Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-08-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
Opium Smoking.

We mike tho tollowtn2 eNfracs it"h paN
ard Taylor's crrrespondensc IN the n. Y
TriAune, Under date Canton, China, SepLs,i
lsS3:-
In spite Of the Pcralius. attached to il BY
Chinese law. the smoking Of opium is scarce'
" a concealed practice at present I have
sea ii carried "a in open shops in Shanghai
where there ate some streets which are ne'e'
free ffom the siekening smell. hhad always
been my intention n make the trial Of prae-
iiee. in orlcr TO learn the effects by personal
experience. and being now On the eve ofleav'
ING China, sprlied 10 renileU'an residing
here To pot ne in the way ofeujo,inc pipe
or i've. lie was well acquainted with one
Chlnaman Who vss addicted to the practice
and by an agreement With him took toe to his
h,ns. las, evening. We were ushered inio
long nom, with a diJan, or platform about
three feet high. 4, the farther end. Several
Cinnamon were in the room, and one siieieh.
ei oct on the platform. Was preparing his pipe
alta lamp. The host invited me 10 stretch
ytslfCppO.i'S IN him aad place nv head up
on one oftboss cane hcad-,,uols Which serve
the Chirese W leu of pillows.
The opium.rpe ia bamboo stick about
two Zee, long having 4 small drum inserted
near the snj. With an aperture in IT. center.
4 piece Of opium. shout twice the srze Of
pms head. Is taken urOu a slender wire and
held In the fame of,he lpmP until il boils or
bubblss up. when il is rolled into eylindri-
cal share On the drum by the al Of the Vlrc.
Il lose. IL, Dark color BY hesunr and becomes
rale and son. Having been sufficiently ~.
lcJ, i, is placed over ar aperture, and The wire
anrr being ,brus, through It's center, to allow
the air 10 pas, iuio the pipe is withdraw,
The pipe IS then held to the fame. and a. the
opium burns, is fumes are dawn into the
lungs by a strong ard loac.ccniinuej ir'pira-
ton. IN about hall minute The portion Is
Exhausted, and the smoker is resty io' ,no'h'
~ PiPc.
To nv surprise found the taste of the
drug q, ttEcior, a, IT, smell IS cislrreable.
I, leaves a s~e,, rich favor. Ike the finest
liquoricc, uPon tie palate, ,ni The ren'le
stimulus Il communicates to the blood IN the
,uncs. els the whole bojv With ! sensation
Of warmth AMI strength. The fumes Of the
opium are no more irritating 10 the viudpiPe
or bronchial tubes. than common air. while
thew seen imbucd with a richness of vitality
far beyond our dlu,ed oxygen. bal sur
posed that opium was smoked entirely for The
purpose o. mental cNhilarauon, and ihattn he
smokers. as to many Who in,oNica,, them
.slrss With ardent spirits, there Was no sen
,usl rrau6caiion in The mere taste Of the ar
ucle. The revere i, undoubtedly the truth
,rd the practice D, douhly dangerous lis
victim beconeS hore'cssly involved IN - iasc-
mating illusions. and an awful dca'h, such Is
witnessed m, long since, j. sure, sooner OF
later 10 uyerisks him uha inj1'rcs 10 excess.
have pretty strong confidence IN nv POKER
of resistance. bot nothing could induce me 10
make the experiment a second time.
Berood the feeling. q warmth, vicor and
increased VITALITY. soNsn,j BY a happy con-
s,iousness Of rrpose there vs' no effect, IN
n AFTER the SIKH PIPE. NV spirits then be-
came ioyousl, s1ei,-d. With coustan, t'sro-
,,,ion 10 laugh brilliant colors holted before
NV sye.. bu, IN a confascd snd cl"1dy way,
sometimes couysrrinc into spots Ike the eyes
IN a peaeock's tail bot o0enest melting into
and through each other, Ike the hnes Of
ehangeable silk. Had the physical excite
msnt been greater, they would have taken
form and substance. bat after smoking riN,
pipcs desis'ed. through fear OF suhjec,iur
myself to some unpleasant ai'er.eIeci. Oar
Chimes. hos, informed me, ,ha, he was ohlic-
ed to take twenty pipes, m order 10 elevate
hi. mind to the pitch Of re'ieci happiness. |
wen, home feeling rather cidly, and became
80 drowsy. with slight qualms ui the stomach
tia, went to hid a, an early hour. had
made an arrangement TO walk around the walls
Of Canton this morning, with Nlr. Bouny, and
Tel, some doub, as 10 whether should be 'hle
TO undertake d, bu, after deep and refresh
ING sleep, I ,ose at sunrise, feeling stronger
,ni brighter than had done ior weeks past. 80