Observations placeholder

David Livingstone

The performances of a group of matokwane smokers are somewhat grotesque; they are provided with a calabash of pure water, a split bamboo, five feet long, a great pipe, which has a large calabash of kudu’s horn chamber to contain the water, through which the smoke is drawn Narghille fashion, on its way to the mouth.  Each smoker takes a few whiffs, the last being an extra long one, and hands the pipe to his neighbour.

He seems to swallow the fumes; for striving against the convulsive action of the muscles of the chest and the throat, he takes a mouthful of water from the calabash, waits a few seconds and then pours water and smoke from his mouth down the groove of the bamboo.

The smoke causes violent coughing in all.............

We had ample opportunity for observing the effects of this matokwane smoking on our men.  It makes them feel very strong in body, but it produces exactly the opposite effect upon the mind.  Two of our finest young men became inveterate smokers, and partially idiotic.