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The World's Commercial Products 



The Discovery of Tobacco by Europeans 



Having thus briefly dealt with the botany and probable origin of the tobacco plant, we 

 will now turn our attention to some of the chief points in connection with the introduction of 

 tobacco itself into the countries now mostly addicted to its use. As has been stated above, 

 the practice of resorting to the inhalation of narcotic fumes in order to allay excitement and 

 to produce a pleasant general sense of comfort has long been known among Eastern peoples. 

 Thus we have mention of the practice in the writings of Herodotus, and the habit was known 

 among the ancient Gauls, who employed hemp for the purpose. 



BRITISH NORTH BORNEO. YOUNG TOBACCO PLANTS UNDER SHADE 



The first trustworthy mention of tobacco as the narcotic employed was made by Christopher 

 Columbus. In the latter part of 1492, Columbus despatched a small expedition from among 

 his ships' crews to explore the island of Cuba, and the men, on their return, reported that 

 the inhabitants of the island perfumed themselves with a certain herb from which they drew 

 clouds of smoke. The herb was dried and rolled in a piece of maize-leaf, which was lighted 

 at one end and held in the mouth at the other, a description which would be roughly accurate 

 for a modern cigarette or cigar. During his second voyage to America in 1494-6, Columbus 

 was accompanied by Ramon Pane, a Franciscan monk, who describes the habit of snuff-taking 

 among the Indians, and later the Spaniards observed the practice of tobacco-chewing 

 among the natives of South America. As the Spaniards penetrated into the new countries 

 it became more and more obvious that these practices, especially that of smoking, which 

 up to the present had been probably regarded as mere local customs, were an ancient and 

 universal usage ; and later exploration and study showed that they were intimately bound up 

 with the most solemn rites and ceremonies of the native peoples. Other explorers, following 



