COCA-CHEWING 203 



Indian reckons its habitual use among the prime necessaries of 

 life, and is never seen without his leathern pouch or chuspa, 

 filled with a provision of the leaves, and containing besides a 

 Bmall box of powdered unslaked lime. At least three times a 

 day he rests from his work to chew his indispensable coca. 

 Carefully taking a few leaves out of the bag, and removing 

 their midribs, he first masticates them into the shape of a 

 small ball, which is called an acullico ; then repeatedly insert- 

 ing a thin piece of moistened wood like a toothpick into 

 the box of unslaked lime, he introduces the powder which 

 remains attached to it into the acullico until the latter has 

 acquired the requisite flavour. The saliva, which is abundantly 

 secreted while chewing the pungent mixture, is mostly swal- 

 lowed along with the green juice of the plant. 



When the acullico is exhausted, another is immediately 

 prepared, for one seldom suffices. The corrosive sharpness of 

 the unslaked lime requires some caution, and an unskilled 

 coca-chewer runs the risk of burning his lips, as, for instance, 

 the celebrated traveller Tschudi, who, by the advice of his 

 muleteer, while crossing the high mountain-passes of the 

 Andes, attempted to make an acullico, and instead of strength- 

 ening himself as he expected, merely added excruciating pain 

 to the fatigues of the journey. 



The taste of coca is slightly bitter and aromatic, like that of 

 bad green tea, but the addition of lime or of the sharp ashes of 

 the quinoa, renders it less disagreeable to the European palate. 



It is a remarkable fact that the Indians who regularly use 

 coca require but little food, and when the dose is augmented 

 are able to undergo the greatest fatigues, without tasting 

 almost anything else. Professor Poppig ascribes this astonish- 

 ing increase of endurance to a momentary excitement, which 

 must necessarily be succeeded by a corresponding collapse, 

 and therefore considers the use of coca absolutely hurtful. 

 Tschudi, however, is of opinion that its moderate consumption 

 far from being injurious, is, on the contrary, extremely whole- 

 some, and cites the examples of several Indians who, never 

 allowing a day to pass without chewing their coca, attained the 

 truly patriarchal age of one hundred and thirty years. The or- 

 dinary food of these people consists almost exclusively of roasted 

 maize or barley, which is eaten dry without any other addition : 



