BOOK XII. xLii. 87-89 



dwellers. The latter buy it from their neighbours 

 and convey it over the wide seas in ships that are 

 neither steered by rudders nor propelled by oars or 

 drawn by sails, nor assisted by any device of art : 

 in those reo;ions only man and man's boldness stands 

 in place of all these things. Moreover they choose 

 the winter sea about the time of the shortest day, as 

 an east wind is then chiefly blowing. This carries 

 them on a straight course through the bays, and after 

 rounding a cape a west-north-west wind brings them 

 to the harbour of the Gebbanitae called Ocilia.* 

 On this account that is the port most resorted to by 

 these people, and they say that it is almost five years 

 before the traders return home and that many perish 

 on the voyage. In retum for their wares they bring 

 back articles of glass and copper, clothing, and 

 buckles, bracelets and necklaces ; consequently 

 that traffic depends principally on having the con- 

 fidence of the women. 



The actual shrub of the cinnamon is only about Thednna- 

 three feet high at the most, the smallest being only a "'«»*^'-«*- 

 span high, and four inches thick, and it throws out 

 shoots as low as six inches from the ground ; it has a 

 dried up appearance, and while it is green has no 

 scent ; the leaf is Hke that of the wild marjoram ; it 

 Hkes a dry soil and is less fertile in wet weather ; and 

 it stands constant cHpping. Though it grows on 

 level ground, it flourishes among the thickest bushes 

 and brambles, and is difficult to gather. It can only 

 be cut * with the leave of the god ' — which some 

 understand to mean Jove, but the Ethiopian name for 

 him is Assabinus. They sacrifice 44 oxen, goats and 

 rams to obtain leave to cut it, though this does not 

 include permission to do so before sunrise or after 



65 



