237 



NOTE to the communication on the subject of Mummy 

 Wheat, page 176. 



Just as the last sheet was sent to press, our attention was 

 obligingly drawn by Mr. Cox to the following interesting 

 extract from an old Italian work by Andrea Navagero (or 

 Naugerius), entitled " Viaggio in Ispagna/' published in 1563, 

 and reprinted in his Ojpera Omnia in 1718. It must be borne 

 in mind that Granada was a stronghold of the Moors, and that 

 before their banishment from Spain the mountains became 

 their retreat. They doubtlessly cultivated the medicinal herbs 

 referred to, and probably sowed the seeds of " corn with many 

 ears" — frumento di tante spighe — brought originally, it may 

 be, from the East. After describing the rivers, the Darro and 

 the Xenil, the author says — " Vicino a Granata a leghe cinque 

 o sei, ha una gran montagna, e molto alta, che, per esser 

 sempre con nevi, si chiama La Sierra Nevada. Questa non fa 

 rinverno fteddo in Granata, per esser dalla parte di mezzo- 

 giorno alia citth, ; e la state vi fa fresco per la continua neve 

 che ha, la quale usano anche assai a here in Granata ne' 

 gran caldi. E' la detta montagna abbondante di molte erbe 

 medicinali ; ed in questa trovarono il frumento di tante spigJm" 

 He then goes on to mention a small lake upon the summit, so 

 deep that its waters look black. 



Mr. Cox, who is intimately acquainted with Egypt from 

 residence in the country, has failed to find that corn grows 

 there like that described. It were singular did the Arabs 

 possess seeds so curious, only to introduce them into mummies 

 and then to dispose of them to travellers as genuine. As it is, 

 the note contains evidence in favour of the antiquity claimed 

 for " mummy wheat," Navagero was bom in the year 1483, 

 of an ancient Venetian family, and travelled into Spain " partie 

 du recaeil de documents historique intitule — Relations des 

 Ambassadeurs Fenetiens sur les affaires de Francey au xvi« 

 Steele:" Brunet, Manuel du Libraire, 184-3. — Editoe. 



