168 THE BETEL NUT 



wrists of the guests in order of rank. Silver vases 

 and sprinklers follow, containing rose-water and 

 attar of roses. You may ward off the former from 

 your person by offering your handkerchief for it, 

 and you may present the back of your hand for the 

 latter, of which one drop will be applied to your 

 skin with a tiny silver or golden spoon. 



Finally, when everybody is reeking with incon- 

 gruous odours and trying not to be sick, a silver 

 tray appears with the daintiest little packets of pan 

 supari, each pinned with a clove, and every guest is 

 expected to transfer one to his mouth, for they have 

 been prepared by a Brahmin and cannot hurt the 

 most delicate caste. To an Englishman, however, 

 it is now generally conceded to compromise by 

 keeping the morsel in his hand, as if waiting an 

 opportunity to enjoy it more at his leisure. When 

 you get home your servant craves it of you and 

 contrasts real rajah's pan supari with the stuff 

 which the poor man gets in the bazaar. 



The chewing of betel nut requires more apparatus 

 and makes greater demands on a man's time and 

 personal care than the smoking of tobacco or any 

 of the allied vices. To cut the nut neatly an instru- 

 ment is used like an enormous pair of nutcrackers 

 with a sharp cutting edge. The lime should be 

 made from oyster shells and it must be freshly 

 burned and slaked. Exposure to the air soon 

 spoils it, so a small, air-tight tin box is required to 

 keep it in. Lastly, the betel leaf must be fresh, 



