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New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 8, 18 August 1939, Page 16

66 99 ENGLISH PIRATES DISCOVER TOBACCO Indian Habit Brought to England During the war between England and Spain, in 1558, men like Admiral Hawkins, Drake and Raleigh, were brought into contact with the natives of Southern America, and were thus enabled to make their first acquaint- ance with the use of tobacco in the very land of its origin Hawkins, de scribing his second voyage (1564-65 ) notes the existence of smoking among the natives of Florida, but he like others, completely misunderstood their object, his theory being that they smoked in order to appease their hun ger, since they were thus able to g0 for 4 or 5 days without eating or OKI Tobacco Arrives in England It was about this time that & few specimens of the tobacco plant, to- gether with the seed, found their way to England by way of Portugal and France. There has been much dispute FO R as to who can claim the honour of having first introduced the plant into Britain, but it is known that it was brought from America by the sea cap- tains who were the first to smoke publicly in the streets of London, to the great amusement of the people K who collected in groups to see So strange and incomprehensible a sight. In England, as opposed to the Con V: tinent, tobacco seems to have been regarded from the first, less as a medicinal herb than as the means by which the pleasant habit of smoking might be enjoyed: MYRTLE GROVE, smooth Sir Walter Raleigh'$ Influence smoking and smooth rolling: on Smoking To Sir Walter Raleigh, Queen Eliza i8 the only cigarette tobacco beth assigned the royal privilege of exploring unknown lands and plant- in l-02. tins at lld small ing colonies in North America After founding Virginia he returned to Eng enough to fit snugly in the land and was immediately followed by his fellow captains, Amadas and vest pocket large enough Barlow, who brought three "Indians" from Virginia with them. These men, for a packet unable to give up their habit of smok- ing, brought supplies of tobacco with of papers. them; and Raleigh was thus able to acquaint himself with their method 0f using it. 7 Raleigh' $ Home; "Myrtle Grove Before sailing on his next voyage of 0 exploration, Raleigh became the owner of Myrtle Grove, a rambling two-storied mansion situated on the 0 hills overlooking Youghal Bay in the County 0f Cork; Ireland. It is inter- 2-02. esting to note that the now famous Myrtle Grove Tobacco took its name c Tins are from this historic home on the East Coast of Ireland. Any dis criminating buce 1/11 pure tobacco smoker will appreciate at Gn once that such a cherished blend as T; SIove rich Virginia Leaf Myrtle Grove is worthy of the hon- "iMmnele ' oured name it possesses: MT.1:24 GROVE URE VERO INEA TBACe Cop