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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by Charles K. Moser 

 OUR FRANKINCENSE CARAVAN GATHERED ON THE BEACH 



throat. There are no words for horse or 

 dog, because these animals are not found 

 on the island. A fine breed of camels 

 and donkeys, which are the tamed sons 

 of the wild asses roaming in thousands 

 on the interior plains, are the beasts of 

 burden. 



THEIR "TELESCOPES" MADE IN AMERICA 



The Socoteri are for the most part a 

 pastoral people, living upon their flocks 

 and herds. They have neither inclina- 

 tion nor skill for the industrial arts. The 

 baskets they weave and their earthen 

 pots, fashioned with a bit of cocoanut 

 rind in lieu of a potter's wheel, are rude 

 imitations of the southern Arab's handi- 

 work. Those who live by the sea catch 

 fish or dive for mother-of-pearl. They 

 have a most ingenious "telescope" for 

 spying out the wonders that lie at the 



ocean's bottom. It is simply a kerosene 

 oil can, "made in America," with a sheet 

 of glass set into one side. Into the op- 

 posite side the observer thrusts his head, 

 and with the glass bottom well down in 

 the water he is rowed slowly back and 

 forth, mouth and eyes well protected 

 from the salt water, which further serves 

 him as a magnifying lens. 



Having got our precious trees aboard 

 ship, we lost little time in getting under 

 way for Mokalla, on the south Arabian 

 coast. There the Sultan met us in a 

 motor-car and took us to his electric- 

 lighted palace, where he was given the 

 presents we had intended for his brother 

 of Socotra. The frankincense trees, 

 planted in a large packing-case half filled 

 with their native earth, are still alive and 

 give promise of some day throwing their 

 fragrance to the breezes of Arizona. 



