lO BULLETIN 1125, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



the wall of a park. One or two houses are built in this inclosure, forming, 

 as it were, the gates of the city. The flat roofs of many habitations are visible 

 among the trees ; and the domes of two mosques, with their galleries, from 

 which they cry the hour of prayer, are conspicuous, towering even above the 

 lofty palms. 



Later (p. 85), this author says: 



Many of the sheakhs and merchants are rich and independent. * * * 

 They send their dates to the Nile, where, from their just celebrity, they obtain 

 the highest prices given for that description of fruit ; and they bring back in 

 return wheat, of which there is a deficiency in the oasis, sundry articles of 

 wearing apparel, arms, ornaments, spices, coffee, mirrors, glass beads, and 

 other little articles of hardware, and which they sell again at an immense 

 profit. The oasis produces rice, but very inferior to that of the Delta, wheat, 

 millet, dourah (the latter in abundance), and the various fruits which I have 

 mentioned in describing the gardens. Their great source of wealth, however, 

 and all their commerce and prosperity, depend upon their extensive forests of 

 date trees. 



Heeren {W)^ in his book published in 1832, has this to say regard- 

 ing Siwa of his time: 



[Page 206:] On the south of the temple, at the distance of a full quarter of 

 an hour's walk, arises, in a delightful grove of dates, the fountain of the sun, 

 formerly sacred to Ammon. It forms a small pool about 30 paces in length 

 and 20 wide. It is said to be 6 fathoms deep, but is so clear that the bottom 

 is seen, from which bubbles continually arise like those of a boiling caldron. 

 The temperature of the water varies ; it is warmer at night than in the day, 

 and about daybreak is wont to smoke. It is probably a hot spring, the warmth 

 of which is not observed during the heat of the day. A small brook, which 

 runs from the pool, unites itself soon after to another spring (Herodotus says 

 that there are other wells of fresh water) which likewise arises in the palm 

 grove and runs toward the ruin, near which it forms a swamp, probably 

 because its ancient outlets are stopped up. 



The early and high cultivation of the oasis is still shown by its rich produce 

 of dates, pomegranates, and other fruits. 



The date is the most cultivated and is obtained in vast quantities and of 

 very fine flavor. In favorable seasons, say the inhabitants, the whole place 

 is covered with this fruit ; and the yearly produce amounts to from five to 

 nine thousand camel loads of 300 pounds each. The annual tribute is now 

 also paid in dates. * * * 



Following this ancient caravan road to the westward, he narrates : 



[Page 213:] Leaving then the lofty palms and the sacred groves of Jupiter 

 Ammon, the last traces of vegetation and animated nature soon disappear. 



The southern desert of Barca opens its arid plains, only interrupted by 

 parched barren hills. For 10 days this continues, till at length the date 

 groves of Augila appear, and the wearied caravan again lands on one of 

 those fertile islands which nature has sprinkled with so sparing hand over 

 the sandy ocean of Africa. 



Augila is a well-known name both in ancient and modern geography. It is 

 at present the capital of a district which comprises two other villages. Home- 

 man reached it from Siwah after nine long days' journey, which, if we reckon 

 them as ten common ones, confirms what Herodotus states as to the distance 

 between the two stations. Augila owes nothing to its size, nor is there any- 

 thing remarkable about it; but it is principally knowoi as being the great 

 thoroughfare for caravans, which still touch at it in their route from western 

 Africa to Cairo. Even in the present day a portion of the inhabitants devote 

 themselves to the caravan trade. Besides this, Augila is a principal mart for 

 dates, which have always been found there of an excellfnt quality and in 

 great abundance. Herodotus expressly remarks that the Nasamones in the 

 Regio-Syrtica annually made a journey to this place in order to purchase a 

 supply of this fruit. (Herodotus {11), iv, 182.) 



[Page 215:] Augila produces nearly double the quantity of dates that Siwah 

 does. In this manner is the testimony of Herodotus again confirmed. 



We thus have, from more than a century ago, circumstantial 

 accounts of an extensive commerce in dates between tliese four chief 



