Foreign Vegetables. 217 
taken out entire, which then appears of a white 
Colour, like Milk. And thefe are the Marks of 
the genuine frelh Balfam. 
The Ancients gathered only the Balfam which 
iflued from flight Incifions in the Bark of the Tree, 
and in very fmall Quantities. At prefent, accord- 
ing to Augujiin Lippi , there are three Sorts. The 
firft may be called the true Balfam of Mecca , be- 
ing the Juice which flows either of its own Accord 
or from Wounds made in the Bark of the Tree *, 
but the Quantity obtained is fo fmall that it fcarce 
fuffices for the Grandees, and other Inhabitants of 
the Country, and therefore is very feldom carried 
abroad. The two other Sorts are procured thus. 
The fmall Branches, with the Leaves of the Tree, 
are put into a Pot and covered with Water, and 
when the Water boils, a thin limpid Oil fwims up- 
on the Top, which is carefully fcummed off. T^is 
feldom comes to us, except by Way of Prefent to 
fome Perfon of Diftindtion. It is referved chiefly 
for the Ufe of the Ladies, who efteem it much as 
a Cofmetick, and Unguent for their Hair. The 
boiling being continued, another Oil rifes to the 
Surface, fomewhat thicker than the former, and 
neither fo fragrant nor fo valuable. This is fent 
away by Caravans to Cairo , and from thence into 
other Nations, and is the common Sort in Europe . 
It yields in Diftillation, when frefh, a very fra- 
grant and thin Oil, and a reddifh Kind of Refin 
remains behind. This, by a flronger Degree of 
Heat, gives up a Portion of thicker Oil, pretty 
much like Oil of Turpentine, and at the lafl a 
reddifh Oil with fome Drops of acid Liquor. Its 
Efficacy is chiefly owing to the thin and volatile 
Oil. The Virtues of this Balfam are undoubtedly 
very excellent, but are much impaired by long 
keeping. It has the Reputation of removing Pu- 
trefaction 
