Evening star., 1938-07-17
POT LIQUOR is NOT IMAGINARY
Folklore Division May Call 1t Thin Left After COOKING
Meat but Reviewer Contends 1t Comes From Small
Fierce Animals Found Only in Hills

the digging instinct of the terrier,
and the climbing skill Of the goat,
while as for the rattlesnake strain,
that has been added to give sure
footedness. Some breeders claim that
tbs snake strain is not necessary,
1t Is true, but connoisseurs (those
who know are unanimous in holding
that the finest pot hounds have snake
blood.
The support of this opinion Is
chiefly in the fact that, with the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES breed, the
Capture OF the pot lacks the deplorable
element Of violence. For when the
pot is hunted with the mere hound
terrier-goat dog, the method Is to
follow the pot to its lair and, after
digging It out. to overcome it bv
means Of nets, ropes and subduing
blows. This Is inhunane, and has
led to the formation of the eminent
body known as The Society for the
Prevention Of Cruelty to Highland
Pots, the federation Of whose branch
es presents a biennial report to the
League of Nations.
When the hunt is carried on by
means of the hound terrier goat
rattlesnake, however, the capture il
done by simple fascination, the pur-
suer quieting the pursued by means
OF weaving motion of its head in.
herited from its Serpentine forbears,
The chief objection which the humane
make to the use Of this animal is that
fascination has an unhealthy effect on
the pots mentality, acting to make it
morbid. A further practical reason
offered for the doing away with ths
snake strain Is that the morbid pot
does not secrete as delicious a Juice
as the happy and contented one.
But here again connoisseurs are in
disagreement, for some hold that the
dark" taste Of the morbid pots
liquor is peculiarly excellent.
1t Is notable fact, however, that
no matter what kind of hound liz
used In the hunt, the hunt itself is
highly picturesque affair. All those
who take part in it (hunters, trackers,
oeaters, master of hounds, whips,
and the ike) dress themselves for
the occasion entirely in white, for.
the pot being black, it has a color
blindness to white. And 80 the hunts
men are to some degree invisible,
which Is highly useful If an isolated
individual should happen to find him
self In close quarters with an enraged
pot, 1t being the habit of the animal
TO attact with charge, lashing at
enemys shins with its heavy pot
handle. Once 1t has overthrown 4
foe, 1t tramples him with all three
1eet, mounting his body and emitting
Its fierce cries Of rage in a terrifying
manner. Instances of human beings
oelng Killed by pots are rare, but it
has happened. Experienced huntsmen
therefore keep together in a group
when they go out to make a capture.
taking no unwise chances.
THUS pot liquor, my kind corre-
spondent. The reviewer has writ
ten this out Of her first-hand acuuaint-
ance with the animal, acquired
through being, as you put it, hill
native" For your further informa-
tlon, however, before putting fnis
TO this piece, she telephoned the Fed
eral Writers Project, Folklore Divi-
sion, and inquired If they could tell
her anything. They could. Their rep
resentative took some minutes to
look the subject up and then came
back to the phone with the word that
pot liquor is thin broth left after
cooking meat. Pot liquor is thin broth
left after cooking meat. So? Thin
broth-your eye. 1t depends on who
Is doing the cooking.
Concerning the intractable. or Prob
lem Pots, mentioned above, it has
been said that they. in their wild state.
secrete liquor of peculiar potency.
which is highly coveted by the noun
taineers, so much so that they will
risk great dangers to acquire it. When
they have succeeded in doing so they
call the liquor, POLITICALLY, mountain
dew" But whether this Is true. or
merely legend, the reviewer u not
Drepared tn sav