MTAte.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 75 



ungrateful smell, with a durable bitterish taste, obviously different from 

 bdellium and myrrh, is found with this drug; and sometimes we meet with 

 hard, compact dark-coloured tears, less unctuous than myrrh, of an offen- 

 sive smell, and a most ungrateful bitterness, so as, when kept some time 

 in the mouth, to provoke retching. The quantity allowed to a ton is 

 16 Cwt. 



Rhinoceros' Horns are much esteemed among the Mahometans, on 

 account of their being considered a powerful antidote against poison. They 

 are in general about 12 to 15 inches long, and from 3 to G inches in diame- 

 ter, though sometimes (rarely) 10 inches in diameter, and near 24 inches 

 long. A good sized horn, sound, and not broken at the point, is worth 

 from three to four pounds sterling. At the base they are commonly of a 

 brown or olive colour, though occasionally grey, and sometimes nearly 

 white : they are nearly straight, having a very small curve, inclining 

 upwards with a sharp point. The horns of the Rhinoceros have not that 

 interior spongy substance contained in those of other animals, but are en- 

 tirely solid : they are made into drin king-cups and snuff-boxes. 



Rhinoceros 1 Hides are in great demand for making targets or shields; 

 when prepared, they are proof against the stroke of a scimitar ; they are 

 of* a variegated colour, and when polished, very similar to tortoise-shell. 

 At Surat they make the most elegant targets of these hides, and stud 

 them with silver-headed nails. These will fetch from 30 to 40 rupees each, 

 and are much sought after, particularly in Arabia. 



Sagapenum is the concrete gummy resinous juice of a plant, supposed 

 to be the Ferula Persica. It is met with in drops, and in masses composed 

 of those drops; hut the loose drops are much finer than the masses. In 

 botli forms it is a compact substance, considerably heavy, of a reddish 

 colour outwardly, but paler within, and clear like horn. It grows soft on 

 handling, so as frequently to stick to the fingers. The larger, darker 

 coloured, broken masses of bdellium are sometimes substituted, but may 

 be easily distinguished by the weak smell. Sagapenum has a strong smell, 

 somewhat of the leek kind, and a moderately hot, biting taste. Of 

 Sagapenum 18 cwt. is allowed to a ton. 



Salep is prepared from the dried roots of a plant of the Orchis mascula 

 (Salib misri) Hind, and Arab.) ; it was formerly imported from the East 

 Indies, and held in great estimation, being considered highly nourishing. 

 It is generally in vellowish white oval pieces, hard, clear, aud pellucid, 

 without smell, in taste somewhat resembling Tragacanth. It has the 

 singular property of concealing the taste of salt water ; hence, to prevent 

 the calamity of famine at sea, it has been proposed that the powder of it 



