together in a vast plain called Lecanica,* offer whole hecatombs of elephants, rhinoceroses, camels, bulls, &c. The sacred bird makes his appearance annually, surrounded with an immense flock of harpies, vultures, &c. and, singling out for himself a fat elephant or a couple of oxen, flies off with it, leaving the rest of this pious offering to the other birds. When these last have flown away with what they want, the people rush in, and devour the flesh with such avidity that they acquire a loathing for it which continues during forty days, when they feed upon fish, served with every variety of rich sauces and wine. Such, it is remarked, is the fasting observed during Lent in the Roman Catholic countries. The election of the Grand Duke takes place annually in the following manner. First, there is a contest for the important office of High Steward, which is decided, not in favour of the party who excels in tilting, chariot-racing, or rowing; but in eating. This contest being over, the noble electors go in solemn procession to the Amphitheatre, and amongst them the High Steward, bearing a golden and jewelled girdle of immense length, called the "Sacred Zone of the Empire," on which there appears embroidered this motto "Si nihil ultra." The retiring duke is first invested with it, and the measure of his abdomen carefully marked thereupon. The rest of the nobles go through the same process, when, if any one among them shall be able, without drawing in his breath, to fill up the entire girdle, he is at once proclaimed and saluted by the people as Duke of Crapulia. Then the royal cup-bearer presents him on his knees with an enormous flagon, for the purpose of drinking the people's health. Taking it into his hands, he addresses them in an oily good-humoured speech, if not a very sen"But such," continues the writer, was the indistinctness of his guttural pronunciation, that with all "my efforts, I was unable to understand a word of it. On sible one. * Dishland. 66 "applying to the interpreter, he gave me the substance as "follows. After returning his hearty thanks to the god of "wine and of good eating, to the swarthy deities of the "kitchen, but particularly King Paunch, who had enabled "him that day to be elected the Grand Duke; he turned round to the people, and in the blandest accents, made "oath that he would defend their liberties, forward their "business, follow up their wishes and pursuits, minister to "their gourmandise, increase their corpulency; in a word, "keep the good folks in their present comfortable state, and "do every thing they desired him to do. He then declared "himself the most determined enemy to fasting, abstinence, "short-allowance, sore-throat, and leanness, and took his "solemn oath, that during his administration, no one should "fast with impunity, nor any debauchee go unrequited. And now," said he, by the holy greedy gut, be as merry "and jolly as you can. May the successive potations "from this goblet be auspicious (drinking off the contents "of the vessel, and applying his thumb to the inverted "brim), and may I always find you comfortably fuddled " and well crammed.' Then the people exclaimed-"Long "live the august Governor of Crapulia-Cagastrius-(for "that was his name), long may he live, and reign, and "increase in size! Forthwith the insignia of the realm "were delivered to him-an ostrich devouring a piece of 66 iron, with this motto-Digest and Govern; and in place "of fasces, sword, and sceptre, the High Steward put into "his hands a carving knife and a little golden cask, saying "to him in a solemn voice- Use and Enjoy.' I gladly "omit to dwell upon the heaps of dainties, the mountains "of meat, the torrents of wine which I saw that night; but 66 66 one thing I cannot pass over, namely, that the streets were all strewed with living carcases of drunken men, just "like the field of battle after a tremendous carnage." Our author enters by night into the other province of of Crapulia, called Ivronia, (the land of drunkards,)through fear of encountering the hospitable custom of the Burgomasters, who force every new comer to drink off, at his peril, an immense number of goblets of wine. He describes the Yvronians as being, in the early part of life, acute and loquatious, but when old, decrepid and oblivious, so as scarcely to recollect their own names. Their chief city called Zouffenberg, (carousing city), is fortified with ramparts made of wine casks, their houses being roofed with staves. By a law of the City, there is always standing at the gate an immense vessel, called the Wassail bowl, on the handle of which is engraven the old motto, il * Every person entering empties it, or in default is carried before the Magistrate, to answer for his contumacy. The Arms of the City are a Leach adhering to a bare foot, with the Motto: "Plena quiesco." The streets presented a beautiful appearance, being lined with a continuous treillage of vines. In the Town-hall, are suspended the standard measures; and close to them the Tables of their sacred Laws, a few of which shall be now enumerated. No engagement entered into in the afternoon, is binding. 'Glasses must always be quite full, or quite empty. If any servant shall present, or any guest shall receive, one only half-filled, he shall be held guilty of petty treason. 'A sober man striking a man who is drunk, shall be deemed an outlaw; but a drunken man striking one that is sober is guiltless. 'If a sober man rob one that is drunk, he shall be de prived of Wine ever after-if murder be committed, he shall perish with thirst. Either drink-or be off, To walk from dinner in a rectiliar direction, is a crime. 'Any person mixing water with his wine, must be sent to finish his repast in the Dog-kennel. In the Porch of the Town-hall, is the following inscription: "Hæc domus est lætà semper bonitate repleta; "Hic pax-hic requies-hic gaudia semper honesta.' Our Traveller being desirous of witnessing the proceedings at one of their grand Carousals, got stealthily introduced by a friend, although at considerable risk. After the Priest had made a Libation to Bacchus, whose statue was erected at the head of the Table, the guests were served with Salted Cakes, Anchovies, Herrings, Westphalia Hams, &c., but little meat of any other description was introduced. Now, the bottles fly round-glasses are no sooner filled than they are emptied-all become gloriously drunk. One begins to sing-another to speechify-a third to divulge family secrets, or to ridicule his absent friends. Some with tears in their eyes are professing the greatest affection for those who chance to sit near them, whilst others are hiccoughing out the most horrid oaths, because more wine is not immediately brought. To the enquiries of our traveller, how these drunkards get home, he receives for answer that a cord is fastened by one end to each man's door, and the other end is carried to the Hall, and attached to a ring in the wall. This, like the clue of Ariadne, generally conducts them in safety. Instances, however, have been known where the cords have been moved-a guest has gone to another man's house and wife; and the wife being herself in a fuddled state, neither of the parties has known what they were about until the following day, when they laughed and laid all the blame on the Jolly God of Wine. For it This Hall is dedicated to Wassail sweet, Here Peace and bliss-and rest oblivious moet. no crime can "is a settled maxim with these people, that “ On the night of this Debauch, it chanced that one of the Burgomasters, mistaking a window in his own house for a door, fell through and broke his neck. I witnessed, says our author, "the solemn ceremonial of his funeral." 'All the attendants were stained with black dye, and wore, "in the place of their customary garlands of vine-leaves, a 66 cypress wreath. The corpse was not placed upon a bier · or funeral-pile—but was immersed in a pipe half-filled "with wine; and in place of the Roman custom of throwing upon the body sweet smelling odours and flowers, each "poured upon it, as a farewell offering, a bottle of wine." On the third morning, our traveller was reminded by his friend that he must make the prescribed sacrifice to Bacchus; but being fearful of the consequences, he departs clandestinely, and turns his steps towards a more Northerly division of Yvronia called Pyrænia or Whisky land. There he finds no rivers or wells, so that it is impossible to dilute the fiery beverage commonly used; and to add to his distress, at every third mile-stone he is forced (under pain of being turned back,) to drink from a cup of it, which is placed beneath a sacred arch, by the road-side. He falls in with a miserable wretch clothed in filthy rags, bare-footed and bare-headed, who tells him he is bound on a pilgrimage to the Sacred Bladder or Still of Schlauchberg. He is informed, that in this city of Schlauchberg there stands a temple dedicated to the "fiery Bacchus," the roof glittering with carbuncles and flames of gold-from which a perpetual stream of hot.smoking spirit is seen to distil into a mighty Cistern beneath. To this liquor the most extraordinary virtues are ascribed. He is led on by his pilgrim friend through extensive wastes, and forests, and bogs, and arrives at the small port of Aqua Fortis.* There they embark, but Q. Waterford ? |