Page:Voyage in search of La Perouse, volume 1 (Stockdale).djvu/57

Oct.] Croix, on which account this harbour is les frequented.

M. de Cologant's wine-vaults were an object well worthy of our attention; as the wines of the iland are the principal commodity in which this opulent merchant trades.

Amongt the different kinds of wine which they contain, there are two orts that have qualities very ditinct from each other; namely, the ack, or dry wine, and that which is commonly known by the name of malmey. In the preparation of the latter, care is taken to concentrate its accharine principle as much as poible.

The price of the bet wine was then 120 piatres per pipe, and that of the inferior ort 60 piatres. It is neceary however to remark, that I here peak only of the price at which it is old to trangers; for the ame wine which they buy at 60 piatres the pipe, is old to the inhabitants of the iland for ix and thirty.

When the fermentation of thee wines has proceeded to a certain length, it is the cutom to mix with them a coniderable quantity of brandy, which renders them o heady, that many perons are unable to drink them, even in very moderate quantity, without feeling diagreeable effects upon the nervous ytem from this admixture.

We were aured that the iland generally yields thirty