OPIUM. 
215 
of the greatest luxuries ; and if they are temperate in drinking, they 
are often excessive in the use of this drug. They have more than 
one method of smoking it : sometimes they envelope a piece of 
the solid gum in tobacco, and smoke it from a pipe with a very 
small bowl ; and sometimes they steep fine tobacco in a strong solution 
of it, and use it in the same way. The smokers of opium have a very 
peculiar, sottish, and sleepy physiognomy, in consequence of the 
whole visage being turgid with blood. They may acquire this 
from their mode of inhaling its smoke, of which they seldom take 
more than three or four whiffs. Having lighted their pipes, they 
draw into their lungs as large a volume of smoke as possible, and 
having held their breath for a few seconds, throw it gradually forth 
through their nose, mouth, and ears, so as strongly to impress these 
organs of sense. They then fall into a sort of torpor and continue 
in it for several minutes, and much longer when they can command 
time for its indulgence. 
Tobacco is every where sold, and is considered by the Chinese, 
next to tea, as the best preservative of health, and is therefore 
universally used by all ranks : I never saw a Chinese without his pipe. 
It is used in very different states in different provinces, and has very 
different degrees of strength, depending in some measure perhaps 
on the difference of soil and climate where it is cultivated. In the 
province of Pe-tchee-lee, and probably in all the northern provinces, 
it is very mild, but in the south it has much more powerful 
qualities. These different properties may also depend on the various 
modes of preparing it. In the province of Pe-tchee-lee it is of a pale 
colour, and undergoes no other preparation than that of drying, and 
is sold in the whole leaf to the purchaser, who reduces it to a 
coarse powder, by rubbing it between the hands before using it. 
After entering the province of Kiang-nan it was always found of a 
red colour, and cut into exceedingly fine shreds; but was said to 
owe its colour to steeping in a solution of opium. We saw the 
mode of cutting this variety of tobacco in several places. Consider- 
able quantities of its leaves having been acted upon by a powerful 
