Thence to 26. no Rain, but cloudy and somewhat cooler; yet some Days extream hot.
26. About 10. p. m. a short Shower.
27. About 2. another; the rest clear.
30. About 2. a. m. fierce Rain for about ½ Hour.
An Account of the Moorish Way of Dressing their Meat (with other Remarks) in West-Barbary, from Cape Spartel to Cape de Geer. By Mr. Jezreel Jones.
The Mauritanian or Barbarian Moor, when he rises in the Morning, washes himself all over, and dresses, then goes to their Jiama, or Church, says his Prayers, and returns home, where his Wife, Concubine, or Slave, hath his Breakfast provided for him, which is sometimes made of Barly or Wheat-Gruel; for I have known both. It is made somewhat thicker than ours, till it be ropy; they put Origan, and other Herbs, powder'd, into it, which for such uses they keep dry'd all the Year; some will put a little Pepper, and other Spice. I have often been treated with warm Bread, fresh Butter, and Honey, in a Morning, which is not seldom used among themselves, an Hour or two after they have had Gruel; as also Hasty-Pudding, with Butter, and sometimes Butter and Honey, (as the Guests are, and according to the Ability of the Entertainers.) Some again give Cuscusoo, with Milk, others with Flesh, a third with Roots. It is to be observed, when any one hath a Guest or Guests in his House, the Neighbours bring their Dish to welcome him or them, on account of the Respect and Love they bear to their Neighbour, as well as to shew their Readiness to entertain the Stranger. This Practice is found constantly used throughout the whole Country among the Moors, one towards another, reciprocally. And I have as often found the like Civility, as I had occasion to take up my Lodging at any Place, where I was acquainted with any of the Inhabitants. The Jews likewise shew great Civility to any Christian, and treat him with what they have, as stew'd or bak'd Hens, Capons, hard Eggs, boil'd or roasted, which they press flat with Pepper, and Salt, Wine, Brandy, &c. They have generally the best Bread, and every thing else of the kind that they can get. They put Annis, and two or three other sorts of Seeds, in their Bread; one is black and angled, tastes almost like Carrot-seeds, and I think I have seen these sometimes used in Bread in Spain; I know not the Names of the other Seeds in English, nor any Language but Arabick. They esteem Honey as a wholsome Breakfast, and the most delicious that which is in the Comb, with the young Bees in it, before they come out of their Cases, whilst they still look Milk-white, and resemble (being taken out) Gentles, such as Fishers use: These I have often eat of, but they seem'd insipid to my Palate, and sometimes I found they gave me the Heart-burn.
In Suse I had a Bag of Honey brought by a Friend who made a Present of it, as being of great Esteem, and such as they present to Men of greatest Note among them. This, he told me, I was to eat a little of every Morning, to the quantity of a Walnut; it was thick as Venice Treacle, and full of small Seeds. I used to breakfast on it for several Days together, taking the said quantity at a time; it always made me sleepy, but I found my self well, and in very good temper of Body after it. The Seeds were about the bigness of Mustard, and, according to the Description of them to me, and the Effects I found by eating the Honey and them, they must be a large sort of Poppy-seed. The Honey was of that sort they call in Suse, Izucanee, or Origanum, which (the Bees feed on) and these Seeds were mixed with.
Cuscus, or Cusksoo, is the principal Dish among them, as the Olla is in Spain: This is made of Flower of Wheat, and when that is scarce, of Barley, Millet, Indian Corn, &c. They shake some Flower into an earthen Pan, made on Purpose, which is not glazed, sprinkling a little Water on the bottom of the Pan first, and then working it with both their open Hands flat, turning them backwards and forwards to grain it, 'till they make it much resembling Sago, which comes from the East-Indies. They stew their Flesh keeping their Pots close covered, which are made of Earth, put the Cusksoo into an earthen Cullender, which they call Caskass, B. vid. Fig. and this Cullender into the Mouth of the Pot, C. that so all the Steam which arises from the Meat may be imbibed by the Cusksoo, which causes it to swell, and make it fit to be eaten: When it is enough, for they love every thing thoroughly done, they put this Cusksoo out into the Dish they serve it up in, which is somewhat like D. and the Cusksoo being heaped up, they make (as it were) a Bed or Place for the Meat to lie in, then they put good store of Spice, as Ginger, Pepper, Saffron, &c. This Dish is set upon a Mat on the Ground, and four Men may easily sit about it, tho' I have seen six and more at one Dish; they sit with their Buttocks upon the Calves of their Legs, with the bottom of their Feet on the Ground. If there are many to eat at this Meal, there are more Dishes. This Dish they have in use sometimes at Breakfast, as well as Dinner and Supper, but it is commonly used for the two last Meals. They cover it with a thing made on purpose, somewhat like E. and it will keep hot enough two Hours. At a stately Entertainment they will have a Sheep roasted whole, sometimes a half, or a quarter, on a wooden Spit, or the most convenient thing they can find. They do not continually keep turning it, as we do, but leisurely let one side be almost roasted before they turn the other. The Fire is commonly of Wood burnt to clear Coal, and made so, that the Heat ascends to the Meat. They baste it with Oil, and a little Water and Salt incorporated. They let it be thoroughly roasted; then they say, Bismiillah, In the Name of God, after they have washed their Right Hands, and pulling the Meat in pieces, they fall to eating. It is to be noted, that they never use but their Right Hand in eating, and one holds whilst the other pulls it asunder, distributing the pieces to the rest, as he pulls it off. They seldom use a Knife, and a Fork is a strange thing among them. They are dextrous at this way of carving, and never flinch at the Heat or warmth, for that would look mean, and might occasion one more bold to take his Office upon him to perform. When they have done, they lick their Fingers, and as often as they have a hot Dish, they wash their Hands afresh. Then they have Alfdoush, or Virmizzelli, with some Meat on it, stew'd Meat, well spiced, with savoury Broth; which after they have eat the Meat, they dip their Bread in the Sauce, or Broth, and eat it. They are cleanly in their Cookery, and if a Hair be found it is a capital Crime, but a Fly not, because it has Wings, and may get in after it passes from the Cook's Charge or Management; to be well and strongly season'd is no great Fault; and if one should say it is too high of Pepper, they'll reply, it is better to be Ah than Faugh; alluding to the Differences between a strong, high, or hot, and savoury Taste, and an insipid, watry, or unpleasant. Cubbob is small pieces of Mutton, with the Caul of a Sheep wrapped on them. Some make good Cubbob of the Liver, Lights, and Heart. They Pepper and Salt them, and put Sweet Herbs and Saffron into them, and then roast them, and when they dish them up, squeeze an Orange or two on them. Thus they use commonly in their stew'd Meats, Lemon and Orange for Roast or Fish.