TO RHODES. 177 
live cuftom, have made it neceffary to eat Opium, 
Vdiich however is not fo common amongft the Turks 
flow, as it was formerly. The ufe of Opium is now 
Softly confined to thofe who officiate in religious ce- 
remonies, or who would be ftrift followers of Ma- 
homet, being prohibited the ufe of ftrong liquors, 
^he Januaries have found means to explain the 
law, and admit the ufe of Brandy, which, they fay, 
' v as not forbid by their Prophet ; as it is prepared 
b y fire, and every thing that paffes through fire is 
Pure and clean. Wherefore almoft all the Turkifh 
Soldiers have, in virtue of this excellent explanation 
°f the law, given over eating Opium, which made 
^em ftupid and trembling, taking to Brandy, which 
’hakes them mad and dropfical. Our Captain was 
Perfuaded to put the Dervice on fhore, on the coaft 
Natolia, or Leffer Afia, where he might find Opium, 
bo neceffary to his fupport, which was not to be had 
° n board. He tried, in the mean time, as a pallia- 
b y e, to take an uncommon large dofe of Venice 
bteacle, but without effect. A body, ufed to ftrong 
Medicines, is not moved by thofe of lefs power, A 
P e tfon, accuftomed to take Scammony, is not at all 
jh°ved by Manna; we fometimes fee what terrible ef- 
e $s Opium hath on thofe who have been accuftomed 
to take it, when they refrain from it. My fellow tra- 
cer, Mr. Titzyon, who had been long an Englifh 
'Wftor at Aleppo, related the following Itory : a Prince 
? Perfia was apeuftomed to take Opium at certain 
°urs ; his fervapts, on a journey the Prince made, 
a d forgot to take with them Opium ; his hour came, 
. be defired Opium, which was not to be had. The 
i~ r ‘ n ?e, who knew what the confequence might be, 
. he did not take Opium at the accuftomed hour, dif- 
^■ched feveral fervants by different roads, to fetch 
' b^fte what th$ir pegleci had left at home ; but, 
N to 
