caused by burning certain herbs wrapped in a dry leaf, which outer
covering was called "tabaco." Las Casas, who carefully describes this
process of imbibing smoke, mentions that the Indians, when questioned
about it, said that it took away fatigue, and that he has known Spaniards
in the island of Hispaniola who adopted the same habit, and who, being
reproved for it as a vice, replied that it was not in their power to leave
it off. "I do not know," he adds, "what savour or profit they found in
them" (tabacos). I cannot help thinking that there were several periods in
his own life, when these strange fumigations would have afforded him
singular soothing and comfort. However that may be, there can be no doubt
of the importance, financially and commercially speaking, of this
discovery of tobacco; a discovery which, in the end, proved more
productive to the Spanish Crown, than that of the gold mines of the
Indies.

The excellent relations that existed between the expedition of Columbus
and the inhabitants of Cuba may be seen from the fact that these two
Christians, who were the first witnesses of tobacco smoking, and who
travelled with only two Indian attendants, were everywhere well and
reverently received.


GOLD ORNAMENT'S OBSERVED.

Resuming the thread of the history, it remains to be seen what more
Columbus did and suffered in this voyage. The first Indians he met with
had some few gold ornaments about them--poor wretches, if they had
possessed the slightest gift of prophecy, they would have thrown these
baubles into the deepest sea;--and they were asked whence came this gold?
From a race, they said, living southwards, where there was a great king,