DR. G. BIRDWOOD ON THE GENUS BOSWELLIA. . 128 
approach a dead corps, for being polluted. By which religion and ceremonious observa- 
tion the price is raised and the incense is the dearer. Some say, these people have 
equall liberty in common to go into these woods for their commodities when they will; 
but others affirme that they be divided into companies, and take their turns by yeares. 
As concerning the very tree, I could never know yet the perfect description of it. We 
have waged warres in Arabia, and our Roman armie have entered a great way into that 
country. C. Cæsar, the adopted son of Augustus, wan great honour and glory from 
thence; and yet verily, to my knowledge, there was never any Latine author that hath 
put down in writing the form and fashion of the tree that carrieth incense. As for the 
Greeke writers, their bookes doe vary and differ in that point. Some give out, that it 
hath leaves like to a peare tree, only they be somewhat lesse, and when they come forth 
they be of a grasse green colour. Others say that they resemble the lentiske tree, and 
are somewhat reddish. "There be again who write, that it is the very terebints and none 
else, that giveth the frankincense: of which opinion king Antigonus was, who had one 
of these shrubs brought unto him. King Juba in those books which he wrot and sent to 
C. Cæsar, son to the Emperor Augustus (who was inflamed with an ardent desire to 
make a voiage into Arabia, for the great fame that went thereof), saith, That the tree 
which beares frankincense hath a trunke or body writhen about, and putteth forth 
boughes and branches, like for all the world to the maple of Pontus. Item, that it 
yeeldeth a juice or liquor as doth the almond tree; and such are seene commonly in Car- 
mania; as also those in Egypt, which were planted by the careful industrie of the 
Ptolomees, kings there. However it be, this is received for certaine, that it hath the 
very barke of a bay tree; some also have said that the leaves be as like. And verily 
such kind of trees were they which were seen at Sardis; for the kings of Asia likewise 
were at the cost and labour to transplant them, and desirous to have them grow in 
Lydia. The embassadours who, in my time, came out of Arabia to Rome, have made all 
that was delivered as touching these trees, more doubtfull and uncertaine than before. 
A strange matter, and wonderfull indeed, considering that twigges and branches of the 
incense tree have passed betweene; by the view of which impes, we may judge what the 
mother is: namely, even and round in the body, without knot or knar, and from thence 
she putteth out shoots. j ; 
“ They used in old time to gather the incense but once a yere, as having little vent, 
and small returne, and lesse occasion to sell than now adaies ; but now, since every man 
calleth for it, they feeling the sweetnesse of the gaine, make a double vintage (as it were) 
of it in one yere. The first, and indeed the kindly season, falls about the hottest daies of 
the summer, at what time as the Dog daies begin ; for then they cut the tree where they see 
the bark to be fullest of liquor, and whereas they perceive it to be thinnest and strut out 
most. They make a gash or slit only to give more libertie; but nothing do they pare or 
cut cleane away. The wound or incision is no sooner made, but out there gusheth a fat 
fome or froth : this soon congeales and growes to be hard ; and where the place will give 
them leave, they receive it in a quilt or mat, made of date-tree twigs, plaited and wound 
one within another wicker-wise. For elsewhere, the floore all about is paved smooth, 
and rammed downe hard. The former way is the better to gather the purer and clearer 
