Dr. Blane’s Account of 
by way of fixing more precifely the country from whence It 
comes, call it alio Nardus Gangites. Thirdly, Garcias ab 
Horto, a Portuguefe, who refided many years at Goa in the 
lixteenth century, has given a figure of the roots, or rather the 
lower parts of the ftalks, which correlponds with our fpeci- 
men ; and he lays expreflly, that there is but this one fpecies 
of Nardus known in India, either for the confumption o. 
the natives, or for exportation to Perfia and Arabia. It is. 
remarkable, that he is perhaps the only author who fpeaks of 
it in its recent ftate from his own obfervation. It is not to be 
met with among the many hundreds of plants delineated in 
the Hortus Malabaricus. The Schcenanthus of Rumphius 
does not correfpond with it, being only one palm in height , 
but he mentions having feen a dried fpecimen of it, of which 
the leaves were almoft five feet high ; and that Mackran was 
one of the countries from whence it was brought. This mull 
be the fame as that mentioned by Arrian, but differs fiom 
that of Garcias in the length of the ftalks; but this might 
be either becaufe the meafure was taken at dirierent feafom of 
the year, for the fpecimen before us was much fhorter -in 
winter than when it fhot into fpikes, or uecauie that o. Gar 
ci as being, according to his own account, cultivated, it 
might not be fo luxuriant as that which grew fpontaneous in its 
native foil. Fourthly, the fenfible qualities of this are fupe- 
rior to what commonly palfes for it in the fhops, being pof 
feffed both of more fragrancy and pungency, which feems to 
account for the preference given to it by the ancients. 
There is a queftion concerning which Mathiolus, the 
commentator of Dioscorides, beftows a good deal of argu- 
ment, viz. whether the roots or ftalks were the parts efteemed 
for ufe. the teftimony of the ancients themfelves on this point 
being 
