New-York tribune., 1901-08-25

hands Of the workmen in the manufacturing
room. Here are a number of scales at which
large tin vessels filled with opium from the vats
are being weighed. As each vessel passes the
scales a carrier snatches il up and darts into
the caking room. where the opium is being
packed in the form in which John Chinaman is
accustomed to obtain it from the merchant
princes who deal in this expensive luxury.
The hum Of many voices gradually increasing
in strength has for some time warned US that
near the Caking room. As steps into this
long and crowded hall the first sensation is one of
beWllderment A thousand men are around US.
all working as if their lives depended upon the
rate which they could turn out their task.
Again it strikes very forcibly that, if the
poUpy-Sod sleeps, his wOrkmen unusually
wide awake.
number Of iron cages occupy the central pOr
ton Of the room. in each Of which sits placid
WelshInan. weighing out opium as calmly as
the fat bunniah in the bazaar weighs out his
doles Of aGGlterated -four and weeYii-eaten
grain To each cage there iS a little door at
which platter in hand. stoops an expectant
sprite. The help OF opium is deity tilted into the
platter and the sprite is off and lost in the long
line of similar brown imps. all standing before
their masters the cakemakeTs. The movements
90 this sepja squire guide US to where the cake
makers sit arranged in two long rows on the
opposite sides OF the room. Upon the walls
over each mans head is a white circle with his
number in black painted on it.
Let stand before No. l. who presumably,
from his number is the doyen Of the craft, and
see what his deft fingers making. He him
self is . in the prime Of life, with shapely
mead ana fne aQulllne features. a small we'll
trimmed black mustache curls fercely over his
lips, his large eyes are fuH- OF intelligence aHs
his long slender fingers move swiftly and al
most mechanically about his work He is
Brahman of the Brahmans. and is cOurteously
addressed by all men Of inferior caste as Ma
haraJ CGreat king') when they speak him.
de - sitting on low, slopiDg stool, stripped 10
his Waistcloth. for il i May and the temperature
OF the room * unspeak kable. although il is only
about ? o'clock in the morning. Great beads of
peTSp4ratIon stand on his back and little streams
Tlckie down his shoulders To his elbows We
ourselves. though our progress has been a leis-
urely walk. mOppng our fOreheads as W..
go along But Mahadeo Maharaj as he is pop
ularly known. is too absorbed in his work 20
pay much attention the heat.
He bends down 70 a tray before his feet. in
which lies brass cup. Near the edge Of the
tray Is platter with a pat of opium on it, 4
small cup full Of some liquid substance. which
w are told Is opium. Is on ms right and on his
left Is q pile Of what looks not unlike a number
Of pancakes. but which really wrappers
made of the petals of the poppy flower. Hooked
On - the edge OF his tray is ittle tin box fun
of paper tickets bearing his number. Before him
his assistant kneels, TeVeTently holding one of
the WRAPPERS in his hands Mahadeo shoots
glance Al Us out OF those keen eyes OF his and
then sets 10 work with complete calmness He
has played before a bigger audience ere now.
Tor the great Lord Sahlb. who rules over Ben
gal mas watched him making cakes. Tearing
the leaf his assistant hands him 70 convenient
size. NJ cefty arranges it in the brass cup and
stnears II over with the liquid opium. Bit after
III he adds his fingers moving ike the needle
~ a sewing machine, until a nice soft bed of
ir--I mas been made Inen IN a moment he turns
the opium into it. and. drawing up the edge Of
the leaf- covers it up. and. in a manner which
batti-s description. makes in a few minutes =
perfect s. here which n shakes out of the cup
on 10 the palm of his left hand and adorns with
one of the little tickets from his tin box. lie
then hands the cake as this sphere is called.
10 his attendant, who receives il carefully in
the palms of his joined hands for il is Yet soft
ana pulTy and bears IL away TO the examiner.
The examiner has not much trouble with this
cake, which = symmetrical in shape and OF the
Qleif 10 he
sIrite. who takes il of a large box in which
q powdery looking substance resembling fine
bran l. kept. and dusts half OF il with this
Next, fitting IL with 4 little earthen cup from a
stack Of these articles he carries il out into the
The large stone paved yard crossed when on
our way 10 the malkhana storeroom. Here
h deposits il in front OF metal plaque bear
ing the Wnrkman's number and hurries back to
s-e that his masters wants properly at
tended 10.
like thirty-pound roundshot or some large
fruit than a cake. The name has however be-
come 50 welded with the history IF the manu-
faCture that, although Inappropriate il cannot
now be changed. y cake Of opium. then. when
ma ture Is not unlike an overgroWn wood apple
in appearance and color. The outer surface is
Sraylsh and smooth. When cut omen the like
ness 10 a fruit ~ some kind is still more strik-
ing. for the layers Of leaf in which the cake IS
about half an inch thick while the opium resem-
bles the pulp Of the fruit
II is not until the winter begins or some six
months after manufacture. that the cakes a re
considered mature enough for export They
are then packed in large wooden chests made in