APPENDIX. 2i 



At this time the balfam is fuppofed, by being fold in Ju- 

 dea, and not acceffible by reaibn of the commotions in A- 

 rabia, to have become almoft forgotten in that laft part, 

 where the trade from Abyffinia, its native country, was like- 

 wife interrupted by this innovation of religion, and by Ma- 

 ho net's profanation of the Caaba, or temple of the fun, the 

 ancient refort of the Sabean merchants carrying on the trade 

 of India. This interval the impoflor thought proper for a 

 pretended miracle ; he faid, that, from the blood of the Beni 

 Koreifh flain, there had fprung up this grove of trees, from 

 the juice of which all the true believers on his fide received 

 a cure for their wounds, however fatal they appeared, nay, 

 fome of them were revived from even death itfelf. Since 

 that time it has maintained its reputation equal to that which 

 it had in antiquity. 



Prosper Alpinus fays, that one MefToner a eunuch, go- 

 vernor of Cairo in the year 15 19, caufed bring from Arabia 

 forty plants, Which he placed in the garden of Mattareah, 

 where he fuperintended them. Every day he went to that 

 garden to pay his devotions to the Virgin Mary. It was 

 many times renewed, and has as often perifhed fince Bel- 

 lonius fays, that in his time there were ten plants at Mat- 

 tareah, and he is of opinion, that in all ages they grew 

 well in Arabia, which is not true, for thofe at Beder are 

 conftantly fupplied with new plants fo foon as the old 

 ones decay. There was none exifting at Mattareah the 

 two feveral times I vifited Cairo, but there were fome of 

 the Chriftians ftill living there that remembered one plant 

 in that garden. 



E 2 



There 



