364 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARABIA. 



stance formed in the serpent, which had a most ingenious 

 method of preserving it from the song of the charmer. The 

 distinction of sex was also ascribed to it ; the females threw 

 out their radiance, while the males appeared within like bril- 

 liant and burning stars.* 



* The historian De Thou mentions a marvellous carbuncle 

 that was brought by an Eastern merchant to Bologna. Among 

 its surprismg properties, he states, " that being most impatient 

 of the earth, if it was contined it would force its way, and imme- 

 diately fly aloft. Certain shape it had none, for its figure was 

 inconstant, and momentarily changing ; and though at a distance 

 it was beautiful to the eye, it would not suffer itself to be han- 

 dled with impunity, but hurt those who ob.stinately struggled 

 with it, as many persons, before many spectators, experienced. 

 If by chance any part of it was broken off, for it was not very 

 hard, it became nothing less." — Thuanus, lib. viii. ix. Besides 

 the power of charming against spells, some of them were be- 

 lieved to have the virtue of rendering their possessor invisible or 

 invulnerable, of enabling him to see through rocks, and to dis- 

 cover hidden treisures. Of their medicmal properties, we are 

 told that the amethyst could remove the effects of intoxication ; 

 " for being bound on the navel, it restrains the vapours of the 

 wine, and so dissolves the inebriety." The borax or crapondinus 

 was reckoned of unfailing efficacy in poisons. Jt was said to be 

 extracted from a dead toad, and described as of a black or dun 

 colour, with a cerulean glow, having in the middle the simili- 

 tude of an eye. The kinocteiis was employed to cast out devils ; 

 and the corvina, a stone of a reddish colour, found in crows' 

 nests, was supposed to make boiled or addled eggs fresh and pro- 

 lific ; besides having the virtue " to increase riches, bestow 

 honours, and foretel many future events." The alectoria, a 

 stone of a darkish crystalline colour, was said to be found in the 

 intestines of capons that had lived seven years. Its size was no 

 bigger than a bean ; but its qualities are represented as of a very 

 potent and miscellaneous nature. " Jt could render the person 

 who carried it invisible ; being held in the mouth it allays thirst, 

 and therefore is proper for wrestlers ; it makes a wife agreeable 

 to her husband ; bestows honours, and preserves those already 

 acquired ; it frees such as are bewitched ; it renders a man elo- 

 quent, constant, and amiable ; it helps to regain a lost kingdom 

 and acquire a foreign one." — Mirror of Stones. " In the coun- 

 trey called Panten or Tathalamasin, there be canes, called cas- 

 san, which overspread the earth like grasse, and out of every knot 

 of them spring foorth certaine branches, which are continued 

 upon the ground almost for the space of a mile. In the sayd 



