118 DR. G. BIRDWOOD ON THE GENUS BOSWELLIA. 
some of the chapiters of the temples. The doors and roofs of their inner rooms are — 
adorned with many golden bowls, set with precious stones, and other things of great 
value; for they have enjoyed a constant and uninterrupted peace for many ages and 
generations, being very far remote from those whose covetousness prompts them to 
advance their gain by the riches of others. 
“The sea there is of a very white colour, so that a man may as justly wonder at the 
strangeness of the thing, as be inquisitive what should be the cause. 
* Near hereunto are the Fortunate Islands, full of walled towns, where all the sheep 
and cattle are exceeding white, and none of the females bear any horns. The merchants 
from all parts resort to these islands, especially from Pontana, built by Alexander the 
Great, upon the banks of the river Indus, that there might be a commodious port-town 
for shipping upon these coasts; but of this country and its inhabitants, we have said 
enough." | 
And” :—* Having gone through the western and northern countries and the islands of 
the ocean, we shall now describe the southern islands, lying in the Arabian ocean, on the 
east part of Arabia, next to Gedrosia. This part of Arabia is a country full of villages 
and considerable towns, some of which are situated upon high hills, others upon rising 
grounds, or something higher than champaign fields. "Their greatest cities have stately 
royal palaces, and are very wealthy and populous; the country abounds with all sorts of 
cattle, and is of a very fruitful soil, affording plenty of rich pastures for the flocks and 
herds; many rivers run through it, watering the fields, to the great increase of the fruits 
of the earth. And, therefore, this part of Arabia, which excels the rest in richness of 
soil, is justly called Arabia the Happy. 
“Over against the utmost point of this country, near the ocean, lie many islands; but 
there are but three that are worth remark: the first is called the Holy Island, wherein 
it is unlawful to bury the dead; but not far from this, about seven furlongs distant, 
there is another, wherein they bury. The sacred isle produces frankincense, and in that 
abundance as suffices for the service and worship of the gods all the world over; it has 
likewise plenty of myrrh, with other odoriferous spices of several sorts, which breathe 
out a most fragrant smell. The nature of frankincense, and the manner of getting it, is 
thus: the tree is very small, like to the white Egyptian thorn, and bears a leaf like to 
the willow ; it puts forth a flower of a golden colour; from the bark of tids tree, by 
incision made, distils the frankincense in drops, like tears. 
“ The myrrh-tree is like to the mastic-tree, but bears a more slender leaf, and grows 
thicker on the branches. The myrrh flows forth by digging up the earth round about 
the roots. Those that grow in a rich soil, bear twice a year—that is, in the spring and 
summer: that in the spring-time is of a deep red colour, caused by the dew; the other, 
nearer winter, is white. 
“ There they got likewise the fruit of the paliurus tree, wholesome both in meat and à 
drink, and good against a dysentery. The land is divided amongst the inhabitants, of 
_ which the best part is allotted to the king, who has likewise the tenths of the fruits. 
* Book v. chap. iii. Booth’s Translation, Lond. 1814, vol. i. pp. 324-329. bns d 
