FIRST REPLY. 141 



to Mecca and Medina. He himself became acquainted 

 with this beverage in Abyssinia, where it had been known 

 from time immemorial. The common notion, therefore, 

 that Coffee was originally indigenous in Arabia, is altogether 

 incorrect. At that time, a decoction of the roasted shells 

 was as often drunk as that of what from the Arabian word 

 Bounn are called the Beans. The beverage was in both 

 cases called Kahwa. Wise men, like, for instance, Tad- 

 jeddin-Ebn-Jacoub, even at that time, recommended cold 

 water to be drunk with the Coffee, to prevent the sleepless- 

 ness resulting from its use. But this was in direct oppo- 

 sition to the cause of the introduction of Coffee. It was 

 used by those who wished to keep themselves awake during 

 the holy nights of prayer. The Coffee was originally drawn 

 from a large brown vessel into small cups, which were 

 handed round, more particularly during religious services, 

 and this affords a ready explanation of why this beverage 

 immediately became, to some of the orthodox Mahometans 

 an object of enmity, and above all, a subject for exceedingly 

 learned theological researches. The opposers of Coffee went 

 even so far as to affirm that the countenances of those who 

 drank Coffee, would, on the day of resurrection, appear blacker 

 than the Coffee-grounds. Since, however according to 

 the Koran, women do not enter Paradise, they may- 

 indulge without fear in the enjoyment of their favourite 

 beverage. 



According to the other accounts published by Abd- 

 Alkader-Ebn-Mohammed, it appears also that the custom 

 of Coffee-drinking goes back beyond the time of historical 

 record in Abyssinia, and that in Arabia even, Coffee only 

 supplanted a drink of similar properties, the Cafta, made 

 from the leaves of the Cat (Celastrus edulis, Forsk)., the 



