Chapter HOSBOLHOOKUM to HUBSHEE of H by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

grew and prouder.”

H. M. Parker, in Bengal Annual, 119.

1856.—

“But she, the gallant lady, holding fast
With one soft arm the jewelled howdah’s side,
Still with the other circles tight the babe
Sore smitten by a cruel shaft …”

The Banyan Tree, a Poem.

1863.—“Elephants are also liable to be disabled … ulcers arise from neglect or carelessness in fitting on the howdah.”— Sat. Review, Sept. 6, 312.

HUBBA, s. A grain; a jot or tittle. Ar. habba. 1786—“For two years we have not received a hubba on account of our tunkaw, though the ministers have annually charged a lac of rupees, and never paid us anything.”—In Art. agst. Hastings, Burke, vii. 141.

[1836.—“The habbeh (or grain of barley) is the 48th part of dirhem, or third of a keerat … or in commerce fully equal to an English grain.”—Lane, Mod. Egypt., ii. 326.]

HUBBLE-BUBBLE, s. An onomatopoeia applied to the hooka in its rudimentary form, as used by the masses in India. Tobacco, or a mixture containing tobacco amongst other things, is placed with embers in a terra-cotta chillum (q.v.), from which a reed carries the smoke into a coconut shell half full of water, and the smoke is drawn through a hole in the side, generally without any kind of mouth-piece, making a bubbling or gurgling sound. An elaborate description is given in Terry’s Voyage (see below), and another in Govinda Samanta, i. 29 (1872).

1616.—“… they have little Earthen Pots … having a narrow neck and an open round top, out of the belly of which comes a small spout, to the lower part of which spout they fill the Pot with water: then putting their Tobacco loose in the top, and a burning coal upon it, they having first fastned a very small strait hollow Cane or Reed … within that spout … the Pot standing on the ground, draw that smoak into their mouths, which first falls upon the Superficies of the water, and much discolours it. And this way of taking their Tobacco, they believe makes it much more cool and wholsom.”—Terry, ed. 1665, p. 363.

c. 1630.—“Tobacco is of great account here; not strong (as our men love), but weake and leafie; suckt out of long canes call’d hubble - bubbles …”—Sir. T. Herbert, 28.

1673.—“Coming back I found my trouble-some Comrade very merry, and packing up his Household Stuff, his Bang bowl, and Hubble-bubble, to go along with me.”— Fryer, 127.

1673.—“… bolstered up with embroidered Cushions, smoaking out of a silver Hubble-bubble.”—Fryer, 131.

1697.—“… Yesterday the King’s Dewan, and this day the King’s Buxee … arrived … to each of whom sent two bottles of Rose-water, and a glass Hubble-bubble, with a compliment.”—In Wheeler, i. 318.

c. 1760.—See Grose, i. 146.

1811.—“Cette manière de fumer est extrêmement commune … on la nomme Hubbel de Bubbel.”—Solvyns, tom. iii.

1868.—“His (the Dyak’s) favourite pipe is a huge Hubble-bubble.”—Wallace, Mal. Archip., ed. 1880, p. 80.

HUBSHEE, n.p. Ar. Habashi, P. Habshi, ‘an Abyssinian,’ an Ethiopian, a negro. The name is often speci fically applied to the chief of Jinjira on the western coast, who is the descendant of an Abyssinian family.

1298.—“There are numerous cities and villages in this province of Abash, and many merchants.”—Marco Polo, 2nd ed. ii. 425.

[c. 1346.—“Habshis.” See under COLOMBO.]

1553.—“At this time, among certain Moors, who came to sell provisions to the ships, had come three Abeshis (Abexijs) of the country of the Prester John …”— Barros, I. iv. 4.

[1612.—“Sent away the Thomas towards the Habash coast.”—Danvers, Letters, i. 166; “The Habesh shore.”—Ibid. i. 131.

[c. 1661.—“… on my way to Gonder, the capital of Habech, or Kingdom of Ethiopia.”—Bernier, ed. Constable, 2.]

1673.—“Cowis Cawn, an Hobsy or Arabian Coffery (Caffer).”—Fryer, 147.

1681.—“Habessini … nunc passim nominantur; vocabulo ab Arabibus