DRUGS. 



from Abyssinia and Arabia, which, although they are not likely to survive 

 the voyage thence, are certainly from two varieties at least, of olibanum trees, 

 one being undoubtedly from the B. papyri/era. The other approached the 

 indigenous B. thurifera. I shall shortly however receive from Captain 

 Playfair plants of olibanum from different spots in Arabia and Africa, 

 with samples of the incense actually gathered from them, at these places, 

 correspondingly numbered. This will likely elucidate all disputed points. 

 Mr. Vaughan gives the following as the different kinds of Luban imported 

 for sale into Aden market : 



Luban maitee, from Bunder Mai t, collected chiefly by the Abardagahala 

 Somalis during the months of July and August. 



Luban nankur or aungure from Bunder Aungure and the country of 

 Door Mahomed, and the Abardagahala Somalis. 



Luban makur from the ports of Ras Rurree, Khor Bunder, Alholu, 

 Murya, and Bunder Khasoom in the country of the Wursangali and Mij- 

 jerthen Somalis about Cape Gardafui. The drug is collected in March, 

 April, and May, and chiefly finds its way to Bombay through the entre- 

 pots of Maccula and Shehr. 



Luban berbera or muslika, collected by the Aial Yunus and Aial Hamed 

 Somalis ; and lastly the Olibanum of the Libanoforous Region of Ptolemy, 

 or Arabian olibanum (of which Vaughan does not give the local name), 

 exported from the ports of the Hadramautin enormous quantities to Bom- 

 bay, and hence shipped to all parts of the world. Carter writing of the 

 Arabian thuriferous district observes : " Coming from the north-east we first 

 meet with the frankincense tree on the Sabhan mountains, in latitude 1 7 

 30' N. and longitude 55 23' E., where the desert ends, and the wooded 

 mountainous region commences, and following the coast which runs south- 

 west, we find the frankincense exported from the different towns, gradually 

 diminishing after the Bay of Al Kammar, until we arrive at Makalla, from 

 whence none is exported from the interior of Arabia, and but little used ex- 

 cept what is brought from the African Coast opposite that town. By the same 

 inquiry we learn that the produce of the Arabian tree is exported in 

 largest quantities from places on that part of the Coast which intervene 

 between the latitude and longitude mentioned, and the town of Damkote, 

 in the Bay of Al Kammar, in 52 47' East longitude. Between these two 

 points the trees are congregated in two distinct localities, on the summits 

 and sides of the highest range of mountains near the Coast, and on the 

 plain between them and the sea : the former is called Nedjee or high land, 

 and the latter Sahil or plain on the coast/' He observes also that Ibn 

 Batuta calls the tree Al Kundooroo. Colebrooke would derive the 

 Greek word x^pos from Cundum, one Sanscrit designation of frankin- 

 bense. Why is the great frankincense port of Arabia called Al Kammar ? 

 Did it give its name to, or receive it from Frankincense ? The high price 

 of this gum-resin in ancient times arose from the trade in it being a mono- 

 poly, and from its extravagant use in religious ceremonies. Besides the 

 Salai we have in India the Boswellia ylabra (Koonthrekum, Mai. Koon- 

 dricum y Tarn. Googoola, Tel.), which yields a fragrant resin known as 

 Goondricum ; and m the Bhore Ghat the Canarium stricturn (Rox.) goes 

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