74 Remarks on the Sequel to the [Jan. 



in the Rescript of the Roman emperors relating to the articles import- 

 ed into Egypt from the east, and contained in the Digest of the Roman 

 Law, Lih. XXXIX. title XV. 5. 7.* 



Lign Aloe. — The fragrant wood called Lign Aloe or A guru in Sanscrit, 

 is the Ahaloth of Scripture, from which term the name of Agallochum 

 given to it in the Digest, is derived. Hence the modern appellation of 

 Agal or Eagle wood which is sometimes applied to it. Aquillaria Agal- 

 locha, which yields this substance, is common in the mountainous country 

 between Sylhet and Assam. Speaking of the latter country, Mahomed 

 Cazim observes : " the mountains of Nanac(the Naga hills or Nazavicium 

 of Ammianus Marcellinus) produce plenty of Lign Aloes, which a society 

 of natives import every year into Assam and barter for salt and grain." 

 The fragrance of Lign Aloe is supposed to be the result of a diseased 

 state of the centre layers of the wood, which is converted into a resinous 

 matter. At Sylhet an essence or attar is extracted from it, which, in 

 former days when this article was in great demand, was sold for its 

 weight in gold. Both the wood and the essence or attar are purchased 

 by Moghul merchants and are sent to Jidda and Bussora. The attar of 

 Lign Aloe, which is of the consistence of thick oil and of a dark brown 

 colour, appears to be the substance called Indian Cinnabar by Arrian. 

 Dr. Vincent remarks in speaking of Arrian' s account of Socotra : "it is 

 remarkable that aloes are not mentioned by the author of the Periplus 

 but he notices particularly the drug called Indian cinnabar which exudes 

 from a certain species of trees. Dr. Vincent says that the confounding 

 of Cinnabar and Dragons blood was a mistake of ancient date, and con- 

 cludes that the latter is the article that is referred to."f It would 

 seem, however, that the substance, which Arrian alludes to, was not 

 the produce of Socotra, but of India, and it is likely, therefore, that the 

 attar of Lign Aloe is, from its colour, the substance that is meant by 

 the article Cinnabar which exudes from certain trees. It was no doubt 

 imported into Socotra from India. Lign Aloe is highly esteemed as a 

 perfume throughout the east, and is employed for various purposes, 

 as incense in temples, to fumigate apartments, cloths, &c. The Jews 

 used it at their interments. 



* Quaere, Tit. IV. ? where a long and highly interesting catalogue of oriental im- 

 ports is given. — Eds. 

 f Vincent's Periplus. 



