A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World; Many of Which Are Now First Translated Into Eng (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1812 edition. Excerpt: ...use of a kind of rakes with long iron teeth bent inwards; these they used either single, or two tied together, in such a manner that the teeth were turned towards each other. Oct. 31st. About New York they find innumerable quantities of excellent oysters, and there are few places which have oysters of such an exquisite taste, and of so great a size: they are pickled and sent to the West Indies and other places; which is done in the following manner. As soon as the oysters are caught, their shells are opened, and the fish washed clean; some water is then poured into a pot, the oysters are put into it, and they must boil for a while; the pot is then taken off from the fire again, the oysters taken out and put upon a dish, till they are somewhat dry: then you take some mace, allspice, black pepper, and as much vinegar as you think is sufficient to give a sourish taste. All this is mixed with half the liquor in which the oysters were boiled, "and put over the fire again. While you boil it, great care is to be taken in scumming off the thick scum; at last the whole pickle is poured into a glass or earthen vessel, the oysters are put to it, and the vessel is well stopped to keep out the air. In this manner oysters will keep for years together, and may be sent to the most distant parts of the world. The merchants here buy up great quantities of oysters about this time, pickle them in the above-mentioned manner, and fend them to the West Indies: by which they frequently make a considerable prosit: for the oysters which cost them five shillings of their currency, they commonly fell for a pistole, or about six times as much as they gave for them; and sometimes they get even more: the oysters which are thus pickled have a very fine flavour. The...