1 mertt, the four being derived from the sacred animal ot the
2 Pralmius; which, although he knew its disgusting composi¬
3 tion, lie devoured with great devotional avidity, and which
4 completely effected his restoration to purity in the eyes of his
5 fellow Brahmins.
6 In the hot sca ton, ginger beer is a great favourite in India
7 a-' a beverage, especially when cooled by immersion in a
8 freezing mixture of ice and saltpetre. It is prepared much
9 in the same manner as in this country. Milk-punch and
10 grog art? also extensively used, as well as cooled soda-w iter
11 (with i small quantity of wine), lemonade, orgeat. Sic.
12 These beverages, however, are used mostly by Europeans;
13 the natives prepare a variety of cooling drinks from almonds,
14 the seeds of melons, pumpkins, cucumbers, &c.; adding to
15 them arkh-e-(f<ibf(tf), arkh-c kenra and hciUmusk, i.e. t the dis¬
16 tilled waters of roses, sweet scouted pamlan, and the flowers
17 of i?he Egyptian willow. They use tdso a syrup made from
18 the bt rri • of tile gmtrk as'wtica; a vinegar syrup flavoured
19 will) mint; buttermilk; milk-and-water; and curdled milk with
20 knit and Water; those who can afford to incur the expense
21 of artificially cooling these beverages, use, when ice cannot be
22 obtained, a mixture of water and saltpetre, agitating in it
23 the vessel containing the liquid to be cooled. It is not
24 always, however, that cold drinks arc the most effective. for
25 quenching the violent thirst experienced in the hot season;
26 on the contrary, Wly own experience teaches me that rfle
27 more of these which are taken, the more the thirst increases,
28 whilst a nip of warm tea or coffee with milk, produces
29 a ontrary result, mul should therefore he used in preference
30 to cold beverages ivi such cases.
31 Cold baths arc- much used in India, both by Europeans and
32 natives; but especially by the latter in fact, it is almost
33 impossible to over-estimate the benefits arising from them. I
34 ha’-e myself experienced the restoring influence of cold-bath¬
35 ing, an.I from the commencement of April till the end of
36 August, 1 refreshed myself with at leas! two cold douche