Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1886-04-08
HITTING THE PIPE.
A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF AN
OPIUM JOINT.
The Grades of Opium-The Pipe
Used by smokers-Other Arti-
cles ofthc ..Layout"-Prepar-
ing the Drug for Use.

comes into this port is ready for the pipe,
but little being prepared for smoking in
this country. There are two general
grades of smoking opium-the No. /,
which is variously termed 'sTai Yet,
ssFuk Lung, . Iii Yum, . ETC., according
to the name given it by the firm import
ing it. This grade of opium is considered
the best, and is worth from $40 to $40 a
pound The No. 2opinm is called ssGhee
Yen, J" and is made in this city by mixing
the ashes resulting from smoking "Tai
YETI and other first-class opium with the
best opium. It is cheap, and is smoked
only BY those who cannot afford the bet
ter grade. Opium "iends" in this city
save their ashes ('fYen She') and sell il
to Chinese dealers for $4 pound.
The pipe (yen teung), as the main in
strument in the destruction Of the use
fulness Of the lives Of thousands Of young
men and women Of this city, is entitled
to first place in the description of the
layout. The pipe is usually made Of
bamboo, and is about two feet long and
four inches in circumference. The stem
is always cut SO as to leave joint Of the
wood about six or eight inches from the
end of the pipe. Some smokers prefer
orangewood, sugarcane or lemonwood
for the stem Of the pipe, on account Of
the sweet taste of such woods and the
peculiar flavor they give the opium.
Others saturate the bamboo stems with
sugar, molasses, nut oil, lemon juice or
orange juice, to get good flavor. Some
of the lemon pipes are made of rings of
lemen peel cemented together, layer over
layer, and highly polished. It is said
that ssGend" who is accustomed to one
Of these pipes, and thus acquires a
sslemon habit, /" can use no other kind Of
pipe. Many of the stems, especially those
used by rich Chinese, are very ornate.
One was seen which had several gold
bands around it and two diamonds set in
the wood near the bowl Most good
pipes have mouthpieces made of ivory or
abalone shell. At the end of the stem
a small hole is usually made in the wood,
in which are placed small pieces of soft
cloth, which are used in fitting on the
bowl of the pipe. This hole when not
! in use is closed with an ivory plug.
About eight inches from the end Of the
stem place is followed out in the side
Of the pipe which connects with the
longitudinal perforation. A shield Of
metal, brass or silver is fitted on the side
Of the stem about this hollow, SO that
rim Of metal will rise above the hole.
The bowl (yen tow of the pipe is fitted
into this shield, is usually bell shaped,
and is made of hard, red clay or lemon
peel Its greatest diameter is from three
| to four inches. It has small neck by
| which it is fitted into the stem. To make
it fit tightly pieces Of soft cloth are US
ually wrapped around the neck Of the
bowl. The upper surface Of the bowl is
semicircular and sloping. A small hole,
about big enough to admit darning
needle, is in the center of this surface.
The other articles belonging to the lay
out are small glass lamp (yin tene1, in
which Chinese nut oil is burned, as that
oil gives very steady light. The
lamp has glass cover. A long needle
(yen hauck) on which the opium
is cooked; small horn box (yin hop)
to hold the opium; d pair Of scissors
(kow ten) for trimming the wick of the
lamp; straight and a curved knife to
clean the bowl of the ash (yen she's a
sponge (suey pow with which to wash
off the surface Of the bowl, and lastly a
tray On POM on which to place the Clay
OUT ''Fiends, ? by which term is usu-
ally meant only Caucasian smokers, gen
orally refer to the pieces Of the layout
by their Chinese names. A '1ayoutn
costs from Sc to 800. The pipes, like
merchants, are valued according to the
length Of time they have been in use.
An old pipe which has become saturated
with opium has peculiar flavor, dear to
| smoker and is of a rich cherry color,
deepening and becoming more beautiful
with age. Some pipes are valued at
$10O, while an ordinary good pipe is
worth at least $50. A new bamboo pipe
can be bought for $3.50. It is not to be
supposed, however, that every ''fend'
mas layout" A piece Of zinc or tin
often does service as tray, nutshell
as the holder Of the opium, and any kind
of lamp which will give steady fame
as an opium lamp.
1 The Chinaman dipped the end Of his
cooking needle, the yen hanck, into his
opium pot, and, winding it around a few
seconds, took out little pellet of opium
on the needle. This pea was then held
over the flame Of the lamp to be
Cooked As it became heated the pea
swellcd to triple its original size, and j
was then seen that the true color Of the
opium was golden brown, and not black.
During the cooking the opium gave of
pleasant odor, resembling that Of roast
ing peanuts. When it had been heated
q few seconds the smoker rolled the pei
let upon the smooth surface Of the bowl
Of the pipe The pipe was held near the
lamp in the left hand. The operation Of
cooking or ''chying' the opium, was al
ternated until the opium became Of con