122 DR. G. BIRDWOOD ON THE GENUS BOSWELLIA. 
ivory, gold, silver, and precious stones." The expedition sent by Augustus, under 
the command of Ælius Gallus, against the Arabians (B.c. 24—a.p. 1) (at the same 
time that Petronius was sent into /Ethiopia, and reduced Candace, queen of Meroe), 
was to explore the nature of these places and their inhabitants. It was very unfor- 
tunate. The expedition was fitted out as if for a great war; but the cities yielded 
one after another without a struggle, and, although the army suffered exceedingly from 
long marches over bad roads, and from want of food, and boils, only seven men fell in the 
expedition, which “contributed little in extending our knowledge of the country." 
“The aromatic country is divided into four parts. Of aromatics, the frankincense and 
myrrh are said to be the produce of trees, but cassia of bushes. Yet some writers say 
that the greater part of it [the cassia]is brought from India, and that the best frankin- 
cense is that of Persia.” “ The Nabatæans worship the sun, and construct the altar on 
the top of the house, pouring out libations, and burning frankincense on it every day." 
PLINY (A.D. 23-79) says!, “ There is no region in the whole world that bringeth forth 
frankincense but Arabia; and yet it is not to be found in all parts thereof, but in that 
quarter only of the Atramites. Now these Atramites inhabit the very heart of Arabia» 
and are a country of the Sabxi. The capitall city of the whole kingdom is called Sabota, 
seated upon a high mountain ; from whence into Saba, the only country that yields such 
plenty of the said incense, it is about eight daies journey. As for Saba (which in the 
Greek tongue signifieth, a secret mysterie) it regards the Sunne rising in summer, or the 
north-east, enclosed on every side with rocks inaccessible ; and on the right hand it is 
defended with high cliffes and crags that beare into the sea. The soile of this territorie, 
by report, is reddish, and inclining to white. The forrests that carry these incense-trees 
ly in length twenty schœnes, and beare in bredth half as much. Now that which we 
cal schenus, according to the calculation of Eratosthenes, contains forty stadia, that is 
to say, five miles; howsoever some have allowed but thirty-two stadia to every schcenus. 
The quarter wherein these trees grow is full of high hills ; howbeit, go down into the 
. plains and valley beneath, you shall have plenty of the same trees, which come up of 
their own accord, and were never planted. The earth is fat, and standeth much upon a 
strong clay, as all writers do agree. Few springs are there to be found, and those that 
be are full of nitre. "There is another tract by it selfe confronting this country, wherein 
the Minæans do inhabit; and through them there is a narrow passage, whereby the 
frankincense is transported into other parts. These were their first neighbours that did 
traffique with them. for their incense, and found a vent for it; and even so they doe 
still at this day, whereupon the frankincense itselfe is called of their name, Minæum. 
Setting these people of the Sabeans aside, there be no Arabians that see an incense tree 
from one end of the yere to another; neither are all these permitted to have a sight of 
those trees. For the common voice is, that there be not above 3000 families which can 
claime and challenge by right of succession that priviledge to gather incense. And 
therefore all the race of them is called sacred and holy ; for looke when they go about: 
either cutting and flitting the trees, or gathering the incense, they must not that day 
come neere a woman to know her carnally ; nay, they must not be at any funerals, nor 
* Book xii. chap. 14.  Holland's Translation, Lond. 1635, fol. 
