[Among the Bali] the meeting of two men, one of whom is without his pipe, is an amusing incident. The more fortunate of the two inhales deeply several times, and at each expiration puffs the clouds into the widely opened mouth of the less fortunate. The two then separate without a word having been spoken. This complimentary greeting is permissible only when the men are social equals. Buttikofer . . . describes the way in which men, women, and children would gather round him when he smoked. The leader of these uninvited guests came close enough to inhale the smoke as it was ejected. For a few moments he retained it, then blew it into the mouth of a companion, the process being continued until each had received a puff, or the smoke was exhausted. [According to Skertchly, who was a prisoner at the court of the King of Dahomey] during ceremonial speeches, which were lengthy and tedious, the king’s head smoker was prowling about with an immense wooden pipe from which he blew clouds of smoke in the faces of the guests. This may appear rude and aggressive; but, although Skertchly does not say so, the custom was probably a mark of favor. Instances of puffing smoke from the mouth of a headman to the mouth of a guest seated next to him have been recorded in recent times. The official smoker of the Dahoman king wore a robe of brown cloth sewn all over with long strips in imitation of tobacco leaves, while a necklace of pipe bowls completed his equipment.¹

¹Hambly, W.D.n/an/an/an/a, "Tobacco and Its Use in Africa," , 24, 21.