164 ON THE CULTURE OP LATAKIA TOBACCO. 



Turks, the greater part of them- removed into the mountains which form 

 a cordon around the town, and extend as far as the borders of Antioch, 

 and abut on Dgerser-el-behowel, a town dependent on the pachalick of 

 Aleppo. Their almost sole occupation was the cultivation of tobacco. 

 At the time of the harvest they were at war with Latakia, and determined 

 to keep the crop, when gathered, in a safe place until the return of peace. 

 It being then the commencement of winter, fires were lighted in the 

 cabins, in which as usual the tobacco was hanging. The wood which 

 served them for fuel was a species of the Quercus ilex, known by the local 

 name of " Ozer," and as chimneys were unknown, the cabins speedily 

 became filled with sniqke, and the tobacco thorough^ impregnated. In 

 April of the ensuing year peace ensued, and the commerce in tobacco 

 was renewed with the town. At that time mountain tobacco was known 

 by the name of Dgebeli. Surprise was felt by the buyers at the colour 

 of the tobacco, which was of a black instead of, as formerly, a yellow 

 hue. They thought it expedient to taste it before completing their pur- 

 chases, and filled and lighted their pipes for that purpose. Their asto- 

 nishment was increased instead of diminished at finding the flavour and 

 odour of the tobacco far superior to that which it possessed before. A 

 few inquiries elicited that it was the smoke which the tobacco had, so to 

 speak, imbibed during the interval it was retained in the cabins that had 

 produced this extraordinary effect. A demand speedily arose for this 

 kind of tobacco, and the name of Abuu-Riha (father of perfume) was 

 given to it in consequence. Now all tobacco from this part is kept in 

 the above manner from November to April, and it is to this that its 

 quality is in a great measure owing. The product of the tobacco from 

 the mountains is about 3,000,000 Turkish piastres, and as cotton and silk 

 also form profitable occupations in that country, the Nesseries would be 

 very wealthy and comfortable were it not for the attacks and demands 

 made on them by the Pachas. Egypt obtains almost all her tobacco 

 from the province of Latakia, for its own soil is not fitted to its cultiva- 

 tion. Nor have they succeeded in growing it in Arabia. This plant 

 needs a pure, cool, and fresh soil, whilst in those countries sand is the 

 principal component, and coolness is almost unknown. The richer orders 

 in Egypt smoke Abou-Pdka, and the poorer classes the ordinary quali- 

 ties, while those whose poverty will not allow them to buy any tobacco 

 at all, make shift with the residuum in the pipes of their more fortunate 

 neighbours, who, luckily for the poor, only smoke their pipes half 

 through. 



From the Koura, or plain at the foot of Mount Lebanon, to the Nahr- 

 el-Kelb (or dog river), are found the most esteemed tobaccos in Turkey. 

 They are, perhaps, rather strong, but are very much liked by those who 

 are really good judges. We will now proceed to mention some of the 

 countries which produce these articles of luxury. 



The Koura is a large plain which lies at the foot of Lebanon, between 

 Tripoli and the mountains ; is traversed by two rivers, and intersected by 



