The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-21
Discovery OF TOBACCO.
Used in Africa Long Before Sir Wal
ter HeleiR CHS Tine.


ter Helei CHS Time.
From G3ldthtcdife's Geographical Magazine.
II has generally Teen supposed that the
uses Of tobacco were not known outside Of
America ard its islands before the discov-
cry Of the western world
While convincing proof to the contrary
has not been obtained, the explorations OF
recent Years have raised the questic;.
whether the tobacco habit in the fifteenth
century was not far more widely prevalent
than has been believed.
Il is learned that among many of the
Pacific islands the natives used tobacco
long before they were visited by white men,
as there is no tradition among them OF
time when their fathers did not under
stand the culture and uses Of the tobacco
plant.
Throughout inner Africa also the use OF
tobacco is universally kno wn, and there is
every reason TO believe that some of the va
rieties Of the tobacco plant in common use
are indigenous.
For all we know-to the contrary, the saw
known at the time Columbus discovered
America, were putting their pipes long be-
fore he made himself famous.
There is no doubt that the discovery OF
American tobacco had considerable infiu-
ence npon the tobacco habit Of Africa, If it
did not actually introduce it. Our common
Virginia tobacco was carried far up the
Nile to Equatorial Africa, loag before
white men penetrated TO that region.
Scnweinfurth was the first to discover
that this imported plant is in use among
several Of the Bahr-el-Ghasal and Welle-
Maku tribes, and it is a curious fact that
the savages who use this exotic have no
native name for it.
Each tribe has its own name for the native
variety of tobacco, but the appellations that
Africans apply to the imported plant show
Enthusiastically that they are derived, one
and all, from the word tobacco.
SO far as this large region, at least. is in
debted to America for an improved quality
of the weed the obligation seems TO be ac-
knowledged in the names given to the
article. But the indigenous varities are far
more prevalent and are largely used. even
where Virginia tobacco is cultivated.
And since the foreign source of the ex-
otto has been so easily discovered in the
language Of the people, 1t seems not un-
reasonable to suppose that in the greater
regions to which it has not extended. and
where no foreign influence is disoernible,
the smoking habit has an independent
origin.
1t is not at all certain that the white race
has prior claim even upon the invention of
the cigar. In all parts of New Guinea. the
been visited, tobacco is cultivated, and in
come of these districts the humble pipe con-
tributes nothing to the enjoyment Of the
weed and is not even known.
DIR. Maclay saw natives with crude-look-
ing cigars in their mouths, who had never
seen a white man before, and thought he
had dropped from the sky. DR.. Finesh, who
some years later explored the coast for hun
dreds of miles. says the natives Of the
whole northeast coast OF New Guinea,
though inveterate smokers, had never
heard Of pipe and returned those which he
gave them all articles for which they had
no Use.
He says the roll the partly dried leaves
into a rude cigar, and, not being blessed
with Havana wrappers, they tie around
their cigar large green leaf from a tree.
Doubtless the vilest weeds sold on the
Bowery are superior to these products of
Papuan ingenuity, which hold fire 30 poorly
that live coal is always kept at hand to
revivify them. But they suit the native
taste and the people seem TO regard those
who draw tobacco smoke through pipe
stem as belonging to an inferior race Of
human beings.