2.6 APPENDIX. 



amination, from two very fine trees brought from Beder 

 Hunem ; the firfl by the Cadi of Medina at Yambo ; the fe- 

 cond at Jidda, by order of Youfef Kabil, vizir or minilter to 

 the IherrifFe of Mecca. The firft was fo deliberately exe- 

 cuted, that the fecond Teemed of no fervice but to confirm 

 me in the exactitude of the firft. The tree was 5 feet 2 

 inches high from where the red root begins, or which was 

 buried in the earth, to where it divides itfelf firft into 

 branches. The trunk at thickeft was about 5 inches diame- 

 ter, the wood light and open, and incapable of pcliming, co- 

 vered with a fmooth bark of bluifh- white, like to a ftandard 

 cherry-tree in good health, which has not above half that 

 diameter ; indeed a part of the bark is a reddifh brown ; it 

 flattens at top like trees that are expofed to mow blafts or 

 fea-air, which gives it a ftunted appearance. It is remark- 

 able for a penury of leaves. The flowers are like that of 

 the acacia-tree, white and round, only that three hang upon 

 three filaments, or flalks, where the acacia has but one. 

 Two of thefe flowers fall off and leave a fingle fruit ; the 

 branches that bear this are the moots of the prefent year ; 

 they are of a reddiih colour, and tougher than the old wood : 

 it is thefe that are cut off and put into little faggots, and 

 fent to Venice for the Theriac, when bruifed or drawn by 

 fire, and formerly thefe made the Xylo-balfamum. 



Concerning the vipers which, Pliny fays, were frequent 

 among the balfam trees I made very particular inquiry; 

 feveral were brought me alive, both to Yambo and Jidda. 

 Of thefe I fhail fpeak in another place, when I give the 

 figure, and an account of that animal fo found. 



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