I 



AND LOWER EGYPT. 93 



sules and the pistils to a iine powder, and reject the 

 seeds. They mix this powder with an equal quan- 

 tity ot tobacco, and they smoke the mixture in a 

 sort of pipe, a very simple imitation, but coarsely 

 executed, of the Persian pipe. It is notiiing but 

 the shell of a cocoa-nut hollowed and filled v/ith 

 water, through which they inhale a pungent and 

 intoxicating smoke. This method of smoking is 

 one of the most common pastimes of the women 

 in the southern part of Eg)pt. 



All these preparations, as well as the parts of 

 the plant employed in making them, arc knowp 

 under the Arabic name of /w^r/z/V//, which properly 

 signifies herl\ as if this plant were the herb, the 

 plant, by way of excellencp. The haschich, the 

 consumption of which is very considerable, is to be 

 found in all the markets*. When they wish to 

 design the plant itself, unconnected with its vir- 

 tues and its use, it is called baste. 



Although the hemp of Egypt has a great resem- 

 blance to ours, it diiTers, nevertheless, in some cha- 



* This denomination of herb has given rise to an error of M. 

 Niebiihr. " The haschich" says he, " is a sort of herb which 

 *' M. Forskal, and some others who hnve preceded us in the East, 

 " have taken for the leaves of hemp." (Description of Arabia, 

 p. 50.) It is, nevertleless, very certain that the haschich of tl.e 

 Arabs is notliing else than a species, or a variety of hemp, of 

 which I have been just giving an account. 



ractcrs 



