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Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 645, 11 February 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ; INTRODUCTION OF TOBACCO. \ When Christopher Columbus,; in 1492, first set, foot in.the island .of Cuba,, he saw, amongst other grange,.cust6ms, r the natives gather.;the leaves of a plant, dry these leaves, roll them into, the form :of. a torch, light the torch, .put the.'unigni(eaVend in' the mouth,, and breathe the smoke.. .Such is the first account we have handed ..down to us ~of the manufacture and uses of the, " mild Hayanna." Subsequently, when Columbus and his gold-hunting, associates gained the .main continent of America, they saw a.similar custom' everywhere in force among all classes, slightly .varied as to detail, some; using pipes, and others, preferring the Cuban .method of cigar-smoking. Nor were ch'ewin g and snuff taking unknown to the Mexicans and Peruvians. ■ The Mexican priests, in'particular, were in the habit of taking snuff profusely, .'for the' purpose of clearing their brains and. exalting their intellects. From the aborigines of America, tobacco first passed to the Spaniards, then to the Portuguese, then to the English, and it is now everywhere •" and despite a great deal of opposition shown to it, there is no great reason to suppose that tobacco chewing, smoking, or snuff-taking'will ever be abolished. Tobacco was first brought into Europe by Jean Nicot, French ambassador at the court of Portugal; hence the name Nicotiana given to the genus. It was this ambassador who, we are told, offered the first pinch of snuff to Catherine de, Medicis. The Queen was much pleased with the sensation, history informs us, took to "snuffing" with great ardour, and, becoming' the acknowledged ; patroness of anuff, tobacco was called in con-