MASTICHE 207 



proceeded to rebel against the Emperor, becoming 

 sovereigns of Scio. Subdued by Andronicus III, the 

 island was retaken, 1346, by the Genoese, a company 

 called the Giustianiani being formed to do "mastic" 

 and other business. This company was very rich, com- 

 paring with the famous East India Company, having its 

 own mint, constitution and government, and even engag- 

 ing in wars with the Turks. Severe was their law con- 

 cerning mastic, cruel their punishment of intruders or 

 offenders. In 1566 the Turks captured the island, which 

 since that date has been under Moslem rule. The trib- 

 ute they levied on the inhabitants was that the ladies 

 of the Sultan's harem should be supplied, free of all ex- 

 pense, with all needed supplies of the choicest mastic. 

 On account of its mastic, the little island of Chio has, 

 from the earliest days, been a center of Oriental interest, 

 but owing to the waning importance of mastic it has lost 

 its former prestige, though it is still famed for its resin. 



DESCRIPTION. The mastic tree or shrub grows to 

 the size of a small, scraggly crab tree, but is more bush- 

 like. Much does it resemble the cratsegus tree of 

 America. Its bark and small limbs carry numerous 

 ducts that are prone to part with their resinous secre- 

 tion. This, as it exudes, is brilliant, colorless, water- 

 white, about the consistence of glycerin or honey, ex- 

 uding from abrasions, or even forcing itself through the 

 natural bark, dripping therefrom in tears. I even 

 observed limbs without any visible abrasions, yet glis- 

 tening with tears. The slightest abrasion is followed by 

 an abundant flow of gum. 



METHOD OF COLLECTION. About June the ground 

 below the trees is cleaned of trash, and roughly pre- 

 pared to catch the drip. The branches are then lav- 



