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known. The Ginger, Zedoary? {Curcuma rotunda) Ricinus, 
Sesamum, Cotton and Sugar-cane, are equally Indian. Sag* 
Jbnoos, and Shishum, that is, Teak,* Ebony, and Sissoo 
(Dalbergia Sissoo), are expressly mentioned as woods 
brought from India, (v. Forskal. Flora yEgypto — Arab, 
p. xcvi.) From identity in latitude, and similarity in climate, 
with some parts of India, there is no doubt also a resem- 
blance in the Botany of the coast of Arabia, in the families 
of CucurbitacecB, Leguminosce, and Graminece, as also in 
some others : but there is a total absence of a great pro- 
portion of the substances, which were thought by the 
ancients to be produced in Arabia. 
Egypt is well known as having always been fruitful in 
corn, and famous for its manufacture of linen cloth ; which 
must have formed its principal articles of export to Arabia, 
Phoenicia, and Abyssinia. It has also been famed for 
its emeralds, sometimes confounded with simple fluor spar. 
Gold was early extracted from its mines, as well as received, 
with ebony and ivory, in tribute from Ethiopia. Silver 
was less common. Recently both copper and iron mines 
have been discovered in the hills between Egvpt and the 
Red Sea, but lead only in the neighbourhood of Mount 
Sinai. Tin has nowhere been found. Besides emeralds, 
the topaz, amethyst, lapis-lazuli, and alabaster, as well as 
sulphur and petroleum, have been found in Egypt or the 
islands of the Red Sea. 
Among the vegetable products of Egypt, we find variety 
as well as abundance for the support of its numerous popu- 
lation; with two annual crops, dependent on irrigation 
* Some of the Persian authors consider Saj to he the Sal, Shorea robusta, 
also a valuable and much-used timber-tree; but as the Teak is the best 
known, and most highly valued timber-tree on the Malabar coast ; and as 
the Saj is described, in the same Persian works translated from the Arabic, 
as having large leaves like elephant's ears : it is evident to those acquainted 
with both trees, that this can apply only to those of Tectona yrandis. 
