ON  THE  DRUGS  OBSERVED  AT  ADEN,  ARABIA. 
153 
1.  Lubdn  Mattee,  so  called  from  Bunder  Mattee  the  port  from 
whence  it  comes.  This  gum  is  collected  chiefly  by  the  Abardaga- 
bala  tribe  of  Somalis.  The  season  for  piercing  the  trees,  from 
which  it  is  procured,  is  during  the  north-east  monsoon  in  the 
months  of  July  and  August. 
2.  Lubdn  Hunker,  or  Aungure,  from  the  country  of  Dour  Ma- 
hamed  and  Abardagahala  Somalis,  is  so  called  from  Bunder  Aungure 
whence  it  is  principally  exported.  Large  quantities  of  this  de- 
scription of  frankincense  are  brought  to  Aden  ;  when  picked  and 
garbled,  it  sells  in  the  market  for  1|  dollars  the  maund  of  twenty- 
eight-pounds.  Ungarbled,  the  usual  price  for  the  same  quantity  is 
three-quarters  of  a  dollar. 
3.  Lubdn  Makur,  from  the  seaports  of  Ras  Kurree,  Khor  Bun- 
der, Alholu,  Murya  and  Bunder  Khasoom,  in  the  country  of  the 
Worsungali  and  Meggertein  tribes  of  Somalis,  who  inhabit  the  ex- 
treme north-east  coast  of  Africa  about  Cape  Gardafui.  The  natives 
collect  this  gum  in  the  months  of  May,  June,  and  July.  When 
picked,  it  realizes  \h  dollars  per  maund  ;  if  not  picked,  about  half 
that  sum.  Very  little  of  this  quality  of  gum  finds  its  way  to 
Aden;  almost  all  is  taken  to  Maculla  and  Sehr  on  the  Arabian 
coast,  from  whence  it  is  shipped  direct  to  Bombay. 
Lubdn  Berbera  or  Mustika,  so  called  from  the  place  from  which 
it  is  exported.  It  is  collected  in  the  district  inhabited  by  the  Ayil 
Yunis  and  Ayil  Hamed  Somali  tribes,  and  upwards  of  3000  maunds 
are  annually  sent  out  of  the  country.  This  quality  of  gum  is  gene- 
rally garbled  before  it  is  exported,  and  is  largely  used  by  the 
Arabs  in  their  religious  services.  Its  price  in  Aden  is  from  three- 
quarters  of  a  dollar  to  one  dollar  per  maund, 
5.  Arabian  Lubdn,  commonly  called  Morbat  or  Shaharree  Lu- 
bdn. A  large  quantity  of  olibanum  is  also  collected  in  the  south- 
ern and  south-eastern  districts  of  Arabia,  and  exported  from  seve- 
ral towns  on  the  coast  between  Ras  Fartak  and  Marbat.  This  was 
the  famous  thuriferous  region  which  proved  the  object  of  such  dili- 
gent search  in  ancient  times.  The  country  still  maintains  its  re- 
nown for  the  abundance  of  the  drug  which  it  yields  and  for  its  su- 
perior quality,  though  its  value  has  sadly  depreciated  since  the 
time  of  Pliny,  who  tells  us  that  those  who  were  employed  in 
garbling  it  at  Alexandria,  were  hoodwinked  to  prevent  their 
