The Beginning of Smoking 3 



of smoking, writes, that uppowoc, or tobacco, ' is 

 of so precious estimation among them that they 

 think that their gods are so marvellously delighted 

 therewith ; wherefore they make hallowed fire, and 

 cast some of their powder therein for a sacrifice. 

 Being cast in a storm upon the water, to pacify their 

 god they cast some up into the air and into the 

 water ; so a weir for fish being newly set up they 

 cast some therein and into the air ; also after an 

 escape of danger they cast some into the air like- 

 wise ; but all done with strange gestures, stamping, 

 sometime dancing, clapping of hands and staring 

 up into the heavens, uttering therewithal and chatter- 

 ing strange words and noises.' 



When the Indians of North America, in Drake 

 and his crew, first saw white men, they took them 

 for gods, and so presented to them bags of their 

 finest tobacco. The Iroquois and Dakota Indians 

 still burn tobacco as incense to their gods. Catlin, 

 travelling among the red men seventy years ago, 

 was told by them that they smoked to the Great 

 Spirit through their red-stone pipes. 



Imperceptibly the burning of tobacco passed from 

 a religious rite into a daily practice of pleasure. The 

 evolution was along the line of least resistance, the 

 physical and moral weaknesses of man. From burn- 

 ing tobacco as a sacrifice the medicine or mystery 

 man evolved the inspiration of the fume. By inhaling 

 the smoke of the holy herb he claimed to enter into 

 communication with the Great Spirit in the stupor 

 produced by the smoke. To him, as to the oracle 

 of Delphi and the witch-doctors of savage tribes, 



I — 2 



