"The best pipe-heads are those wrought in stone by the hands of the Bedouins; the better stone is found two days below Heju and by Teyma. Besides they use the sebil, or earthenware tube of the Syrian haj market. Their galliun (tobacco pipe) stem is made of the branch of some wild fig-tree, grown by desert waters, or of plum-tree from the oasis; they bore it with a red-hot iron, over evening watch-fires.
As many Bedouin heads, so many galliuns, with commonly nothing to put in them. Is any man seen to have any of the coveted leaf, knotted in his kerchief, he durst not deny to divide it with them, - which if he witheld, yet pretending mirth, the rest would have it of him perforce.
If there be none found among them, they sit raking the old filth of their galliums and with sorry cheer put the coal upon that, which they have mixed with a little powdered dry camel-dung or some sere herbage: thus they taste at least a savour (such sweetness to them) of tobacco, whereof, when they are anywhile deprived, I have seen them chop their pipe stems small for the little tobacco moisture which remained in them: and lyinga coal upon this drenched wood they `drink` in the fume with a last solace."
As many Bedouin heads, so many galliuns, with commonly nothing to put in them. Is any man seen to have any of the coveted leaf, knotted in his kerchief, he durst not deny to divide it with them, - which if he witheld, yet pretending mirth, the rest would have it of him perforce.
If there be none found among them, they sit raking the old filth of their galliums and with sorry cheer put the coal upon that, which they have mixed with a little powdered dry camel-dung or some sere herbage: thus they taste at least a savour (such sweetness to them) of tobacco, whereof, when they are anywhile deprived, I have seen them chop their pipe stems small for the little tobacco moisture which remained in them: and lyinga coal upon this drenched wood they `drink` in the fume with a last solace."
Charles Doughty - Arabia Deserta
Experiente care trec dincolo de timp si spatiu: singura data cand m-am simtzit sarac a fost atunci cand nu am avut cu ce sa imi cumpar tutun.
Ciudat, tocmai mi s-a terminat rezerva de English Mixture de la Davidoff si dintr-o data ma simt la fel de sarac ca atunci, desi pe raft ma asteapta cumintzi alte opt felurite cutii, pline de promisiuni. Am castigat sau am pierdut toate aceste lucruri, care s-au intamplat undeva intre aceste cinzeci de grame de tutun? Cine stie...
Dramaluiti-va viata cu grija de negustor berber, zic. Last pufs, apoi Arabia Deserta.
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