242 Pi S e r s i a n Travels Bo ok V. 



Coffee $ and indeed thus it is that they begin all their debauches. They fuck and 

 fmoak of their Tobacco through water in a long glafs bottle, by which means it 

 comes cool into their mouths : elfe they would never be able to take it all day 

 long as they do. They fing very little in their Cups : but they recite a vait num- 

 ber of wicked Verfes, which they rehearfe with a great deal of gravity. They 

 are fo accuftomed to take Tobacco, both men and women, that a poor tradefman 

 that has not above five Sons to fpend, will lay out three of them in Tobacco, if 

 they had none, they fay they mould not have damuque, that is, gladnels in their 

 hearts. Many will confefs that their exceflive taking Tobacco is hurtful j but if 

 you tell 'em of it, they anfwer in a word, Adedehottd, '77* the cnfiome. 



Befides their Tobacco they have alfo Opinrn made of Poppies,cut as they grow, 

 out of which they draw the juice and make it into Pills. They take no more at firit 

 then the head of a pin, increafing their dole by degrees,till they come to rake the 

 quantity of half a wall-nut. When they are come to that pitch they dare not give 

 over , for fear of endangering their lives, or addicting themfelves to drink wine. 

 In their youth you fhall fee thefe Tberiakis or takers of Opium, with pale penfive 

 and dejected countenances, and the ufe of their fpeech almolt loft : If they omit 

 to take for a day together this ill-continued drug chat heats their brainSj and cau- 

 fes them to act ridiculoufly and to talk idly, when it has done working, they arc 

 as cold and ftupid as before, which obliges 'em to take it again. For this reafon 

 they are fhort liv'd : or if they do live till forty, they complain heavily of the 

 pains that proceed from the cold venome of the herb. They that have a mind to kill 

 themfelves, fwallowa large piece, and drink Vinegar after it, to prevent the re- 

 lief of any other Counterpoyfbn, and fo they dye fmiling. 



They have another fort of drink to make themfelves merry , which they call 

 Kokemaar, compos'd of boyld Poppy feed. They take ir in broth, and there are 

 particular houfes call'd Kokemaar Krone, where people meet to divertife thofe 

 that fee the ridiculous poftures which that intoxicating drink caufcs them to (hew. 

 Before it works they quarrel with one another, and call one acother all to naught, 

 but never fight. When the drug begins to work, they grow friendsj and fome are 

 for making complements,others for telling a long tedious itory,which renders them 

 very vain. They have alfb another fort of liquor , which is call'd Bongue t \ery 

 bitter, being made of the leaves of Hemp and fome other drug mix'd with it. It 

 makes thofe that ufe it fhamefully foolifh and ridiculous, which is the reafon the 

 Law has forbid that and not the former. The Vsbecks have brought into Perjia, 

 the Cuftome of taking in Pipes Tchouherfe, which is the flower or rather the 

 woolly fubftance which is found in hemp-clofes. This fills the head with ftrange 

 conceirs,fbmetimes pleafant and fbmerimes furious 5 thofe that take it being quite 

 befides their fences for two or three hours. 



Their Feafts are thus order'd : The guefts come in the morning to the houfe 

 whither they are invited, and all the day long they fpend their time in taking To- 

 bacco and telling ftories. Between whiles they have Sweetmeats , Corfee, and 

 Fruits fet before them. In the evening the Sofra is fpread, and the table ferv'd 

 with boil'd and roaft. If the perfon that treats be of any quality, he has a kind 

 of a Governour of his houfe, that fit's upon his heels with a Ladle or great wood- 

 en fpoon in his hand. Then the Inviter makes his complements to the chief of his 

 guefts, affuring him that the entertainment is only provided for him, only at his 

 command he is ready to let the reft fhare with him. The Complements being thus 

 pafs'd, the Governour of the Houfe with his great Spoon puts rice and meat 

 upon the little plates, which the fervants prefent by equal portions to 

 every one of the guefts. Then they fall too, taking out the rice by 

 handfuls, and the meat with their fingers. Sometimes they mix curdl'd milk 

 •with their rice and meat, and making up a lump of all together as big as a Ten- 

 nis ball, put it all in their mouths at a time, which is the reafon they never fit 

 long at Table } one making room for another till they have all done : for as foon 

 as one has done, another comes into his place without any farther Ceremony .They 

 have feveral Liquors in the room in PorceUaln VefTels, but at meals they only 

 .drink to drive down their meat and to prevent thirft. When all is done, they 

 bring a Bafon with an Ewre full of hot water to wafh their hands and faces. After 

 which the Inviter complements his guefts, and every one returns home -, at which 



time 



