10 
the stalks and midribs, which were strong, preponderated over the 
liner parts of the leaf. I could never obtain an unbroken leaf nor 
even a good piece of one as a specimen. It had no particular smell, 
but a most pungent taste, which to me appeared like tobacco, and 
(‘liewing it promoted a copious flow of saliva. The natives take a 
good pinch of pitchiri, and knead it with green leaves, I think to 
increase the size of the masticatory and moderate its power. We 
know that the Malays add sirih-leaf {Piper betel) to their areca-nut. 
and lime to increase its stimulant properties ; but I could never 
discover the use of any condiment in this way by the Cooper’s Creek 
blacks, all non-poisonous leaves appearing to be used indifferently. 
By the addition of wood-ash to the masticatory, the alkaloid is slowiy 
liberated, and thus the strength of the “ bolus ” gradually augmented 
by keeping, as noticed in the Lancet's annotation. JNatives, on using 
our tobacco, call it “ whitefellow pitchiri,” and, conversely, some 
whites who smoked pitchiri pronounced it a good substitute for 
tobacco. From these confessedly rough and ready data I have 
always up till now regarded this substance as a variety of Nicotiana. 
Jts toxic action and that of tobacco, to judge by the experiments of 
Dr. Bancroft, are singularly alike ; for the successive stages of mild 
cerebral excitement, loss of inhibitory power, copious salivation and 
subsequent dryness of mouth, irregular muscular action, nausea, 
dilatation of pupil, languor, drowsiness, and paralysis of the 
respiratory functions of the medulla appear in both. But the experi- 
ments of Drs. Kinger and Murrell with alkaloid of pitchiri point to 
marked physiological differences between it and nicotia, more espe- 
cially in the pupil indications. I must leave the discussion of these 
nice points to competent hands, as 1 aim no higher in this letter than 
to give a traveller’s account of pitchiri. 
Dr. Murray records the fact of using Pituri in lieu of 
Tobacco. Hodgkinson mentions the same in page 11 of my 
former paper. He says : — “ Sixteen years ago, when with Burke 
and Wills’ expedition, subsequently with Mr. Jno. McKinlay, 
and recently in the North-west Expedition, I used petcherie 
habitually, when procurable, in default of tobacco, and have very 
often chewed it both in its raw and prepared state.” Thus, all 
evidence, practical and theoretical, goes to prove the identity of 
the two alkaloids Piturine and Nicotine ; and it is a marvellous 
circumstance that the black man of Central Australia should 
have dropped upon the same narcotic principle as the red man of 
America in a plant differing so remarkably in external aspect. 
This discovery of the Australian aboriginals should tell somewhat 
in their favour as clever men, against the oft-repeated assertion 
of ethnologists as to their low position among the humau races. 
The aborigines value not the nick-nacks and contrivances of the 
white man, yet are very much amused when the utility of such 
tools is explained to them. The forest is the home of the native, 
and there the white man often feels his own inferiority. In the 
wilds of Australia the blackfellows’ power of climbing easily, puts 
him in possession of a meal under circumstances in which a white 
man must starve. As a hunter the black man is perfection itself. 
