CINNAMON REGION OF EASTERN AFRICA. 341 
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period from its valuable produce, should lose so important 
a trade, may be attributed to the following causes: 1. The 
fall of Egyptian civilization and of Paganism, on the cus- 
toms of which depended the consumption of the aromatics. 
2. The revolutions in the countries around the Red Sea 
accompanying the spread of Mohammedanism, — with the 
impeded intercourse between the Christian and Mohamme- 
dan worlds. 3. Discovery of the route to India round the 
Cape of Good Hope, and the consequent shifting of the 
channels of commerce. 4. The wanton destruction of the 
towns on the shores of the Red Sea by the Portuguese, and 
the implacable hatred therefore conceived by the natives 
towards Christians. The ancients and the Arabs appear to 
have known nothing concerning the cinnamon of Ceylon, 
though the latter speak of that of Malabar. Arrian, in his 
Peri plus, mentions Malao and Mundi (perhaps the sites of 
Zeylah and Berbera) and Mosyllum as the most important 
places on the coast. " From this neighborhood is exported 
a large quantity of cassia, in consequence of which, this port 
requires ships of a larger size." Further on he mentions 
Acannse (Buraidi, E. of Ras Ululah ;) then, doubling Cape 
Aromata, he names Tabse (near the Wadi Tohum) " where 
the country produces much spice, &c." Arrian afterwards 
names Opone (Hafoon) ^ which ports was visited by the 
ships from India, bringing the cane honey, called Sacchari." 
Ancient authors add, however, that cinnamon and cassia 
came from the interior. Hence, Ptolemy filled up the 
blanks in his maps between the frequented coasts and the 
sources of the Nile, which he adopted from Marinus Tyrius, 
by placing the cinnamon country above those sources, 
while he fixes the Region of Myrrh, which is, in truth, the 
Wadi Nogal, at the sources of the Astapus. If, therefore, 
the design be entertained of exploring this in many respects 
highly interesting country, there can be no doubt as to the 
limits within which may be confined the labors of the ex- 
pedition, the chief object ot which is to become acquainted 
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