The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-07-26
sLAvEs or THE OPIUM pspn


 lchiaa Letter, sa ss. Lsais Repaeisess.a
 TAe smekes fiss eurled up. vifA ha head resting on bamboo cs easthsn- ware pillow about hve inches high. Nsns him ssznds an opium lamp, the aame = which is protected by . glass shade luw enough tor the point oi the flame to rw~- lees above the top Of the shade. nha smoker taken wire and dips a inc . htsle box containing prepared opaanS A sznAll quantity AdAerex to the point s{sh~ wire. wnich Is then held over the sAme oi the lamp pnsil the heat has swolirn sf tc about Tea sines iss original sise. Tkxs is Iclsed over and over cn the aas ss<as n4 she clay bo~i. ,he opium all the time d. hef,rg 10 the wire. When il has ne<n 10 soff. solid mass t ss agasn applied - the lamp, and tkls alternate roAstlng nnA rolling ,s kept up fcs a, Isas, ten mn uss>, by which time II is ln the shape es a pill and ready for use. The apesstnre sa the pipe ss so small that |, can only ,e- ceave the smallest quantity. and the ncAs careful manipulation Is needed ,o aAns- fer the ,iny ball of opium from the end nf the wire 10 the bowl ef ske pipe. TA~ point oi the sire Is inserted into the hrAe of the pipe and worked round and foasA uil the son opium forms into d eoa,x Al- shaped r'ng around the Nife. by s~,sa- ,ng the wire the drug Is gradually ae. taehed from II, leaving a hole through the opium about as large as the hole ua the pipe bowl. with winch ecmmass- cates. The pspe n nov ready and ths bowl Is held over the lamp so that ,he opium eo mes in contact wi,h the aAnsr. \ splas,esing neise ensaes yss the smoAss sucks at his pipe. After exsh ,aecesslvs Hdraw he eleess from nose and mouth volume of smoke. the very smell oi wANA Is enoagh to turn a horse stomach M the end the fourth ot thh whla she pipe is empty. The smoker now sccop. out another dose of apian, rolls II mic . p,l! and repeats the oper Atica w..h ,hs same patience as before. and smoAex away until the pipe falls rom hi, hassis and he is lost in dreamiand One shsnr n very certain, that Il tobacco smeksss were only haif the trouble tesaesoa,a would soon have 10 sha, ef shop.
 Afser little while SC turned cosnsr and passed into back foom. Here were the same scenes. the same huh. sha same witheTed faces and the same spiua- ,ering oi opium pipes These seemed te be secret smokers. who had gone he,s so avoid detection, where there seemed ,s De every facility ,o evsde the seanA se ,helr friends. We are not suTp.issd se hnd m thls room mere youths. vhe, judging by them aiken robes. must heicsr to wealthy families and who were here beginning career which must end ln l ruin and d.sgsass. on entering ihe den we were surrounded by haii . dosen emaciated looking ohieets. who implossd us to give them medicine to eate them. Every foreigner in Ghina ls believed ie be god to kill and make alive He has great reputation as a medicine man. We were fortunately abie ,o iits1 the poor fellows so the missionary bus, pi.al. where they could gel weanea rom the drug. 9ae man told as ihat he Lad smoked for thirty years ,ha, h.s phyas- al esefgies had clean gone and he wss fast becoming 4 wreck. tie sp<ut ihrsv- tourths oi his family earnings a, the den. and thc craving was becoming sp iniensr he feared that before long all his ,noaey would go Tn opiam. Ii is only sesy common example where s.ie oi young family w,ll toll early aud late to support an opium -smoking husband and father A beginnes has only ,o pay i~c ot three i visits to the den. and shw place has wonderful fasoina,ioD fof hsm, fhsee weeks smoking, st A couple oi hours pes day. and the man. let, To himsell, |, bouni slave to the pipe ss long as he hys.. held do~n by chains stronger ,hsn non. from which only death caa release h,sn.