MESCAL: A STUDY OF A DIVINE PLANT. 57 



further visual phenomena except that it seemed that on closing the 

 eyes after-images were marked and persistent. It may also be said that 

 for some time previously, although no color visions came, the play of 

 light and shade always seen with closed eyes seemed more marked than 

 usual, and suggested pictures which were not really seen. 



"6:15. I should take more buttons in solid form, but refrain from 

 doing so in consequence of the faintness which makes me disinclined 

 to do more than make these notes. Also the thought of taking more of 

 the drug and the sight of the glass produces a feeling of nausea. The 

 blue-black color of the ink as I write seems unusually brilliant and the 

 shadows on my left on the verge of the visual field seem unusually 

 violet. 



"6:40. Pulse now, lying down, is about 60. When lying with eyes 

 closed I am more conscious than before of visions on the curtain of 

 the eyelid; but they are vague and confused, the whole of the field 

 seeming crowded with them, and even when definite images are seen 

 they are not recognizable, but are of the same character as the images 

 produced by the kaleidoscope — symmetrical groupings of spiked objects. 

 Violet shadows are still conspicuous, and now also I see what some little 

 time earlier I seemed faintly to see — occasional distinct green shadows 

 on the outskirts of the visual field, while a green-toned newspaper lying 

 on the floor, whenever I glanced at it, always seems unusually green. 



"7 :00. It is now dark, and chancing to glance out at the window for 

 a moment and then close my eyes I was surprised at the astonishingly 

 bright vision of light left in my eyes, a positive after-image. All 

 objects seen not in the direct line of vision have a tendency to look 

 startlingly large and prominent. 



"Before 7:30, when lying with closed eyes, the visions had become 

 much distincter, but still quite indescribable, mostly a vast field of 

 golden jewels studded with red and green stones and ever changing 

 and full of delight. And moreover all the air round me seemed at one 

 moment to be flushed with vague perfume — producing with the visions 

 a delicious effect. All feelings of discomfort have now quite vanished, 

 except only a slight feeling of faintness showing itself by tremors in 

 hands, etc. 



"8.00. The chief character of the visions is their indescribableness ; 

 sometimes, however, they are like clusters of jewels — some bright and 

 sparkling, others with a dull rich brilliance. Again they resemble a 

 vast collection of the glistering, iridescent, fibrous wings of gorgeous 

 insects. But the main impression is that they are constantly approach- 

 ing and constantly eluding the semblance of known things. The human 

 face is the only known form that is sometimes momentarily caught, or 

 perhaps merely suggested. 



"8:30. [Written with pencil.'] Pulse now much higher (72 in 



