Sour krout is cabbage cut small, to which is put a little salt,
juniper berries, and anniseeds; it is then fermented, and afterwards close
packed in casks; in which state it will keep good a long time. This is a
wholesome vegetable food, and a great antiscorbutic. The allowance to each
man is two pounds a week, but I increased or diminished their allowance as
I thought proper.
Salted cabbage is cabbage cut to pieces, and salted down in casks,
which will preserve it a long time.
Portable broth is so well known, that it needs no description. We
were supplied with it both for the sick and well, and it was exceedingly
beneficial.
Saloup and rob of lemons and oranges were for the sick
and scorbutic only, and wholly under the surgeon's care.
Marmalade of carrots is the juice of yellow carrots, inspissated
till it is of the thickness of fluid honey, or treacle, which last it
resembles both in taste and colour. It was recommended by Baron Storsch, of
Berlin, as a very great antiscorbutic; but we did not find that it had much
of this quality.
For the inspissated juice of wort and beer we were indebted
to Mr Pelham, secretary to the commissioners of the victualling office.
This gentleman, some years ago, considered that if the juice of malt,
either as beer or wort, was inspissated by evaporation, it was probable
this inspissated juice would keep good at sea; and, if so, a supply of beer
might be had, at any time, by mixing it with water.
