174 The Soverane Herbe 



some idea can be formed of the enormous number of 

 bullocks required to tip the pipes of smokedom. 

 After being boiled for ten minutes, the horn is 

 straightened on a lever, then turned on a lathe, 

 bored, and the screw cut. A second immersion in 

 hot water enables the tip to be bent to any angle, and, 

 filed, polished and burnished, it is fitted to the pipe. 



A pipe of quite Arcadian simplicity is the corn- 

 cob. It is simply the hollowed-out cob of an ear 

 of Indian corn or maize with a stem inserted near the 

 bottom. It is a feather-weight pipe, and though 

 smoking rather rawly at first, it develops into a 

 splendidly cool and sweet smoker. They are not 

 lasting nor beautiful pipes, for the porous bowl soon 

 becomes blotched and saturated with the tobacco 

 oils, but for simplicity and ruggedness of flavour they 

 cannot be beaten. 



Your honest smoker does not lay aside his old pipe 

 in a hurry. It is with a sigh of sorrow that he per- 

 ceives his faithful old briar is getting used up ; the 

 cracks in the bowl can no longer be winked at. That 

 the tip is nearly bitten through and quite jagged with 

 teeth-marks is impressed upon him every time he puffs 

 it ; the internal economy and joints of the briar are 

 choked with nicotine, and even the indulgent smoker 

 cannot but recognise that the days of service of his 

 faithful pipe are nearly over. It is a pang to part 

 with it, but an accident robs the pain of half its 

 bitterness by making it compulsory, not voluntary. 



Your true smoker does not choose a pipe hastily ; 

 it is a matter requiring consideration and judgment. 

 The companion of his thoughts, the counsellor of his 



