THE u LOTOS ” OF THE ANCIENTS. 
257 
of Barbary, and has the leaves, thorns, and fruit of the Zizyphus 
or jujube : only with this difference, that the fruit is there 
round, small, and more luscious, at the same time the branches 
are neither so much jointed nor crooked. This fruit is in great 
repute, it tastes something like gingerbread, and is sold in 
the markets all over the southern districts of these kingdoms. 
The Arabs call it 6 Aneb enta el seedra,’ that is, the jujube of 
the seedra.” 
That the arborescent Lotos was some species of Zizyphus or 
jujube, seems evident from the descriptions above given from 
ancient authors, and such is the impression of modern travellers. 
The observation of the late Dr. Lindlev, to the effect that 66 the 
Lote bush, which gave its name to the ancient Lotophagi, is 
to this day collected for food by the Arabs of Barbary, who call 
it Saclr, and its berries Nabk , is the Zizyphus Lotus of bota- 
nists,” is also the opinion of the majority of scientific men. 
It is possible that the fruit of other species of Zizyphus con- 
stituted some of the “ varieties ” mentioned by the ancients. 
We must not omit to allude to the remarks made by Mungo 
Park, on this subject, in his w Travels.” The negroes gathered 
from thorny bushes small fruits called tomberongs. These he 
describes as “ small farinaceous berries, of a yellow colour, and 
delicious taste, which were no other than the fruit of Rhamnus 
(. Zizyphus ) Lotus of Linnaeus. They had gathered two large 
baskets full in the course of the day. These berries are much 
esteemed by the natives, who convert them into a sort of bread, 
by exposing them for some days in the sun, and afterwards 
pounding them gently in a wooden mortar, until the farinaceous 
part of the berry is separated from the stone. This meal is 
then mixed with a little water, and formed into cakes, which, 
when dried in the sun, resemble in colour and flavour the 
sweetest gingerbread. The stones are afterwards put into a 
vessel of water and shaken about, so as to separate the meal 
which may still adhere to them ; this communicates a sweet 
and agreeable taste to the water, and, with the addition of a 
little pounded millet, makes a pleasant gruel called fondi , 
which is the common breakfast in many parts of Ludamar, 
during the months of February and March. The fruit is col- 
lected by spreading a cloth upon the ground and beating the 
branches with a stick. The Lotus is very common in all the 
kingdoms which I visited, but is found in greatest plenty on 
the sandy soil of Kaarta Ludamar, and the northern parts of 
Bambarra, where it is one of the most common shrubs of the 
country. As this shrub is found in Tunis,” he adds, “ and also 
in the negro kingdoms, and as it furnishes the natives of the 
latter with a food resembling bread, and also with a sweet 
liquor, which is much relished by them,, there can be little 
