Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-09-15

but it is considered superior to cliTe oil for
salads, etc. can testify to its excellence
as an illumination, for jarrito Of guacharo
fat with twisted rag in it has long been
my lamp in Costa Rica, and / want no
better, as it emits neither smoke nor smell,
but burns with steady, white flame. Not
the careless habits of the
people, and the absence of ice or cellars,
the oil never becomes rancid, but keeps
perfectly pure and sweet from year to year.
While watching the boiling down pro-
cess, the attentive Alcalde turned up a
stone for US te SIT upon, disclosing under
meath beautiful coral-hued serpent, fully
3 yard long. Coiled up tightly ard regard
ing us with sleepy eyes, it lay motionless
while We admired its shining scarlet skin,
divided by rings of glossy black but not
long, for The first Indian who espied it
whacked off its head with ore blow of his
mediate and carried it delightedly to his
c01npaae1a to cook for dinner The flesh of
these harmless serpents is much-prized
article of food among Costa Rican Indians;
but, though bent upon doing as the
Romans " SO far as possible, we declined
with thanks when a weH-fried and (still
Before the conquest, that snake peculiar
to the North American continent, which
the Spaniards described as having "casti-
nets in its tail" found favorite place at
the most sumptuous feast of the AZtecs.
Nor were the Central Americans singular
in their taste for reptiles. Describes, a
celebrated Greek physician in the first
Christian era, prescribed viper flesh as a
tonic, especially for delicate ladies. Snake
meat formed one of the component parts
of the celebrated Theriaca, the great
panaeea of our early ancestors, which was
one Of the chief branches Of Venetian
commerce.
There are several species of vipers and
lizards, besides various bugs, beetles,
worms and insects that are here sought
for food or medicine. Wherever scorpions
are found-and that is everywhere below
the Rio Grande-the Indians eat them,
after pulling out the sting, crunching their
scaly backs with greatest gusto. A species
of yellowish worm, called paxi-the Larvae
of the water hy-is considered n most
toothsome delicacy, and is prepared for
the table in various ways. The insect it
self is about the size of the horse-fy and
its eggs resemble fine fish roe. Early his
torians speak of bread made by the abo-
rhymes of these eggs-doubtless the same
that is sold to-day in the markets. A
Spanish monk, writing from this region in
1925, says, with profusion of capitals
The Indians gathered much of these
Eggs and kept them in Heapes and made
thereof Cakes, like untoe brick-bats And
they did cate Of this Meale with as good
Stomach as we cate cheese; yea, and they
holde Opinion that this Scum and Fatness
of the Waters is the cause that such Create
Number Of fowle come thereuntoe"
The Indians have systematic method
Of collecting these eggs, which are found
in greatest profusion along the reedy mar
gins of shallow lakes. AT the proper sea-
son they plant reeds few feet apart, with
their tops sticking out of the water Here
the obliging insects deposit their eggs in
Incredible quantities, the rushes being
soon loaded down with them, clinging
together in balls, heaped one above
another. Then the reeds are carefully re-
moved from the water, shaken and depos-
tied as before to catch a fresh supply. The
eggs are compressed into paste, sometimes
with the addition a little corn meal, and
are made into cakes, which may be dried
and Kept a long time.
Frequently the flies themselves are
pounded into jelly, or are boiled whole in
corn husks and thus eaten. Both this
mixture and the cakes above described
find ready sale here, especially during
Lent, when meat is forbidden. They look
as tempting as many of the messes we
daily encounter, but as to their flavor |
cannot speak from experimental knowl-
edge.
In Central America, as in several parts
of Europe, snails are fattened for food.
They are kept in large reservoirs, the
floors Of which are strewn with corn meal,
herbs and flowers, and grow to astonishing
size. Perhaps, the custom was borrowed
from the luxurious Romans, who, if Varrro
is to be believed, fed them on bran and
wine till sometimes single shell contained
ten quarts Of snail This explains that
those famous suppers of the younger
Pliny were not SO very meager after all
though history asserts that they consisted
merely in "a lettuce for each guest, thre &c
snails, two eggs, barley-cake, sweet wine
and snow FANNIE B. WARD.