Sir Richard Francis Burton on Latakia

[Bear Graves]

RFB, Dressed as a Dervish on Haj, traveled extensively throughout Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, writing and comment on all he saw and experienced. Being a devout pipe smoker, of course, Tobacco caught his attention. Here is an entry in his diary:

There are four types of tobacco smoked in Egypt. The first and best is the well known Latakia, also called "Jabali". Either from a small seaport town, about 3 hours south of Latakia or, more probably, because grown on the hills near the ancient Ladocia.
Pure, it is known by its blackish colour, fine shredding, absence of stalk, and an indescribable odour, to me resembling that of creosote; the leaf too is small, so that when made into cigars, it must be covered over with a slip of the yellow Turkish tobacco, called "Bafra".
Except in the highest houses, unadulterated Latakia is not to be found in Cairo. Yet, mixed as it is, no other leaf exceeds it in flavour and fragrance. The best Jabali in Cairo costs about seven piastres the pound; after which a small sum must be paid to the Farram, or chopper who prepares it for me......."

He also writes of the other tobacco available in the area. If ya get bored enough, and want it, I can post those observations as well.

Best,
Bear Graves
 

[Mike Kidd]

Bear, are the diaries published or are they found in a biography?
Mike

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause
and reflect."
-Mark Twain

[Bear Graves]

Published!

Mike Kidd wrote:

--
Bear Graves
BOB: "Oh come, now. You wanted to be Krusty's sidekick since you were
five! What about the buffoon lessons? The four years at clown college?"
CECIL: "I'll thank you not to refer to Princeton that way."
Brother from another series; The Simpsons

[David Mustoe]

Made into cigars?!  Sounds pretty interesting.  So, there seems to be some precedent for its being smoked straight, at least by those who could afford to do so.

--
Remove the "ENEMA" to reply directly.

"Bear Graves" <goldn...@home.com> wrote in message news:3C1B7188...@home.com...

[Bill McClain]

Bear, I for one would love it if you would go to the trouble. I think
it's worth the bandwidth and the typing -- the excerpt you provided
was fascinating.

[lightsmith]

After reading Bear's posting on Sir Richard Francis Burton, I did some
searching and found this site: http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/burton/
and through it I wound up at the Making of America website:
http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=moa&cc=moa&sid=343c4d383b8f5f
fc4aaa3d18704d35fc&tpl=home.tpl where you can find Burtons account of
traveling to Salt Lake City.
He makes mention a taking along "the most satisfactory outfit" of "a
quantum sufficit of Louisiana Pirique and Lynchburg gold-leaf --cavendish
without its abomination of rum and honey or molasses-- and two pipes, a
meerschaum for luxury, and a brier-root to fall back on when the meerschaum
shall have been stolen."
most assuredly an interesting character.
Regards,
Tim

"Mike Kidd" <mike...@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20011215123430...@mb-mn.aol.com...

[Bear Graves]

I'm warming up the typing fingers as we "speke*" <g>

*style points for the reference

Bill McClain wrote:

--
Bear Graves

"Gate, gate, paragate, parasam gate, Bodhisatva"
-Heart Sutra