A TUSKI SMOKE. 177 



resembling German tinder, which is evidently very 

 scarce, and used with the greatest economy. But one 

 indraught of smoke is taken, a long, deep inspiration, 

 the entire volume passing into the lungs; in a 

 second or two it is expelled, in a similar manner, with 

 a long, loud aspiration, sounding betwixt a groan and 

 a sigh : this stertorous kind of breathing is repeated 

 several times, heavily, and as if from pain, the person 

 closing the mouth each time, as if gasping for breath. 

 These operations appear to afford intense enjoyment, 

 and are possibly of use in clearing the lungs. The 

 process of pipe-cleaning is intrusted to the women, 

 who replenish the dry grass in the body of the pipe ; 

 the refuse deposit is their perquisite, and devoured 

 with great gusto, the essential oil of the tobacco 

 forming apparently a pleasant excitant to their oil-be- 

 clogged palates. The smoke quite concluded, the 

 natives betake themselves to the vessels containing 

 water; and we were perfectly amazed at their 

 capacity in this respect,^ — I should think each person 

 would swallow at least half a gallon at a draught. 

 No doubt so much fluid is necessary to dissolve the 

 quantities of oleaginous food consumed. The draught 

 is a finishing stroke : all immediately lie down to 

 sleep, unless, as was to our annoyance most fre- 

 quently the case, on occasions of our visits, religious 



