GUM MYRRH-TREE. 249 



Koranhedudah, about three hours' march in a direc- 

 tion, south-west. We ascended a long, but gentle 

 acclivity, for at least two hours of this time, along 

 a road strewn with the everlasting lava cinders, 

 and at length reached a small circular spot about a 

 mile in diameter, surrounded with low black ridges 

 of the usual character, and at the foot of which 

 were several pools of clear water, where an abund- 

 ance of frogs kept up a continual croaking. Myrrh 

 and mimosa-trees abounded in this place; among the 

 latter I noticed the variety producing gum arabic, 

 and also another which yielded a strong astringent 

 gum, that resembled very much the gum kino. 



Accompanied by Ebin Izaak I went in search 

 of some gum myrrh, as I was very anxious to 

 procure specimens of the leaves, flowers, and seeds 

 of the tree that yields this useful drug, and a 

 description of which I had been taught, had long 

 been a desideratum in " Materia Medica." 



There are in the country of Adal two varieties ; 

 one, a low thorny ragged-looking tree, with 

 bright green leaves, trifoliolate, and an un- 

 dulating edge, is that which has been described 

 by Ehrenberg, and a wood*cut of which will 

 be found in page 1629 of the second volume of 

 Pereira's " Elements of Materia Medica." This 

 produces the finest sort of myrrh in our shops. 

 The other is a more leafy tree, if I may use the 

 expression, and its appearance reminded me exceed- 

 ingly of the common hawthorn of home, having 



