134 



Hyacinth. 



Amethyst. 



Testudo. 



Imports. 



WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



delicate. The variety was endlefs, and fome of the ingredients 

 would feem now very fingular. They anointed themfelves with 

 fome kinds, to fupprefs the rank fmell of their bodies, and often 

 to prevent the effects of their intemperance and excefs in meats 

 and drinks, being too fenfibly perceived. Diofcorides and Pliny 

 fay, that the vegetable which yielded this perfume was a certain 

 water-plant, that floated on the furface, like what we call duck- 

 meat. , Gerard, p. 1534, called it I'alapatra, or Indian leaf, and 

 gives the figure of a Ihrub, related to the clove. 



The Hyacintbus, a pretious ftone, mentioned by Arrian as an 

 article of commerce. That of the antients approached the 

 Amethxjl in value and color. " Emicans^" fays Pliny, " in 

 " Amethyjio fulgor violaceus, dikitus eft in Hyacintbo'^ Thofe 

 of India were the moft valuable. 



The Tejludo Cbryfonetiotica was a fmall fpecies of land-tor- 

 toife, another export : it was fo called by the Greeks, being 

 marked as if with threads of gold ; this is a faithful defcrip- 

 tion given by the antients : Linnaus calls it I'edudo Geometrica ; 

 La Cepede gives a good figure of it in tab. ix. 



The imports here (for it is well to know the antient wants 

 of the countiy) were, a confiderable quantity of fpecie ; hence 

 we may account for finding in India the coins of Europe; chry^ 

 Jolites, an jElbiopian gem of a golden color; a few plain 

 cloths; Polymcta, or embroideries of different- colors ; Stimfni', 

 Coral, probably the red, from the Mediterranean fea, all 

 others abounding in the eaftern feas ; rude glafs, brafs, tin, 

 lead, a litde w'me, Samlarac, or red arfenic, Arfeniciim, or the 

 common, wheat for the ufe of the fliips only, being fcarcely 

 an article of commerce. 



6 All 



