Notwithstanding the numerous testimonies on the subject, and the daily experience, not of the
nomadic tribes alone, but also of all the Russians, many people in Europe cannot conceive how
a spirituous and inebriating liquor could be obtained from milk. But it cannot be supposed
that those travellers who have repeatedly seen these tribes distil their brandy from milk,
without adding the least vegetable matter to the original liquid, and then, in their unbridled
passion for debauch, drink until they stagger and fall, have said so merely to impose upon
the public. Nor can it be objected that the weakness of their head renders them liable to be
easily inebriated by the vapours of the milk, for the Kalmucks can take very large quantities
of grain brandy without losing the use of their legs; and there are Russians, who, although
professedly great drinkers, are sooner inebriated than the Kalmucks by milk-brandy, and often
even by the sour milk of mares, and yet are extremely fond of this kind of drink. I am aware
that strangers have in vain tried to make milk-brandy. I shall even confess that I had a trial
made under my own eyes, at Selenginsk, by Kalmucks, and was so unsuccessful, that I only obtained
a watery fluid which had the smell of sour milk; but the reason of this was, that two clean
vessels had been used. On the contrary, whenever I allowed these people to use their own vessels,
abundant alcoholic vapours were procured. It is, therefore, an important point to determine,
by means of vessels impregnated by long use with a strong smell, and the remains of sour milk,
that sudden souring which developes a spirituous principle. This fermentation of a rare species,
and entirely sui generis, can only be brought to the desired perfection by frequent repetition
of the process, just as, according to Russel,[5] the thick milk (leban), which the Arabs habitually
use for making cheese, can only be obtained by producing the coagulation of the fresh milk
by means of a milk previously curdled, or, in other words, by the cohobation many times repeated
of curdled milk.

After describing the process of distillation, Pallas remarks, if the brandy is made from cows'
milk, what is obtained is equal to the thirtieth, or at most to the twenty-fifth part of the
mass; but when from mares' milk, it equals the fifteenth part. The new fluid is pale and watery,
and does not inflame; but it keeps without spoiling, in glass bottles, like weak corn-brandy.
The rich Kalmucks render it stronger by several distillations, and they have names for the
products of each rectification. The arki is named dang after its first rectification; arza,
after the second; khortsa, after the third. They seldom go farther, although the rectifications
are sometimes pushed to six. The names given to the two last are chingsta and dingsta. The
Kalmucks are generally, however, content with the products of the first distillation.

The receiver has scarcely been filled, when they pour the brandy warm from it into a large
wooden vessel with a spout, from which they fill leather bottles, or gourds.

It is customary for the host, with whom the company is then, to pour brandy into a vessel,
and afterwards to throw part of it into the fire, and part towards the hole by which the smoke
issues to render the spirits of the air or his tutelary angel propitious. Lastly, the warm
brandy circulates among the company, composed of kinsfolk and friends, in large cups, which
often do not hold less than a bottle. If a little is left, it is heated again before it is
drunk. This milk-brandy, on account of the aqueous parts which it contains, does not inebriate
so easily when a small quantity is taken, as brandy made from grain; but it is found, by the
example of the Russians and all the tribes of the Steppes, that the drunkenness which it causes
continues longer, and entirely destroys the appetite. On the other hand, it does not produce
violent head-aches, like corn-brandy.

The rich Kalmucks and Mongols are in the habit, when they pass the winter near towns, of distilling
with or without milk brandy from leavened bread. The product, it is said, is stronger, and
has a keener taste than milk-brandy. The residuum of the distillation of milk-brandy, which
is sharp, and has a smell like wine lees, is applied to various uses. Sometimes it is mixed
with fresh milk, and immediately eaten; sometimes it is applied for preparing sheep and lamb
skins; sometimes the women boil it, either by itself, or, if it is too sharp, with a mixture
of sweet milk, until it thickens, and then pour the cheesy substance into bags, which, when
thoroughly dried, they throw into heaps. They also, like the Tartar tribes, frequently form
it into round cakes, which they dry in the sun, and keep principally for journeys and for winter
use. The residuum of distillation is called bosson, and by the Mongols tsakha.--The cheese
formed in heaps is named chourmyk, that in cakes, thorossoun.

They make another kind of cheese also, chiefly of sheep's and goats' milk. The fresh milk is
put into a kettle with a like sour milk (ederecksen ussun), or some remnant of brandy (bossah).
They are well mixed, and then left for some time to sour. Fire is then put under the kettle,
and the mixture is stirred while it boils briskly, that the cheesy parts may be converted into
a kind of froth (koosoun). When all the aqueous parts of the milk are expelled by boiling,
it little butter is added. The whole is again stirred, and left upon the fire until the froth
begins to dry and turn brown. It is then ready, and if properly prepared, has an agreeable taste.

The Kalmucks make their butter in the following manner: A sufficient quantity of cows' or sheep's
milk is put into a kettle, and boiled for some time, after which there is added a little sour
milk cream (areyn). It is then withdrawn, and allowed to stand until it sours, which does not
require a whole day. This milk is then beaten with a kind of butterstick, and poured into an
earthen pot or other vessel, when the decomposed butter comes to the surface, and is placed
in vessels, skins, or dried stomachs, in which it is kept. If the milk still seems to contain
fat, it is again treated in the same manner. This milk is called toussoun by the Kalmucks,
and oeroemae by the Tartars.--Jameson's Journal.

    [5] Russel's Aleppo, p. 54.

       *       *       *       *       *

SOMERSET.

In Congresbury parish, and the contiguous one of Puxton, were two large pieces of common land,
called East and West Dale Moors, (from the Saxon Dob, share or portion) which were occupied
till within these few years in the following remarkable manner:--The land was divided into
single acres, each bearing a peculiar mark cut in the turf, such as a horn, an ox, a horse,
a cross, an oven, &c. On the Saturday before Old Midsummer Day, the several proprietors of
contiguous estates or their tenants, assembled on these commons, with a number of apples marked
with similar figures, which were distributed by a boy to each of the commoners from a bag;
at the close of the distribution, each person repaired to allotment with the figure corresponding
with the one upon his apple, and took possession of that piece of land for the ensuing year.
Four acres were reserved to pay the expenses of an  entertainment at the house of the Overseer
of the Dale Moors, when the evening was spent in festivity.

Rutter's Division of Somerset.

       *       *       *       *       *

THE GATHERER.

  A snapper up of unconsidered trifles.
  SHAKESPEARE.

       *       *       *       *       *

SLEEPING IN CHURCH.

From a Sermon by Swift.