136 DR. G. BIRDWOOD ON THE GENUS BOSWELLIA. 
 ]t was desirable to find out where his original specimens were; and on my inquiry he 
wrote to me, on the 1st of November last, that 
“The original drawings of the Arabian frankincense-tree, I sent in to the Government 
of Bombay, for transmission to the Court of Directors, among seventeen original 
sketches, and eleven specimens of gums, my gatherings in the south-east coast of Arabia, 
with short descriptions of each, in April 1848 ; and, on the 28th of February 1851, I got 
the following reply through the Bombay Government, extracted from a dispatch of the 
Court of Directors :— Great credit is due to Assistant-surgeon Carter,’ Kc. 
“It was from the original sketch that I sent home to the Court that I éraced the 
lithograph of the same, which appears with my little memoir on it. But I sent home 
delicately coloured drawings also." 
I applied at the India House, to be shown these specimens and drawings, but was 
informed that they did not appear to be any longer there. | 
My next question of Carter was, if he had himself seen the Arabian frankincense-tree 
in situ, or if merely specimens had been collected for him by the Arabs. 
His reply, January 28th last [1869], was: ** On the 25th December, 1844, I made my 
first excursion in the south-east coast of Arabia. It was to see the frankincense-trees 
growing at the foot of the great limestone cliffs, near the village of Merbat. They were 
then leafless; but the odour of the gum-resin was convincing, even before they were 
touched. The same was the case with Boswellia serrata, which covers the sides of the 
Ajunta range, which I traversed with Bháu Daji. The whole air was redolent with their 
fragrance. On the 21st of April 1846, I found the frankincense-tree growing on the 
detritus of the great white limestone cliffs of Ras Fartak, within a few feet of the sea. 
It was then in full foliage, but without flowers. On the 22nd of May following, a little 
further to the north-east, I got a Bedoo to go up into the limestone mountains, close to 
the shore, and bring me some branches in flower. He brought them, with some rooted 
stems also, which I brought to Bombay, and from which the plant in the Old Gardens 
at Bombay was obtained. Having specimens of the branches and leaves, which I had 
myself gathered just a month before, from the trees under Ras Fartak, I compared all, 
and found all to belong to the same species, and forthwith made the drawings on board, 
of which you have the lithograph.” | 
Carter, after identifying his plants with Colebrooke’s—with a query, however, and a 
doubt still further expressed in a foot-note—observes, “In addition to India and that 
part of Arabia which I shall presently point out, the frankincense-tree is found in great 
abundance in Eastern Africa, on the limestone mountains which extend westward from 
Cape Gardafui through the country of the Soumalis. I have seen a living specimen in 
foliage brought from thence, and large quantities of the gum, which is imported at 
Makalla for re-exportation to India. Both the produce of the tree of Africa and Arabia 
appear to be the same." 
“Ibn Batuta calls the tree al Kundooroo. The gum is called by the Arabs Laban. 
The Maharas call the tree Maghrayt d'sheehaz, the gum sheehaz.” 
He then epitomizes the account given by Theophrastus of the frankincense hills and 
the tree and the manner of collecting its gum-resin, adding, ** But for the disappearance 
of the Sabæans and their towns, I could not offer a more accurate description." 
