BOOK XII. XVIII. ^:^ \i\. 36 



XVIII. On the frontier of India is a race called the Treexof 

 Arian, which has a thorn-bush that is valuable for the ^adj^mtto 

 juice that it distils, resembling myrrh. It is difficult fndia. 

 to get at this bush because it is hedged with thorns. 



In the same district there is also a poisonous bush- 

 radish," with the leaf of a bay-tree, the smell of which 

 attracts horses, and nearly robbed Alexander of his 

 cavalry when he first cntered the region. This also 

 happened in Gedrosia as well, on account of the 

 foHage of the bay-trees ; and in the same district a 

 thorn was reported the juice of which sprinkled on 

 the eyes caused bhndness in all animals. There 

 was also a plant with a very strong scent, that was 

 full of tiny snakes whose bite was instantly fatal. 

 Onesicritus reports that in the valleys of Hyrcania 

 there are trees resembHng the fig, named occhus- 

 trees, which for two hours every morning drip honey. 



XIX. Adjoining India is the Bactrian country, in Treex of 

 which is produced the highly esteemed bdellium.* actnam. 

 The tree is black in colour, and the size of the ohve ; 



its leaf resembles that of the oak and its fruit that of 

 the wild fig. The subsistence of the fruit is Hke 

 gum ; one name for it is brochos, another malacha, 

 and another maldacos, while a black variety which is 

 rolled up into cakes has the name of hadrobolos. It 

 ought to be transparent Hke wax, to have a scent, to 

 exude grease when crumbled, and to have a bitter 

 taste, though without acidity. When used in reHgious 

 ritual it is steeped in wine, which makes its scent 

 more powerful. This tree is native to Arabia and 

 India, and also to Media and Babylon. Some people 

 give to the bdeUium imported from Media the name 

 of peraticum ; this kind is more^^brittle and also harder 

 and more bitter than the others, whereas the Indian 



voL. IV. T, 25 



