288 The Soverane Herbe 



was the record one, as he reduced sixteen to ashes. 

 About two he lunched, while during the day he drank 

 a gill and a half of brandy and cold water. By seven 

 o'clock he had smoked eighty-six cigars, and as 

 only fourteen remained to be smoked in two hours 

 and a half the backer of time gave in, and the winner 

 puffed the remainder away at his leisure during the 

 evening. 



Some years ago a contest in London as to the 

 greatest number of cigars smoked in two hours pro- 

 duced seventeen competitors. Before an hour had 

 elapsed ten retired. The winner reduced ten large 

 cigars to ashes in 120 minutes, while his nearest com- 

 petitor smoked but nine and a half cigars. After 

 such a contest as this, it is almost useless to mention 

 an American smoking match, when the winner 

 smoked 100 cigarettes in six and a half hours. 



The smokers of Lille, France, some time ago held 

 a contest which involved the smoking of if ounces 

 of tobacco. There were fifty competitors, and the 

 winner smoked his portion in exactly thirteen minutes, 

 while the second smoker got through his ounce and 

 three-quarters in twenty minutes. But the quaintest 

 smoking contest is that held weekly in the ancient 

 city of Bruges, where exists the smoking club, 

 Brugsche Rookers' Club. The competitors endeavour, 

 not to smoke the greatest quantity in the smallest 

 time, but the smallest quantity in the longest time. 

 Portions of tobacco, 2^ grammes, are weighed out, 

 stuffed into long clay pipes by the officials of the club, 

 and then distributed among the members. At a 

 given signal the pipes are lit, and the competitors 



