Their Drink is plain Water, or Milk, and sometimes _Rob_ of Wine mixed with Water. I was once treated with this by the Bashaw of _Suse_, _Abdolmeleck ben Alchotib_, and there was brought to me a great Bowl which held above three Quarts; he told me there was not above half a Pint of this _Rob_ in it, and the rest was filled up with Water. It was very generous and pleasant, and tho' I did not drink a quarter of it, yet I found the Strength in half an Hour. This they say is a Remedy against Cold likewise, and pretend to take it medicinally; tho' _Rob_ of Grapes is lawful according to their[20]Law. Under this Pretext, many _Fessee_ Merchants, to make _Rob_, or Vinegar, press all the Grapes in their Vineyards, put it up in great Jars, under Ground, and keep it long, so that it proves excellent Wine. When four or five merry Companions, with every one his Mistress, appoint to be merry, they go out to their Vineyard or Garden, have Musick, and all or most of these Dishes, and there sit and carouse over a great earthen Bowl full of Wine, of about four or five Gallons, and so drink round in a Cup that will hold almost a Pint, like a large Tea Dish, till there is none left; it often happens that they do not part till they have made an end of the whole Jar, which seldom is less than a Weeks time. I have known some that have been nine Days successively drunk; those that are known to drink Wine or Piss standing, their Testimony will not be valid in Law. In a Morning, during this time of Merriment, they are for some savoury Bit, _Pickled Fish_, or _Escaveche_, or _Elcholle_. They are great Lovers of Fish, and have as great Variety and very good, which they fry in _Organ Oil_, stew, roast, and bake, with good store of Spice, Onions, Garlick, Cummin, Parsly, and Coriander. The _Escaveche_, or fry'd Fish, is cut in thin slices, and put into Vinegar, with the aforesaid Spices, adding Saffron, and Pepper, _&c._ It will keep above a Month, and this they have commonly, as also pickled Limes, Olives, Capers, _&c._ They eat parched _Garavancas_, parched Almonds, and Beans, which they parch in a Pan with Water and Salt. These, and other things, they have to relish their Glass of Wine, or give them a fresh Appetite to drink. They say, to cure the ill Effects of a drunken Bout, is, to take a swinging Cup of the same Liquor, which invites them to more, and so on. But I have left some Dishes, by this Digression, to give an Account of their extravagant Mirth.