130 
PARASITICAL PLANTS. 
who is the architect of this wonderful piece of me- 
chanism. I observed two species of parasitical 
plants, one of which has a slender trunk, and has 
its root in the earth ; and the other, which is en- 
tirely dependent on the tree over which it spreads 
for all its support and nourishment. Its roots are in 
the very boughs of the tree which bears it. Some 
of our blacks, who were carried over the desert when 
young, and had not seen or observed this pheno- 
menon before, burst out laughing. These comicali- 
ties of vegetation amused them exceedingly. What 
excites the serious attention of cultivated minds 
often produces only laughter in vulgar and un- 
tutored people. Parasitical plants would be a com- 
plete study for the botanist here. The doom-tree 
has a smaller and rounder-shaped head than the 
common date-palm ; the leaves are spread out very 
like a fan, but I know not whether the doom is 
called the fan-shaped palm. 
We are to stay at this place some time — there 
appears to be no hurry. We shall probably be here 
three days more. The Sultan of Asoudee is visiting 
amongst us, and has concerted with En-Noor that 
all the caravans shall go together, in order that no 
one portion of it shall arrive before the other in 
Damerghou, and so get the ghaseb cheaper ; as, of 
course, the early arrivals generally get the better 
bargains. At first I could not understand the 
reason of our all going together ; now the thing is 
clear enough. 
