2 9 6 MATERIA MEDICA.' 
permitted to fee thole places, and believe the moft 
credible of them I have alked creditable perfons j 
who had b-en m Mecca, concerning this affair, 
and in particular, an Aga of the Cali le at Roberta, 
anci a Scheck in Cairo; the former in the prefence 
of Mr. Chabert, a French merchant in Rofetta, 
and the larter through Mr. Le Grand, the French 
Interprt ter in Cairo. They both gave me a very 
different account of the place where the Balfam- 
tree grows, from that which l had read before in 
books. They allured me, that the Balfam-tree is 
as little known at Mecca, as in Egypt and Turkey, 
and that not a drop of Balfam is gathered within 
rnany miles of Mecca. The place whence the 
Balfam is brought, lies many day’s journey from 
Mecca, and in Fetrea Arabia. There the trees 
grow in the mountains, and are pnff ffed as a va- 
luable treafure by certain Arabian families. The 
> Arabians carry the Balfam to Mecca, and there 
fell it during the time the Caravan from Egypt 
and Turkey tarries there; by the Caravan it is 
carried to Damalcus and Cairo, thence through 
all Jutkey, and farther if poiTible, bur this is 
fcarcely credible, as very little of the genuine 
Balfam comes to Mecca. 1 he Turkifh Emperor 
enjoys no privileges, by which he may referve the 
bed for himfelf; the Arabians are an independant 
and free people, they fell their commodity to 
■whom they pleTe. The Sultan orders fome con- 
fiderable man at Mecca, as the firft Scheck, of 
fome other, to buy a certain quantity of it yearly 
on his account, and therefore is fure to ; ave it 
good. I have been allured, by thole who have 
been in Arabia and feen the tree, that its leaves 
refe ruble thofe of Myrtle , but are a little larger- 
By the informations which I could obtain, I have 
reafofl 
