After trips
The Russians began the conquest of Siberia during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1530-1584). In the 17th century deportations of criminals to Siberia began. There were also educated people who noted the miraculous ways of the locals.
Particularly from the Chukchi Peninsula and Kamchatka, there were stories in which the shamans dressed in festive costumes danced with witch drums, fell into the notch and got in touch with the ancestors' lives. They traveled afterwards seeking advice on their tribe's problems. All of this was made possible by the red fly sponge.
Later, actual explorations and descriptions of the use of the red fly fungus began in Siberia. Apparently it has been used over a wide area from Inari to Lapland to the Bering Sea.
The fly fungus was sometimes used, without its greater shamanistic purposes, to celebrate communion. Only men enjoyed the sponge, but women were able to chew the dried mushroom slippery and wrap it in a little bun that was easy to swallow. When fresh, the fly fungus was generally not consumed because it was feared too toxic. According to the researchers' notes, the effect of the sponge began to appear less than an hour after eating with trembling legs and hands. Then those involved began to jump, dance and sing. Others screamed or were terrified. In the end, everyone fell into a deep sleep. During this they experienced hallucinations. They were manifested in a variety of beautiful or scary visions that were truly felt and remembered. Some told about traveling to strange countries or even their own future. The rampage phase and the sleep phase repeated several times, gradually suppressing.
The celebrant was able to lengthen his condition by drinking his own or other fungus-like urine collected in specially made leather cups during these rituals. According to the researchers, the urinary cups had a lot of peaks and the urine got even better feelings than the sponge itself. Apparently, the fungus hallucinogenic substances passed through the kidneys and further into the urine without being degraded. What remains to be solved is why the Siberian peoples had originally discovered this fact. Some amateurs also claim that reindeer are involved; when they like to eat mushrooms. Santa's red-and-white croaker would refer to the joyful colors of the fly and the ability of flying a reindeer team.
Expensive merchandise
Few Western scientists dared to try the red fly fungus themselves. One of the experimenters was the Polish Josef Kopeč in 1797.
Immediately after enjoying the sponge, Kopeč fell into a deep sleep, where he passed through wonderful valleys, enjoying the beautiful colors and delicate scents of the flowers. As the dream progressed, he said that he had gone through all the childhood games of his former life and subsequent manhood events to his present day.
After repeated use of the fungus, he said his personality had become heavy-handed. The Finnish researcher Kai Donner also enjoyed the fly fungus in 1918 and became heavily intoxicated. He did not mention hallucinations.
Russian merchants and fur buyers were able to equip themselves with dried fly mushrooms for their Siberian travels and exchanged their mushrooms at expensive prices for Siberian treasures. Later, they discovered that fireworks were an even better means of exchange. Of course, chemical research has been carried out on such an effective fungus. It has been named for the central nervous system and psychotoxic toxins called muscarine, muscimol, muscazole and ibotenic acid. They are water soluble and easily decompose when cooked.