Ball — On the Colloquies of Garcia Be Orta — II. 677 
COLLOQUY LIY. 
Do TURBIT. 
[The root and steins of Ipomcea turpethutn, R. Brown.] 
Called turbif by the Arabs and Persians ; harcamum by the Gujaratis; 
tigmr by the Kanarese ; terumba by a Banian in Liu. 
Garcia describes its habit as like ivy, and that it grows near the sea. 
The gum or resin is produced from the thick part of the stem by 
twisting or puncture. It grows wild most abundantly in Cambay, Surat, 
Liu, Bassein, and adjoining districts, and in Goa, but is there consi- 
dered to be of inferior quality. It was exported in great quantity to 
Persia, Arabia, and Turkey, and some was sent to Portugal. Lried in 
the sun it becomes white, but if dried in the shade it is black. The 
drug was used as a purgative, and was known to Avicena. A large 
part of this long Colloquy is taken up with an exposure of the many 
errors about this plant to be found in the older authors. The true 
turbit was not known, he says, to the Greeks. 
This chapter contains accounts of the cities of Liu and Bassein, 
of Elephanta, and the island of Salsette. 
COLLOQUY LY. 
Do THTJEE (que t InCENSo) E DA MiEEHA. 
[Concerning thure, which is incense, and of Myrrhr\ 
(1) Olibanum or frankincense obtained from several species of 
Boswellia found in the Somali country. 
Called olibano by the Greeks ; lovam^ conder {Icundura and gonda), 
and samac, by the Arabs. Avicena calls it conder and Serapion cor- 
ruptly, ronder. 
The best kind was obtained from trees which grow on rugged 
mountains. It was purchased from the King of the (Somali) country 
by merchants from Aden and Xael, and was sold in Goa at two cruzados 
a quintal. The Indian physicians used much incense for unguents and 
perfumes, and it was eaten for ailments of the head and for flux. The 
largest export trade was to China. Garcia says it was not obtained in 
India. 
This is not strictly true, as Boswellia thurifera^ the salai tree, 
which is abundant in some parts of the country, also yields it. 
