grist for the mill
A not-so-secret research cacheTuesday, January 04, 2005
Long Pig (Harpers.org)
"Led by the deacon, they fell upon the enemy with wild yells. It was a lively fight; but after a time the church-militant prevailed, and smote the pagans hip and thigh under the cocoa-nut trees.
Then, alas! came a sad relapse. The rapture of battle was still burning within the victors; they were atrociously hungry after the long sermon, and it was dinner-time anyway. What did these reckless savages do but roast their enemies on a fire of drift-wood? Then they spread fresh ti leaves on the very steps of the church door; the senior deacon, forgetting nothing, had prepared a good sauce with shrimps and salt-water. This, I should explain, is the correct thing in the cannibal islands for “long pig,” as the natives call their favorite article of food, while for the farm animal, which they distinguish simply as “short pig,” a plain sauce of green sea-moss with limpets is considered quite sufficient. Almost before they knew what they were doing these forgetful pagans had devoured all of their enemies except a few very tough old warriors, whom they reserved to put into the fish-ponds; for your Feejeean of the good old times well understood Lucullus's methods of fattening lampreys."
"Led by the deacon, they fell upon the enemy with wild yells. It was a lively fight; but after a time the church-militant prevailed, and smote the pagans hip and thigh under the cocoa-nut trees.
Then, alas! came a sad relapse. The rapture of battle was still burning within the victors; they were atrociously hungry after the long sermon, and it was dinner-time anyway. What did these reckless savages do but roast their enemies on a fire of drift-wood? Then they spread fresh ti leaves on the very steps of the church door; the senior deacon, forgetting nothing, had prepared a good sauce with shrimps and salt-water. This, I should explain, is the correct thing in the cannibal islands for “long pig,” as the natives call their favorite article of food, while for the farm animal, which they distinguish simply as “short pig,” a plain sauce of green sea-moss with limpets is considered quite sufficient. Almost before they knew what they were doing these forgetful pagans had devoured all of their enemies except a few very tough old warriors, whom they reserved to put into the fish-ponds; for your Feejeean of the good old times well understood Lucullus's methods of fattening lampreys."
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