i 7 8 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
gum-bearing mimosas, that have been scorched by 
the recent fire, exude their sap through the heat- 
contracted bark. There are several varieties 
which produce gum-arabic, but the most valuable 
is that of a tree which is armed with a double- 
hooked thorn in reverse. It is simply impossible 
to escape without assistance when caught in this 
entanglement, if your clothes are strong enough 
to hold without giving way. 
The best gum-arabic is found in Kordofan; 
also in the country from the base of the Abyssinian 
range of mountains to the river Atbara. In some 
portions of this extensive district, where the best 
quality is produced in quantities, there are no 
inhabitants to gather it, as there is a considerable 
area uninhabited, owing to the insecurity of life 
in the absence of a firm government. I have seen 
crops of this valuable gum in such profusion 
that the naked trees were ornamented with trans¬ 
parent fruits resembling small candied oranges. 
These were semi - transparent, adhering to the 
stems and branches, so brilliant in their golden 
frosty surface that they became most attractive ; 
I could not help dismounting, and collecting 
as much as I could carry. It has frequently 
occurred to me, when among such scenes, that 
the old story of the garden of jewels in Aladdin 
and the Wonderful Lamp originated in travellers’ 
accounts concerning the mimosas laden with this 
topaz-coloured gum. 
It is sweet and agreeable to the taste when 
