Currently reading "Kydd" by Julian Stockwin, a novel about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. I thought you guys might appreciate this passage-
"Kydd looked at his friend, touched by his thought. He fiddled in his waistcoat. "And I have something f'r you," he said, bringing out a screw of paper, which he handed over.
Carefully Renzi undid the paper. Inside was a good six ounces of small dark whorls, thin disks of the most fragrant tobacco he had ever encountered. "My friend, this is magnificent!"
Kydd was well pleased at the unfeigned delight. He had learned how to make a prick of tobacco from one of the gunner's mates with whom he had shared a watch in one of the hanging magazines. A wad of good strong tobacco leaves was spread on flannel. Sprinkled with rum, it was rolled up and tied to a deckhead cleat with spun yarn, rotated tightly along its length and left for a week or so. The resulting hard plug was then cut with a razor-sharp knife into thin disks of shag.
Appreciatively, Renzi drew out his clay pipe and rubbed himself a fill. Soon a powerful fragrance was on the wind and Renzi settled back against the carronade slide with a comfortable sigh."
