The Press., 1896-06-18
CRUDE INTOXICANTS.
THE MANUFACTURE OF STIMULATES
 BY ABORlC..NE9.

Fcrmented and Distilled Liquors With
 Which the Uncivilized Natives of Differ
 ont Parts of the World Produce "Drunk."
 Learning From the White Man.
 It Is a remarkable fact that up to the Limo of the coming of the whites the North American Indians generally had no knowledge of intoxicants. As for to- bacuo, they did not smoke 1t as we do apparently. but merely for ceremonial purposes. Going southward into Mexico in those days, however, the traveller might have found alcoholic stimulants ill common use. Even at the present time the natives in that part of the world make an odd sort of beer out of corn. They wet a wooden blanket, lay it ill the sun and spread whOlo grains of maize upon it. The grains germinate, 3routing and sending out rootlets through the texture of the blanket, ,yhich is kept moist. They arc then pQrchcd and ground to q coarse meal. 70 this meal littlo yeast, made by ..hewing some corn and allowing it to "orment, is added. Then the stuff is mixed with water and put away ill jars. concentration follows, and as it dimin- shes the liquor becomes as clear as yell low amber, in which condition it is drunk. It is quite intoxicating.
 Several varieties of grasses, herbs and flowers, the roots of sundry plants, the juices of the sugar cane and aloe, and even beets, are used by various tribes and peoples as a basis of drinks. In earlier times spruce trees, fir trees, birch trees and ash trees were tapped for their sap, which was fcrmented to make stimulating beverages The willow, poplar, sycamore and walnut are said to yield palatabIe drinks. Tho Japanese ob- tain intoxicating beverages from plums and from the flowers of the motherwort and peach. The Chinese actually pro- duce an alcoholic drink from mutton. The Abnaki Indians of New England used to manufacture a kind of liquor boiled and put into casks with molasses. The contents of the casks were allowed to ferment for three days.
 The Eskimos were entirely unacquaint- ed with the art of getting drunk until they came into contact with the whites. Travellers have observed that they drink extraordinary quantities of water when they can procure it. That is not always so easy in latitude where the normal condition of water is that of a solid. In winter one of tl'o most important occu- pations of the women is the thawing of snow to get water. The snow is cut in- tn QC tho thawiDg process, and it is fetched to the hut from a considerable distance in order that it may be perfectly clean. The Eskimo greatly dislikes water that is many degrees above the freezing point.
 The Chilcat Indians of southern Alas ka distill a fearful beverage called "hootchenoo" The process adopted was probably suggested to them by United States soldiers originally. Molasses or vegetables of any sort, made into a "mash,' are employed as raw ma terial. The mash is put into large tin can, which is connected with another tin can by a tube of the hollow stem of the giant kelp. This tube is buried in snow. A fire is built under the can that contains the mash, and the alcohol passes over into the other vessel The liquor thus distilled is drunk fresh and pro- duces temporary insanity.
 The aborigines of Mexico and farther to the south were acquainted only with fermented intoxicants up to the time when they learned from the whites the principle of the still. At present, how ever, this contrivance of civilization is in general use among savages on this continent The Apaches of southern Arizona make whisky from the sap of small species of cactus. They cut out the hearts of the plants, resembling lit tie cabbages, and in the cup shaped re- lates. From this sap they distilI the famous "mescal," which drives those who drink it to sheer madness. Many spirituous drinks are made from the banana. Banana wine is obtained by pressing the fruit through sieve, after which it is made into cakes, dried in the sun and dissolved in water when wanted for use.
 On the west coast of Africa it is common thing to see a bare legged wom- an climbing up gigantic palm tree, with calabash of immense size hung round her neck. When she has reached the top branch, she taps the tree, and the sap begins to flow. Then she hangs the calabash beneath the stream of sap and descends Twelve hours later she climbs