36 TOBACCO IN MEXICO. 



of a native smoking one of these rolls or primitive cigars 

 and speaks of their general use by Captains of ships trading 

 to the West Indies. 



But not only was snuff taking and the use of tobacco rolls 

 or cigars noted by European voyagers, but the use of the pipe 

 also in some parts of America, seemed to be a common cus- 

 tom especially among the chiefs. Be Bry in his History of 

 Brazil (1590) describes its use and also some interesting- 

 particulars concerning the plant. Their method of curing 

 the leaves was to air-dry them and then packing them until 

 wanted for use. In smoking he says : 



" When the leaves are well dried they place in the open 

 part of a pipe of which on burning, the smoke is inhaled 

 into the mouth by the more narrow part of the pipe, and so 

 strongly that it flows out of the mouth and nostrils, and by 

 that means effectually drives out humours." 



Fairholt in alluding to the various uses of the herb among 

 the Indians says : 



" We can thus trace to South America, at the period when 

 the New World was first discovered, every mode of using the 

 tobacco plant which the Old World has indulged in ever 

 since." 



This statement is not entirely correct the mode of using 

 tobacco in Norway by plugging the nostrils with small pieces 

 of tobacco seems to have been unknown among the Indians 

 of America as it is now with all other nationalities, excepting 

 the Norwegians. 



When Cortez made conquest of Mexico in 1519 smoking 

 eeemed to be a common as well as an ancient custom among 

 the natives. Benzoni in his History of the New World * 

 describing his travels in America gives a detailed account of 

 the plant and their method of curing and using it. In both 

 North and South America the use of tobacco seemed to be 

 universal among all the tribes and beyond all question the 

 custom of using the herb had its origin among them. The 

 traditions of the Indians all confirm its ancient source ; they 

 considered the plant as a gift from the Great Spirit for their 



From 1541 to 1556. 



