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358
DRINKS.
good
drink
be
extracted,
but
also
from
the
birch,
the
willow,
the
poplar
and
the
sycamore.
A
sort
of
birch
wine
is
made
in
Normandy.
An
excellent
drink,
resembling
brandy,
has
been
distilled,
it
is
said,
from
water
melons
in
the
southern
provinces
of
Russia,
where
consequently
much
atten-
tion
is
paid
to
the
culture
of
this
vegetable,
producing
in
some
cases
water
melons
of
thirty
pounds
in
weight.
In
the
Sandwich
Islands
a
drink
is
distilled
from
the
root of
the
Dracoena,
something
like
the
beet
of
this
country.
The
root
of
the
Draccena
gives
a
saccharine
juice
resembling
molasses.
From
this,
with
the
addi-
tion
of
some
ginger,
a
kind
of
tea
is
made,
also
a
spirit
called
by
the
natives
Ywer-a.
Their
manu-
facture
of
this
drink
is
remarkable
for
Its
complexity,
involving
certain
mystic
operations
with
an
old
pot,
a
leaky
canoe,
a
calabash,
and
a
rusty
gun-barrel.
It
is
unnecessary
to
give
a
detailed
account
of
the
pro-
cess.
We
yearn
in
vain
for
that
absence
of
entangle-
ment
which
distinguishes
the
religion
of
the
Iroquois,
who
have
no
other
worship
than
the
annual
sacrifice
of
a
dog
to
Taulonghyaawangooay
which
being
inter-
preted
is
the
''supporter
of
the
Heavens."
At
this
sacrifice
they
eat
the
dog.
Sbitena,
or
Sbetin,
is
the
name
of
a
delightful
drink
sold
in
the
streets
of
St.
Petersburg
to
the
populace.
In
Granville's
St,
Petersburg
(ii.
422)
a
mention
is
made
of
this
beverage.
It
is
composed
of
honey
and
hot
water
and
pepper
and
boiling
milk.
A
drink
called
Onteire
is
prepared
in
the
South-
West
of
Africa
by
the
aid
of
some
dirty
gourds
and
milk
vigorously
shaken
therein
at
stated
intervals.