46 ORIGINAL CULTURE. 



of large portions of America strengthened the currency of 

 the world, the English alike, by the cultivation of the plant, 

 gave an impetus to commerce still felt and continued 

 throughout all parts of the globe. 



An English writer has truthfully observed that " Tobacco 

 is like Elias' cloud, which was no bigger than a man's hand, 

 that hath suddenly covered the face of the earth ; the low 

 countries, Germany, Poland, Arabia, Persia, Turkey, almost 

 all countries, drive a trade of it ; and there is no commodity 

 that hath advanced so many from small fortunes to gain great 

 estates in the world. Sailors will be supplied with it for 

 their long voyages. Soldiers cannot (but) want it when 

 they keep guard all night, or upon other hard duties in cold 

 and tempestuous weather. Farmers, ploughmen, and 

 almost all labouring men, plead for it. If we reflect upon 

 our forefathers, and that within the time of less than one 

 hundred years, before the use of tobacco came to be known 

 amongst us, we cannot but wonder how they did to subsist 

 without it ; for were the planting or traffick of tobacco now 

 hindered, millions of this nation in all probability must 

 perish for the want of food, their whole livelihood almost 

 depending upon it." 



"When first discovered in America, and particularly by 

 the English in Virginia, the plant was cultivated only 

 by the females of the tribes, the chiefs and warriors 

 engaging only in the chase or following the war- 

 path. They cultivated a few plants around their wig- 

 wams, and cured a few pounds for their own use. The 

 emoke, as it ascended from their pipes and circled around 

 their rude huts and out into the air, seemed typical of the 

 race the original cultivators and smokers of the plant. 

 But, unlike the great herb which they cherished and gave to 

 civilization, they have gradually grown weak in numbers and 

 faded away, while the great plant has gone on its way, ever 

 assuming more and more sway over the commercial and 

 social world, until it now takes high rank among the leading 

 elements of mercantile and agricultural greatness. 



