Tobacco's World Triumph 53 



Emperor went the way of all flesh. Since then even 

 the odour of the weed recalls those moments of 

 suffering, hence the prohibition which has raised so 

 great clamour as to give pause to even a paternally 

 absolute ruler. But is it fitting that the subjects 

 should enjoy that which tortured their king ? So 

 delighted was the Anti-Tobacco Society of France by 

 this virtuous decree that it has conferred its diploma 

 of honorary membership on the Emperor Menelik. 



In all parts of the once Dark Continent smoking is 

 practised. The travellers and explorers of this cen- 

 tury have all found that tobacco had preceded them. 

 Some of the African methods of smoking are very 

 curious. Many Kaffirs habitually smoke cigars with 

 the lighted ends in their mouths, tucking their tongues 

 aside. Europeans who have tried this novel mode 

 assert that after the initial difficulty is surmounted it 

 is much superior to the common method. Several 

 African tribes when destitute of pipes unconsciously 

 return to the method of smoking practised by the 

 first smokers in America. They make a hole in the 

 ground, beating down the earth till hard, and work a 

 tunnel underground to another hole. The first is filled 

 with tobacco, which is lighted. Lying down on the 

 ground, the man places his mouth over the second hole 

 and inhales the smoke until he is filled with it ; then, 

 rolling over on the ground, he coughingly exhales it. 

 Recovering from the consequent exhaustion, he re- 

 peats the performance until the tobacco is reduced 

 to ashes. The pigmies of Central Africa, discovered 

 by Stanley, are devoted smokers. Their pipes are 

 delightfully simple and ingenious. A banana-stalk 



