[Sca-cooks] mollasses and ships

[Decker, Terry D.]

No, the specific reference is to Columbus meeting and questioning natives.
In at least two places, Columbus writes similar passages, one where he
provided his guests with food and honey and one where it is food and honey
of sugar.

Honey of sugar is modernly translated as molasses and in previous
discussions on the list we have considered other options.  While rum may
have been manufactured this early, references to it start appearing in the
mid-17th Century.  In any event, wine and water appear to have been the
beverages during Columbus' first voyage.

Bear

>    Is it possible the people ordered to be given food
> were ill and the mollasses taken as medicine?
> Possibly the "honey of sugar" is rum, as the 'honey of
> the vine' is wine.
> phepe