The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1895-04-05
HASHEESH SMOKING.
A PREVAILING HABIT AMONG THE
TURKS AND PERSlANS.

ES Produces Vivid Dreams, Sometimes
Causes Terrible Suffering and Is Always
Dangerous-Illicitly Sold In the Bazaars
of Constantinople.
A traveller returned from an extensive
sojourn in Turkey has this to say Of the
famous drug:
Among my purchases at the drugs
bazaar at Constantinople was hasheesh
1t is strictly illegal to buy or sell this,
and the vender made great show of
mystery about the transaction, besides
charging me ten times the right price.
1t is soft black stick or coil, mado
with indian hemp and sundry sweet es-
sences. 1t may either be drunk with
water, eaten as it is, smoked i'll hubble
bubbles or smoked in little terra Gotta
pipes.
1t is said to have the power of con-
ferring dual personality upon those
who take it. Their dreams are extraor
dinarily vivid, and every detail of them
is remembered for long time after
ward. They do not 60 off to sleep, but
have kind of fit, which does not sound
particularly agreeable, though for some
reason or other is evidently popular.
These at least are said to be the COM
monest effects of the drug, but it affects
different people in different ways, and
SO some get no further than q bad head
ache.
1t has been used by magicians ever
since the middle ages. l remember dur
ing the esoteric Buddhism craze some
years ago a friend Of mine who was
bitten by it got hold of some hasheesh
and ate it, in the expectation of being
able to project his soul across the gar
den. The hasheesh was badly mixed, and
heavy dose of it had no effect what
ever.
He found that his soul persisted in
remaining where it was. So lie grew
bold and helped himself to another
lump in which all the strength Of the
hemp happened to be concentrated. The
result was that two doctors had to walk
him up and down the garden all night
to prevent his falling into sleep that
would know no waking.
Though its use is forbidden i'll Con-
stantinople, hashoesh is said to be extern
sively smoked there, especially among
the Persians. l told my guide that
must see this sight and after a great
| deal Of trouble l managed to get taken
| to real hasheesh den. 1t was fairly
| large square room, with Il divan run
ming all around it. The walls were
hi hDI and tho tba
floor We're cheap and shabby. One COM
mon oil lamp hung from the ceiling
| with big green shade The center of
the room was empty, and there were no
tables or looking glasses i'll it. Two
men were squatting Turkish fashion on
the divan
For long time they seemed to be i'll
kind Of trance, slabbering at the cor
ners Of their lips and muttering like
them became livelier and more excited.
He burst into wild laugh which shook
his whole body. He placed his hand tc
his nose, and beginning to stroke it at
the top passed his hand down into the
air as if his nose had reached an inordi,
nate length
An attendant passed by with coffee
cup and the smoker made wild effort
to turn aside his head, angrily telling
the attendant to be off, as he was tread
ing Oh his nose Then came another
wild burst of laughter, and the fit was
at all end.
His reason gradually seemed to ge
the upper hand, and he proceeded tt
express his wonder that he could have
fancied that his nose had grown SO long
Then, putting his hand up to it, he re
marked, "All the same, it is hurting
me confoundedly-jus as if some ont
had twisted it roughly" And, sur'
enough, the nose was unnaturally red
1t is said that under the influence O
hasheesh you know neither time nc
place, and that if you fix your thought
on some place, however distant, that yol
have never seen you obtain a clear ant
accurate image of it. 1 was told stor,
of man who had taken hasheesh witt
the determination to penetrate beyon
the grave and find out all about the frl
ture life.
He soon exclaimed that he was feel
ing very cold, then that he was goin!
to die. He grew very pale his feet be
came numb, and the cold began to ge
complete possession of him. His sens
Of hearing became indistinct. Every
, thing seemed to grow dark around him
and he called for light Then he stretche
out his limbs and remained fixed an
immovable. A cold thick sweat was a.
over him, and the pallor Of death ws
I Oh his face.
Then the attendant thought it WI
time to come to the rescue, and he rul
: bed his face and nostrils with lemo
/ juice and made him sit up The ma
t presently opened his eyes and absent
: tipped cup of coffee that was brouel