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154
DRINKS.
the
separation
of
all
the
saccharine
matter
which
will
crystallize,
and
is
a
dense,
viscous
liquid,
varying
from
light
yellow
to
nearly
black,
according
to
the
source
from
which
it
is
obtained;
but
its
distillation
will
not
produce
rum.
Sugar
or
molasses,
if
distilled,
will
produce,
alcohol,
but
it
will
have no
character
of
rum.
This
peculiar
odour
is
imparted
to
it
by
the
addition,
in
distillation,
of
"skimmings,"
which
are
the
matters
separated
from
the
sugar
in
clarifying
and
evaporation
;
that
is
to
say,
the
scum
of
the
precipi-
tators,
clarifiers
and
evaporators
is
mixed
with
the
rinsing
of
the
boiling
pans,
and
is
thus
called.
They
contain
all
the
necessaries
of
fermentation,
and
when
mixed
with
molasses
and
"
dunder,"
which
is
the
fer-
mented
wash
left
from
distillation,
are
distilled
into
rum.
The
odour
of
rum
is
very
volatile
;
so
much
so,
that
it
should
be
casked
immediately
after
distillation.
The
raw
spirit
is
extremely
injurious
;
but
it
improves
so
much
by
age
that,
at
a
sale
in
Carlisle
in
1865,
rum,
known
to
be
140
years
old,
sold
at
three
guineas
a
bottle.
Like
all
alcohol,
rum,
when
distilled,
is
white,
the
colour
being
given
to
it,
as
it
used
to
be
in
brown
brandy,
by
caramel
(burnt
sugar).
Much
of
the
rum
sold
in
England
is
made
from
"silent"
spirit,
flavoured
with
butyric
ether
;
and
it
is
this
stuff
which
is
sold
as
''
trade
rum
"
for
export
to
Africa.
Some
years
since
an
action
was
brought
by
an
African
merchant
against
the
vendor
of
"
trade
rum
"
for
damages
caused
by
it
to
his
trade.
All
went
merrily
till
the
neo^roes
drank
the
rum,
when
it
suddenly