400 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



exists among the present occupants of the country. Another point 

 of interest, is found in the fact; that the early Christians, did not 

 destroy the antiquities. 



Both Virgil and Pliny, speak of silk; and thus reveal, the dawn- 

 ing of intercourse with China. A little later, ('a. d. 130'), Ptolenny 

 the geographer, gives a distinct notice of the Chinese, under the 

 name of Seres. The deposit of articles of Chinese manufacture in 

 the Egyptian tombs, is probably not more ancient ; and the same may 

 be said, of the accompanying eye-paint bottles, manufactured on the 

 Persian Gulf. 



The Emperor Heliogabalus ('a. d. 229'), is said to have been "the 

 first Roman who wore a dress of silk." And it is also on record, 

 that the silk-worm, was introduced into the Mediterranean coun- 

 tries, in ' A. D. 551.' 



The silk-worm, was of course, accompanied by the white mulberry, 

 (Morus alba). Indeed, Pliny, when remarking, "that all berries 

 in the end turn black," would not have instanced the mulberry, 

 had he been acquainted with the M. alba. — The white mulberry, is 

 now common in Egypt. 



Cocculus Indicus, the imported article, seems to be mentioned by 

 Aretfeus, (who is supposed to have lived prior to a. d. 420). 



Cloves, are mentioned by Paulus iEgineta; brought of course, in the 

 dried state, from the Molucca Islands. — I saw, in Egypt, a quan- 

 tity of cloves, that had been imported by the way of Mecca and 

 the Thebaid. 



Nutmegs, li-oax^apua, another production of the Moluccas; were proba- 

 bly imported into the Mediterranean countries, as early as the 

 Coptic Period. 



The tffvs of Actuarius, is doubtless the senna of commerce. According 

 to Wilkinson, leaves and fragments of senna, have been found in 

 ancient Egyptian tombs. The species, is not mentioned ; but 

 Cassia lanceolata, furnished all the senna I saw in the warehouses 

 of Mocha and Muscat. 



The Cassia ohovata, which furnishes a portion of the senna of com- 

 merce, is figured by Mathioli. I saw this plant in the Botanic 

 Garden at Cairo, and also seemingly indigenous near Suez; which 

 place, however, is on a caravan route. Forskal, met with the C. 



