YARKAND.
As Pipes are made out of every conceivable material we cannot be surprised that where “Iade” has its habitat that there its services should be enlisted & utilized—& so it is: The “Yarkand” River has much Iade but to work it & bore it for a pipe must not only involve great care & consummate skill, but necessitate rarity of production The wooden & more humble confrere is much more general & very easily made anywhere. The Dark clay “chillum” belongs to a Gourd Pipe.
YARKAND & BOKHARA.
Having noticed the exceptional Iade we come to the more common Gourd Pipe in fact our “Gourd Period”. They are doubtless received with favor on account of their lightness and the example given is from one in the India Museum where they seem to be of much the same character. The Gourd of about 12 inches in length. The wooden. Bowl carrier curiously turned in rings & the Bowl itself of dark clay The ornamentation is in some cases very elaborate in this case a mixture of Persian & Chinese.
ASSAM · KHYBER & BURMAH.
Bamboo is wonderfully useful in so many ways & now it comes before us as the very simplest of Pipe Bowls, the joint forming the base. This is north “Assam.”
The Pipe of the AFRIDI tribe at the South entrance to the KHYBER PASS has a very small brass bowl. Two pieces of wood are scooped out for the bore & bound together with leather. This pipe is promoted to a Wooden Case with carved ornamentation. The Pipe of KAKHYEN N. IRRAWADDY RIV. BURMAH has a very long bowl, the lower held in the hand & the bent Bamboo example is so formed to be carried on the arm.
CHINA & COREA.
Still working to the Eastward we come to the land the ancient land of Iohn China-man, a land of small bowls & jade mouthpieces & water pipes in the shops for the inveigling of undecided customers and for the more definite explanation of small bowls the full sizes are now traced here for reference..—Diams.
Illustration caption:
Full sizes.
A·D 1820
White metal Brass. White metal
The Pipes of Corea have longer stems & the Bowls are flatter as shewn & they are brass..
OPIUM
This is a serious matter to approach especially as it has a very bad character—and has been black balled all round & generally tabooed. After careful research & unbiased study of its merits & demerits we must confess that it is unduly maligned, as the most useful of Colonists, The Chinese, work in all the hottest & most unhealthy parts of the world. & are generally very healthy which may be attributed to the moderate use of the so called Demon OPIUM. The largest employers of Chinese labour never object to the use of it & It is made from the White Poppy. “PAPAYER SOMNIFERUM.”
