THE HOME OF THE INDIAN WEED 39 



The early writers on the smoking habit were perplexed 

 about the origin of the name given to the weed. Many 

 favoured the opinion that the plant and its use had first 

 come under the observation of Europeans in the island of 

 Tobago. This notion is shewn to be incorrect in a work 

 bearing the rather long and ambitious title of Tobago : a 

 Geographical Description, Natural and Civil History, 

 together with a full Representation of the Produce and 

 other Advantages arising from the Fertility, excellent 

 Harbours, and Happy Situation of that Famous Island. 

 The author says, ' I do not recollect any author who has 

 given a clear account of this name ; and as many have 

 expressed a doubt whether the island was so called from 

 the herb, or the herb from the island, I hope the curious 

 and inquisitive reader will be well pleased to see that 

 matter set in its true light ; for the fact is that neither the 

 island received its name from the herb, nor the herb from 

 the island. The appellation is, indeed, Indian, and yet 

 was bestowed by the Spaniards. The thing happened thus : 

 the Caribbees were extremely fond of tobacco, which in 

 their language they called kohiha, and fancied when they 

 were drunk with the fumes of it the dreams they had were 

 in some sort inspired. Now their method of taking it was 

 this : they first made a fire of wood, and when it was 

 burnt out they scattered upon the living embers the leaves 

 of the plant, and received the smoke of it by the help of 

 an instrument that was hollow, made exactly in the shape 

 of the letter Y, putting the larger tube into the smoke, and 

 thrusting the shorter tubes up their nostrils. This instru- 

 ment they called tabago, and when the Admiral Christopher 

 Columbus passed to the southward of this island he judged 

 the form of it to resemble that instrument, and thence it 

 received its name.' 



