Chap. 21.] 
THE COTTON TEEE. 
117 
CHAP. 20. TEEES OF PEESIS. 
Adjoining the countries which we have previously mentioned 
is Persis, lying along the shores of the Eed Sea, which, when 
describings^ it, we have mentioned as the Persian Sea, the tides 
of which penetrate far into the land. The trees in these 
regions are of a marvellous nature ; for, corroded by the action 
of the salt, and bearing a considerable resemblance to vegeta- 
ble substances that have been thrown up and abandoned by 
the tide, they are seen to embrace the arid sands of the sea- 
shore with their naked roots, just like so many polypi. "When 
the tide rises, buffeted by the waves, there they stand, fixed 
and immoveable ; nay, more, at high water they are completely 
covered ; a fact which proves to conviction, that they derive 
their nutriment from the salt contained in the water. The 
size of these trees is quite marvellous; in appearance they 
strongly resemble the arbute ; the fruit, which on the outside 
is very similar to the almond, has a spiral kernel within.^ 
CHAP. 21. (10.) — TEEES OF THE ISLANDS OF THE PEESIAN SEA. 
THE COTTON TEEE. 
In the same gulf, there is the island of Tylos,^ covered with 
a foresf ^ on the side which looks towards the East, where it 
is washed also by the sea at high tides. Each of the trees 
is in size as large as the fig ; the blossoms are of an indescri- 
bable sweetness, and the fruit is similar in shape to a lupine, 
but so rough and prickly, that it is never touched by any ani- 
mal. On a more elevated plateau of the same island, we fini 
"trees that bear wool, but of a difierent nature from those of the 
Seres ; as in these trees the leaves produce nothing at all, 
and, indeed, might very readily be taken for those of the vinC; 
67 B. vi. c. 28. 
68 It is supposed that the Ehizophora Mangle of Linnaeus is the tree 
that is here described. It grows on all the coasts of India, from Siam to 
the entrance of the Persian Gulf. It takes root on spots which have been 
inundated by the sea, and its boughs bend downwards, and taking root in 
the earth, advance gradually towards the sea. The leaf and fruit have the 
characteristics of those of the arbute and almond as here mentioned. 
69 B. vi. c. 32. 
' Fee suggests that some kind of mangrove is probably aUuded to, of 
the kind known as avicennia, or bruguiera. 
71 See B. vi. c. 20- 
