Guiph of Persia.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



97 



required to provide themselves with passports, to be granted upon application 

 to the Secretary to Government in the political department ; in default of 

 which, they risk being stopped on their arrival at those ports. 



ARTICLES PROCURABLE IN THE GULPH OF PERSIA. 



Almonds are carried in large quantities from Persia to India ; great 

 care is necessary in the choice of these kernels, as they are apt to become 

 rancid in keeping, and to be preyed on by an insect which eats out the 

 internal part, leaving the almond to all appearance perfect They should 

 be chosen large, of a bright cinnamon colour without, breaking of a clean 

 pure white within. A species of bitter almonds passes current at Surat, 

 called baddams, about 60 of which are equal to a pie or pice. 



Gum Ammoniac is a concrete gum my- resinous juice, brought from 

 Persia, and various parts of the East, (supposed to be obtained from a 

 species of Ferula) either in fine tears, or drops, or in masses of a milky 

 whiteness ; the external part of the mass commonly inclines to yellow or 

 brown, and the white tears change to the same colour, on being exposed 

 for some time to the air. This gum has a strong smell, somewhat resem- 

 bling galbauum, or garlic, but not so ungrateful ; a disagreeable sweet- 

 ness of taste, followed by a sensation of bitterness ; it softens in the mouth, 

 and on being chewed, becomes of a white colour. Gum Ammoniacum in 

 masses should be chosen full of drops or tears, without filth or seeds, dry, 

 brittle, growing soil by the fire, and easily reduced to a white powder, of 

 a sharp taste and smell. The drops should be round, wliite internally and 

 externally, of a bitter taste, and free from seeds or other foreign substances, 

 and when thrown on live coals, burning away in flame. Reject that which 

 is soft, dark coloured, and foul. A ton is 16 Cwt 



Gum Arabic, ( Babul^a-Gund, Hind J a mucilage, which oozes from 

 several species of Mimosa, in various parts of the world. Much of the 

 Indian gum arabic is obtained from the M, Arabtca, ( Babul, Hind. Bar- 

 burn, San. j It is in small clear masses, of an insipid viscous taste ; semi- 

 transparent ; of a clear whitish, or very pale yellow colour, though it is 

 sometimes darker ; but the clearer and more pellucid, the better the gum. 

 When pure, it dissolves in water, otherwise it leaves a sediment. It is 

 essential to have this gum well garbled in India; and care should be taken 

 that it is not intermixed with a gum resembling it, but generally in larger 

 pieces, which is quite worthless. The freight of Gum Arabic is calculated 

 at 20 Cwt. per ton. 



Absenic is of three sorts, the common white oxide (SamuUtfhar, Hind. 



G 



