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Sect. I.-General Observations

46. Although boiling may appear a more simple operation than roasting, and though it is certainly more easy of application when the utensils are at hand; yet the latter is the first step in the science of cookery, since it requires only a fire, while for boiling a waterproof vessel must be added. In savage life roasting or baking is common enough, a fire of dry branches being first made, and then the meat to be cooked is suspended near it by transfixing it with a straight stick, and supporting this upon two forked sticks stuck in the ground. For baking they scoop a hole in the ground and make a fire in it, then, after thoroughly heating it, the fire is removed, the meat introduced, and covered over with a flat stone, or with branches when this is not at hand. With these rude methods a joint may be cooked with a considerable approach to perfection, quite equalling the most successful efforts of any cook who does not baste her meat, an operation which the savage cannot perform, because he has nothing to catch the dripping in, nor, if caught, has he a spoon to baste with.

Fig. 110 a b Fig 111 Fig.112 Fig. 113