BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 91 
heart"of the forest which lines the Eastern border and hills of those 
countries. The spirit produced from the Bassia is, when carefully dis- 
tilled, much like good Irish whisky, having a strong smoky and rather 
foetid flavour; this latter disappears with age. The fresh spirit is, 
owing to the quantity of aromatic or empyreumatie oil which it con- 
tains, very deleterious, and to the European troops (Her Majesty’s 4th 
and 17th Dragoons) stationed in Guzerat some thirty years ago, ap- 
peared to be quite as poisonous as the worst new rum of the West 
Indies has generally proved to our soldiers. It excited immediate 
gastric irritation, and on this supervened the malarious fever so com- 
mon in those countries. The regimental artificers, musicians, etc., and 
all whose extra means enabled them to obtain a larger supply of this 
liquor, were the first to be cut off; but finally the fever spared few or 
none, and the only effective remedial measure was found to be the 
removal of the European force to the more sterile semi-desert plains at 
Deesa, in the north-west corner of the province. 
To show how little is known even in India regarding the spirituous 
drinks of the country, I may state that the question has ere now been 
gravely entertained by persons high in authority as to the practicability 
of rendering the people compulsorily sober, by cutting down the wild 
Date-trees,—as if these were the only source of alcoholic stimulus. 
Thave before alluded to the Cannabis as affording a stimulating material. 
The use of the plant in its various forms—stalk, juice, and resin—is 
very widely diffused, and in many provinces (as in Scinde) a draught 
of the infusion forms a prelude to the daily dinner among the better 
classes. The stimulus has a champagne-like transience, and is said to 
whet the appetite and improve the digestive powers. I should here 
mention that with East Indians liquor, when taken, is most commonly 
taken before food, and not after eating, as with us. 
The continued use of the Cannabis, as practised by many at all 
periods of the day, speedily breaks down the system; the lungs, 
generative power, etc., all yielding to its influence. 
The use of Nus vomica is confined to desperate debauchees, by 
whom it is had recourse to as a bracer-up of decayed corporeal fa- 
culties. It is taken to the extent of even two seeds per diem, these 
being softened and afterwards fried in ghee or butter. 
i 
