4i 8 LETTERS. 
ties enough of tailing both the nedtar of the 
bioffoms, and the frelh Dates. 
Thus much have I learned of this wonderful 
work of Nature, in a country, where it may be 
feen every year. I fhall have the honour to give 
a relation or the ufe, and divers other qualities of 
he Date-tree, at l'ome other opportunity. 1 hope 
in time to be able ro give you a complete hiftory 
of this Palm. I wifli I was as fure of an oppor- 
tunity of feeing all the Palm tribe. 
The other plants 1 faw in this neighbourhood, 
are Egvptian Acacia, (Mimofa nilotica) Chafte- 
tree, (Vitex agnus callus') Palma Chrifti, feveral 
forts of Goofe-foot, (Chenopodium) and Fig- 
marigold, (Mefembryanthemum.) I never faw 
a fpecies of Goofe-foot in Natolia, where other- 
wife every thing grew ; but I have feen very little 
in Egypt yet. Alexandria is the word part of it, 
and is only a port for (hipping off the riches of 
Egypt, Arabia and Abyffinia. Pleafe God, I 
fhall loon fee Rofette, the garden of this king- 
dom ; and the Nile, the repofitory of its natural 
curiofities. In Cairo, I fhall endeavour to get 
fome fragments of the Natural Hiftory of Arabia 
and Egypt. I have great hopes of learning the 
hiftory of the Balfam of Mecca ; I have already 
got a number of informations from the Mecca 
travellers, and only wait to get a little Ihrub of it 
from a Turk, at the end of the year, if poflible, 
or at lead a branch, and perhaps bioffoms, for which 
1 have already taken proper meaftires. There is a 
poffibility of getting the plant, which yields the 
Myrrh, by the caravan from Ethiopia to Cairo ; 
but it requires time, and fome expences ; I lhaM 
do all in my power. If it is poflible, I fhall make 
a tour to Upper Egypt ; but of this I can fay 
nothing 
