Sdentific Intelligence. — Botani^. 375 



smoke all the while. In every species of native society in Cutch, 

 the influence of opium is apparent. The character of the people 

 has even acquired a dull phlegmatic cast from its effects, though 

 it must be remarked that these may bear no proportion to the 

 immense quantity of the drug that is used. With the exception 

 of an unwillingness on the part of the opium-eaters to exert them- 

 selves, which probably arises partly from natural laziness, the 

 use of this powerful narcotic does not appear to destroy the 

 powers of the body, nor to enervate the mind to the degree that 

 might be imagined. Visragee, the Iharejah chief of Roha, 

 whose name has been famous in the history of Cutch for the 

 last sixty years, has, during the whole of his life, indulged freely 

 in opium, and has suffered so little from its debilitating effects 

 that he was last year detected in ambitious projects against the 

 government, and banished to his own castle in consequence. 

 He is now at the age of eighty, paralyzed by years, but his mind 

 is unimpaired. His case is not a singular one ; and, on investi- 

 gation, I am convinced, it will be found in general tliat-^the na- 

 tives do not suffer much from the use of opium. No doubt, 

 however, East Indian opium is less deleterious in its effects 

 than that which is produced in Turkey. It is generally taken 

 in small cups rubbed up with water, and the quantities that are 

 swallowed would almost exceed belief. Its stimulating effects 

 are sometimes very apparent. On one occasion,, I had made a 

 very fatiguing night march with a Cutchee horseman. In the 

 morning, after having travelled above thirty miles, I was obliged 

 to assent to his proposal of halting for a few minutes, which he 

 employed in sharing a dose of about two drachms of opium be- 

 tween himself and his jaded horse. The effects of the dose was 

 soon evident on both ; for the horse finished a journey of forty 

 miles with great apparent facility, and the rider absolutely be- 

 came more active and intelligent. — Burness' Narrative o/'a Visit 

 to the Court of Sinde, ^-c. p. 230. 



22. On the Rapidity of Vegetable Organization. — The vege- 

 table kingdom presents us with innumerable instances, not only 

 of tJie extraordinary divisibility of matter, but of its activity in 

 the almost incredible rapid development of cellular structure in 

 certain plants. Thus, the Bovista giganicum (a species of 

 fungus) has been known to acquire the size of a gourd in one 

 night. Now, supposing with Professor Lindley, that the cellules 



