t, and | went on to
| ROckledge. There was no whisky for sale
| there, but of Jamaica ginger there was no
end. A big hotel was in process Of build
| ing, and large force OF men was there.
| Some of them were sleeping IN tents.
That day was Saturday, and in the even
ing the town was swarming with men
drunk as lords. l asked resident where
they got their whisky.
They can't get whisky" he said. ''It's
Jamaica ginger. There isn't drop Of
hard liquor sold between 1itusville and
Miami, but on any Saturday night you
can see a score of men lying around with
their noses in the sand, dead drunk on
Jamaica ginger, the national beverage Of
the Indian river country"