10 TOBACCO AND ITS HISTORY. 



savago races alluded to are " The Lost Ten Tribes " who crossed 

 the Alentiaii Isles to the Western World, bearing the seed of 

 the coveted ])lant with them to scatter on the genial shores of 

 their adopted land. 



However tliat n)ay be, or whatever ideas may be held re- 

 garding the early career of Tobacco, the present location of 

 the revolting tribes of Israel is, beyond all doubt, one of the 

 great unsolved problems of history. Some think they are to be 

 found in the Nestorian Christians of Turkey in Asia; others in 

 the Afghans of India ; and others think they have gone to 

 places more remote ; whilst many hold that the English nation 

 is comi)Osed of these tribes. Among all the theoiies set forlh 

 concerning the identity of this people, that of the American 

 Indian seems as plausible as any. 



In the conviction that the lost ten tribes are, doubtless, 

 still preserved somewhere hitact, by the pro\idence of Ood, 

 the writer inclines strongly to the opinion that the Indian 

 races referred to comprise these tribes. One thing in favor of 

 this opinion 's the fact that the Indians never mingled with 

 other rac , and also closely resemble the Asiatic Mongolian. 



By ! gical reasoning it might fahly be said that as Nebuchad- 

 nezzar was ''.sent to grass" on account of his liaughtincs^-, .so 

 justly might these inebiiate, idolatrous, obstinate tribes, have 

 l)een consigned by Jehovah to wander in prolonged solitnde for 

 absolute rejection of tlnnr fathers' God, thus casting " them 

 out of His sight," as a warning to other nations, after He had 

 " atHicted them and delivered them into the hand of spoilers," 

 as recorded in tlie inspired Word (II Kings, 17-20). 



Notwithstaiuling the popular opinion that the weed is a 

 })urely American plant, the idea cannot honestly l>e supported, 

 and there is good reason to believr' that 



TOBACCO, LIKK MAN, IS A NATIVE OF THE EAST, 



although it is doubtful whether they both had their origin in 

 Paradise, or were ever intended to be life companions. 



