152 
ON  THE  DRUGS  OBSERVED  AT   ADEN,  ARABIA. 
sight  to  be  destitute  of  roots,  and  clinging  to  the  hard,  uncreviced 
rock  by  masses  of  rhomboid  and  fantastically-shaped  wood  with  the 
most  obstinate  adherence.  The  stem  is  nearly  at  right  angles 
with  this  substructure,  ascending  almost  invariably  in  an  upright 
direction,  and  attaining  the  height  of  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet. 
At  the  base  the  circumference  is  equal  to  that  of  a  man's  thigh, 
gradually  tapering  towards  the  top  where  it  shoots  off  its  branches 
and  leaves.  The  wood  is  white,  fibrous  and  somewhat  soft ;  the 
bark,  wThich  is  about  half  an  inch  in  thickness,  is  of  a  light  brown 
color,  very  succulent  and  covered  with  a  glossy  cuticle.  This 
usually  bursts  or  cracks  with  the  natural  increment  of  the  tree, 
and  may  then  be  removed  in  cutaneous  flakes,  when  it  presents  an 
appearance  not  unlike  that  of  prepared  oil-paper,  and  something 
akin  to  a  similar  coating  observable  on  the  English  birch.  The 
old  and  decayed  portions  of  the  tree  assume  a  cinereous  hue, 
whereby  they  are  easily  distinguishable  from  the  younger  and 
more  healthy  plants.  At  the  proper  season,  incisions  are  made  in 
the  stem,  from  which  the  juice  flows  forthwith  in  a  copious  stream 
(frequently  covering  the  entire  stem)  until  the  wounds  are  closed 
by  the  dessication  of  the  fluid  into  a  gum.  In  this  state  the  trees 
glisten  in  their  rich  investure  ;  and,  as  if  vexed  at  being  prevented 
from  pouring  forth  all  their  store,  the  bark  distends  from  the  abun- 
dance of  sap  within.  After  the  juice  is  inspissated  and  dried  by 
the  action  of  the  atmosphere  and  the  sun,  it  is  scraped  off  the  trees 
and  the  ground  beneath,  and  collected  by  the  natives,  who  store  it 
in  large  loose  heaps  at  particular  places  on  the  sea-coast.  It  is 
then  packed  in  sheep  and  goat-skins,  each  parcel  weighing  from 
about  twenty-eight  to  forty  pounds,  and  transported  on  camels  to 
the  great  fair  held  at  Berbera,  from  whence  it  is  either  sold  and 
then  shipped  in  native  vessels  for  Aden  and  other  ports  on  the 
Arabian  coast,  or  exported  to  the  same  places  for  sale.  Some- 
times, however,  it  is  purchased  by  the  Banians,  and  sent  directly 
to  the  Bombay  market  in  baggalas* 
The  following  are  the  different  kinds  of  Lubdn  imported  for  sale 
into  the  Aden  bazaar. 
*  Buggalow  or  Bugalow  C?),an  Arab  ship  employed  in  carrying  on  the 
trade  between  Bombay,  the  Malabar  coast  and  the  Persiaand  Arabian  Gulfs. 
— D.  H. 
