OCR Text |
Show HOW FIREWATER GOT NAME Test by Which Indian Learned to Distinguish Dis-tinguish Whhky That Was Diluted. New Yotk. When the Hudson Pay Trading company commenced trading among the Indian It was found thai by selling the Indians liquor they could more easily be Induced to trade their peltries. The first whisky was brought to this country In large barrels, but in transporting It overland, It was found more convenient to divide It into small kegs. The white traders soon became aware, according to thx American Wine I'ress, that by diluting tho whisky with water, more furs could be obtained. obtain-ed. This was practiced for some time, but tho Indians learned that good whisky poured on a fire would cause It to llame up, whereas, had the whisky been diluted, the fire would be quenched. It was by this simple experiment that the term "firewater" became a I iVl .z aMSf..' 1 , J ...v ... Indian' Infallible Test. rommon word among Indians. A chief who had experienced the bad effects ol whisky among his people said It was most certainly distilled from the hearts of wildcats and the tongues of women from the fleets It produced. |