The ocean of story, being C.H. Tawney's translation of Somadeva's ...

286 THE OCEAN OF STORY
and so the Nagas frequently substitute the bark of a certain
root for the nut. This may mean that they brought the habit
with them into the hills and have been keeping it up in spite
of the scarcity of one of the principal ingredients, or else they
may have learned the habit from others since taking up their
1
present abode.
T. C. Hodson 2
quotes Dr Brown 3 as saying that the
Manipuris, both male and female, are inveterate chewers
of pan supdri. The whole of this is brought from the neighbouring
district of Cachar, and forms a considerable trade.
The betel-nut-tree will not grow in Manipur territory.
The Shans of Northern Burma are also very addicted to
the habit, and their teeth become black and shiny. So far
from considering this a blemish, they look upon it as a mark
"
of :
beauty, saying All beasts have white teeth."
Mr Leslie Mills 4
gives an interesting account of the
method of making lime for chewing. A place is chosen in
the jungle where firewood is easily found, and where limestone
blocks are near at hand. A round hole or pit, six feet
in diameter and five feet in depth, is dug. Then a similar
excavation is made near it, the intervening ground being
pierced near the bottom of the pits to unite them. The first
hole is filled with limestones, which are placed with care,
leaving plenty of fissures through the mass, so that fire and
smoke may pass between the stones. In the second pit a
the
fire is made, then plenty of wood is piled on the flames ;
top is covered, so that the smoke and fire can find an exit only
the limestones of the first hole. Lime thus made
through
is sometimes sold without further preparations, but often
turmeric is beaten into it, making it red. When areca-nut is
chewed, lime is always added, and sometimes cutch, tobacco
and spices folded in a betel leaf.
Writing under the pseudonym of Shway Yoe, 5 Sir George
Scott gives us a very clear description of betel-chewing in
Burma. It is sometimes carried on simultaneously with
smoking, but most people prefer to economise enjoyment,
and chew only in the interval between smokes. Chewing is
1 See, further, Smith, op. cit, pp. 155, 158 and l6l.
2 T. C. Hodson, The Meitheis, 1 908, p. 48.
3 R. Brown, Annual Report on the Munnipore Political Agency, 1874, p. S3.
4 Shans at Home, 1910, p. 173.
5 The Burman, his Life and Notions, p. 71. For a short description of
Burmese betel-boxes see p. 273.