The Sultan and His PeopleOscanyan, C. (Christopher)
History
The Sultan and His People
Oscanyan, C. (Christopher)
Turkey -- Description and travel; Turkey -- Social life and customs
All the world are well aware of the different forms in which tobacco is
used, viz., inhaling in the form of smoke, titillating the nostrils by
its powder called snuff, or imbibing the juice into the system by the
process of mastication. The two latter forms of enjoying this luxury,
seem to admit of no refinement, as time has rolled on, and snuffing
and chewing yet remain in their pristine state of simplicity.
On the contrary, no ingenuity has been spared to invent, improve or
remodel the various vehicles by which the more exquisite and graceful
practice of smoking may be enjoyed.
Although tobacco may have been indigenous to America, yet we have
the assertion of Professor Beckman to corroborate the fact, that
this plant was known to the Tartars long before the discovery of
America. As early as the year 1610 a native Turk was paraded through
the streets of Constantinople with a pipe transfixed through his nose,
as the penalty of indulging in the pastime of smoking, which was then
in great disrepute.
Indeed, if we may credit tradition, Mohammed himself predicted "that
in times to come there should be men, bearing the name of Mussulmans,
but not really such, who should smoke a certain weed called Dükhan,
or Tobacco."
Tobacco was introduced into England soon after the discovery of
Columbus, by Sir Walter Raleigh, and thence found its way into Europe;
but not until fifteen years after do we hear of it among the Turks,
whence it seems that the Orientals must have acquired their knowledge
of this plant through some other channel, most probably from their
Tartar neighbors. But from whatever clime we first derived this
fragrant weed, there is no doubt that the earliest method of using it
was in a pipe, and not in the form of cigars, or by imbibing the juice
by chewing--which latter practice was unknown to the early lovers of
tobacco, and is unpractised by the Orientals even at this day.
As the aromatic plant by degrees became essential to the happiness
of mankind, even including the fair sex, doubtless the inconvenience
of the pipe suggested the idea of a more portable form, whence the
invention of cigars.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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