336 
ON  THE  DRUGS  OBSERVED  AT  ADEN,  ARABIA. 
Orchella  Weed,  called  Shenneh,  is  abundant  in  this  part  of 
the  world.  There  is  any  quantity  of  it  on  the  Somali  coast,  but 
of  an  inferior  quality  to  that  collected  in  Aden  and  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Mocha.  Latterly  the  Somalis  have  brought  a  quantity 
for  sale,  but  as  yet  there  are  but  few  purchasers.* 
Civet. — Two  kinds  of  civet,  known  by  the  respective  names  of 
Zanzibar  or  Sowhale  Civet,  and  Muss owah  or  Abyssinian  Civet, 
are  found  in  the  Aden  bazaar.  A  considerable  quantity  of  this 
highly-scented  perfume  is  annually  brought  into  Aden  for  sale, 
there  being  a  constant  demand  for  it  by  the  Arabs  of  the  interior, 
who  greatly  esteem  it.  It  is  principally  employed  by  the  females, 
who  consider  it  the  height  of  politeness  and  gentility  to  be  strongly 
perfumed  with  it,  especially  on  great  occasions  and  when  going 
into  company,  so  that  the  odor  to  the  olfactory  nerves  of  an  Euro- 
pean is  often  far  stronger  than  what  would  be  agreeable.  The 
men  put  a  small  quantity  in  their  turbans,  only,  and  as  a  rule  on 
no  other  part  of  their  dress.  Very  little  civet  is  exported,  I 
believe,  from  this  place  by  sea,  nearly  the  whole  being  sent  inland 
or  used  by  the  Arabs  in  Aden. 
I  find  it  is  no  uncommon  custom  for  the  natives  of  India  who 
are  in  the  habit  of  retailing  this  scent  to  adulterate  it  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  with  rosin  and  with  the  pulp  of  the  plantain. 
The  Zanzibar  or  Sowhale  civet  sells  here  for  If  dollars  per  ounce, 
and  the  Mussowah  or  Abyssinian  civet  for  about  one  dollar  per 
ounce.  Civet  is  brought  for  sale  in  large  buffalo  horns  each  con- 
taining from  one  to  two  pounds  of  the  perfume. 
Ambergris. — Small  quantities  of  this  substance  are  collected  on 
the  Arabian  coast  and  brought  to  Aden,  where  it  sells  for  95  rupees 
the  pound.  I  am  not  aware  that  it  is  used  medicinally  by  the 
Arabs  of  this  district,  but  it  frequently  forms  an  ingredient  in  the 
aphrodisiacs  employed  by  the  Turks. 
Sumn  el  Baar,  Fat  of  the  Sea. — A  colorless  substance,  emitting 
*  Sarnplesof  Orchella  weed  of  three  qualities  have  been  forwarded  to  Eng- 
land by  Mr.  Vanghan,  viz.: 
1.  Shenneh  from  Socotra,  first  quality.  Thisconsists  of  Rocella  fuciformis, 
DeCand. 
2.  Shenneh  from  Socotra,  second  quality,  consists  of  Rocella  tinctoria,  De 
Cand.,  Rocella  fuciformis  and  (?)  Parmelia  perlata. 
3.  Orchella  collected  in  Aden,  consisting  entirely  of  Rocella  fuciformis.  An 
orchill  manufacturer  who  has  examined  it;  finds  it  to  afford  a  fair  amount  of 
coloring  matter. — D.  H. 
