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as a stimulant medecine ; ” is also mentioned by Ebn Baitar: C. edulis was observed by Forskal
p. 63 frequent among the mountains of Yemen, the berries black and edible.
The MMS Synym of the later Isaiah prophecies xlix. 12, is referred by Gesenius and others
to China. And may therefore prove the earliest notice of the Chinese by a Western writer.
“ 556 B. C .” (D. Laert., Cyrill , and Clint.), Chilon ephor at Sparta. Already mentioned as by
some writers enumerated among the “ Seven sages.”
“ The same year ” (=: 538 “ 17 + ° y- 9 months ” of Berogus in Jos. c. A.), Neriglissoor succeeded
as king of Babylon by his son Laborosoarchod: a boy, who reigned “ nine months.”
555 B. C. ( = 538 + “ 17 years ” of Berosus in Jos. c. A .), at Babylon, Laborosoarchod slain by
conspirators, and succeeded by Nabonnedus. — Who reigned “ seventeen” years, being the last king
of Babylon.
“ 553 B. C.” ( . . . . Clint.), in Sicily, Camarina “ forty-six” years after its foundation captured
and destroyed by the Syracusans.
“ 551 B. C .” On the “ thirteenth day of the Eleventh month or near the Winter solstice, in the
22d year of Siang-koung king of Lou ” (Chinese chron. table), birth of Khoung-tseu or Confucius;
“ in the town of Tseou-y of the province” (now called Chan-toung).
550 B. C. ( = 743 -j- “ Sth year ” in Singal. ann., Burnouf ii. 487), Bimbasara succeeded by his
son Adjatasatru, now king of Magadha on the Ganges. Sucriti in the Graha Munjari tables and
Puranas (Bentley as. res. viii. 244) seems at least contemporary.
“ Nearly two thousand four hundred years ago,” according to the Cingalese, their ancestors came
to Ceylon “ from the Ea s tw a rd ” (Maunder). The colonists were doubtless acquainted with the
Negrillo Race of man, either as inhabiting the Andaman Islands or farther South. — The Andaman
Islands and their inhabitants are mentioned in one o f the voyages of Sindbad.*
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4 * Elceocarpiis than-lwen of Burmah. A Tiliaceous tree that gave its name to the river Sal wen,—
or according to the pronunciation of residents the salwen tree; as pointed out by the natives to
Mason v. 537. ■'
Elceocarpus . . . . j-/. . . . of Burmah. Its hard and valuable timber used from early times for
carts and in house and boat building: — observed by Mason v. 537 growing very abundantly in the
neighbourhood of Rangoon, and not uncommon in some parts of Tenasserim.
Hopea odorata of Burmah. A Dipterocarpous tree called there “ then-gan” (Mason) ; and from
early times, dammar the general substitute for pitch and rosin procured from i t : — observed by
Mason v. 517 to 527 the most valuable indigenous timber tree of the Southern provinces, used there
“ for building purposes” and especially for “ the best canoes.” Westward, is described by Roxburgh.
Vateria pan-theet-ya of Burmah. Another Dipterocarpous tree, whose wood from early times
was valued and employed by the natives ; — observed by Mason v. 527 “ common ” in Tavoy and
Mergui, its timber “ whiter than Hopea and equally good.” .
Sterculia ornaia of Burmah. A tree called there “ shau-nee ” (Mason), and from early times
ropes made of its bark : — observed by Mason v. 487 to 520 one of the three trees from whose bark
“ ropes are more frequently made,” and identified with the “ S. ramosa ” of McClelland yielding an
“ exudation similar to tragacanth.” S. ornata is described by Wallich, and may therefore prove
distinct.
Eriochlcena htwa-nie of Burmah. A Sterculioid tree, its red wood from early times used for
paddles, rice-pounders, and building purposes : — observed by Berdmore (Mason v. 536).
Acacia kuk-ko of Burmah. A very large tree, used from early times for making canoes, and
according to Burmese geography “ an immense specimen growing on the great Eastern island : ” —
under the former Burmese government, according to Brandis, “ a higher sum was required for permission
to fell ” the “ kuk-ko ” than for any other tree (Mason v. 529).
Inga bung-mni-za of Burmah. A tree, its hard and black heart-wood from early times used for
small canoes and wooden bells for cattle : — observed by Berdmore, and Mason v. 529.
Aeschynomene paludosa of Burmali. Subaquatic, growing half under water, and called by the
Burmese “ pouk ” or “ n y a ” (Mason) ; its bark from early times used for making a coarse hemp: —
observed by McClelland, and Mason v. 519.
Lagerstrcemia hlee-za of Burmah. A Lythraceous tree, its red-coloured wood used from early
times for paddles and for building : — observed by Berdmore, and Mason v. 538.
Peiitaptera . . . . r/. . . . of Burmah. The bitter-wood is a small Combretaceous tree, from early
times used for boats, said to be exempt from attacks of the te red o :— observed by Mason v. 533,
its bark “ sold in bazar to chew with betel,” but is regarded by him as possibly not distiqct from P.
arjuna.
“ 549, June 19th.” On the “ first day of the Seventh month in the 23d year of Ling-wang”
(Khoung-tseu, Gaubil, and Pauth. p. 108), eclipse o f ihe sun.
“ The same y e a r ” (Hieronym., ancl Clint.), in Sicily, Phalaris king of Agrigentum slain in an
insurrection.
The metope-reliefs of Perseus and Medusa, and of Hercules and Kerkopes, on the central
temple of the acropolis at Selinunt in Sicily, are referred to “ the middle of the sixth century” — by
Lubke and Lutrow ; the remaining five Doric temples being regarded as later than this century.
548 B. C. = “ 23d year of Amasis 11.,” death of an Apis or sacred bu ll— (Birch).
“ In this year ” (Pausan., and Clint.), the temple at Delphi in Greece destroyed by fire, (according
to Herodotus ii. 180) accidentally. The temple was rebuilt by the Amphictyons; Amasis II. of
Egypt contributing.
“ In this year ( = 01. 58 ” of Plin. ii. 6, and Sm. b. d.), the Obliquity of the Ecliptic discovered
by Anaximander of Miletus. Who also constructed the first map on record (Blair).
“ 546 B. C.” (Solin., and Clint.), in anticipation of aid from the Babylonians and Egyptians, and
trusting to an oracle, war commenced by Croesus against the Medes and Persians. He was defeated
in battle ; and before the close of the year, the city of Sardis was captured and Lydian independence
overthrown (Herodot. i. 77).
“ 544 B. C. = is t year of King-wang, of the Tcheou ” or Fifth dynasty (Chinese chron. table).
“ The same y e a r ” (Clint, i. p. 238, see Herodot), in Asia Minor, the city of Phocaea besieged
by the forces of Cyrus, and abandoned by the inhabitants ; who sailed away in their ships.
Ibycus of Rhegium may have been at this time composing poetry. — He is said to have passed
much time with Polycrates at Samos (Sm. b. d.).
Poientilla fragariasirum of Europe and the adjoining portion of Asia. The OINAN0 IAEE of
Ibycus, — and others, described by Theophrastus vi. 6 to 8 as vernal and scentless with racemed
white flowers, by Dioscorides as a span high, growing in stony places, and in the added Synonyms
identified with the “ kSraskomion ” or “ ISukanthon,” may be compared: P. fragariastrum was
observed by Sibthorp, and Chaubard, in the Peloponnesus. Westward, is described by Tournefort
inst. 296 ; and is known to grow throughout middle Europe as far as Britain (Curt. lond. iii. pl. 20,
and Pers.).
Hardly later than this date (“.620 to 540,” Franz), a Greek inscription, found near Petilia
(Policastro) in Italy, presenting the following form of the letter ©.
“ 543 B. C .” (Singalese ann., Lassen, Buns. iv. 7. 2, and Burnouf ii. 487, “ I ii6 th year before the
founding of Pegu ” = 542, Mason ii. 20), in the “ eighth ” year of king Adjatasatru, death of Gaudama
or Buddha, founder of Buddhism. On the '“ third week ” afterwards, the First Buddhist council
assembled by the high priest Kasyapa, Ananda not having as yet attained the state of ashat. The
“ sermon-books ” were “ committed to memory ” by different priests (Mahavams. ii.).*
“ In this year ” (Fa-Hian, and roy. asiat. soc. vi. 247), a piece of ground bought by king Prasene’s
minister of Sravasti for a garden lo a temple of Buddha.
“ 540 B. C.” Not earlier than this date (Franz), the Greek inscription on a vase found at
Agylla in Italy, presenting the following forms of letters : T, -i'. Other inscriptions of about this date,
present the forms : B, 1 , H, I, Y.
Maba buxifolia of Tropical Hindustan and Burmah. A small Diospyroid tree called in Tamil
“ erumbelie,” in Telinga “ pishanna” (Drur.) ; in Burmah “ mai-byoung” (Mason), and from early
times its hard tough knotty wood selected by Tavoyers for anchors for large boats, — wooden anchors
“ laden with stones constituting the greater part in u s e ” to the present day (Mason v. 543). Westward,
was observed by Roxburgh cor. i. pl. 45, and Wight, in Hindustan, on the Circar mountains,
its berries edible, agreeable to the taste, and its dark-coloured durable wood useful for various economical
purposes (Drur.).
* Garcinia Roxburghii of the Siamese countries. Called on the Neilgherries “ heela ” (Drur.),
in Burmah “ toung-da-lai ” (Mason) ; and the yellow produced by a Clusioid tree adopted as the sacred
colour by the Buddhists (Lindl.) as early perhaps as this d a t e :— G. Ro.xburghii was observed by
Mason v. 480 to 514 indigenous and very abundant in Tenasserim, its gum-resin affording“ a beautiful
permanent j'ît//î77£7 varnish for metallic surfaces.” Westward, is perhaps the tree regarded by Murray
as carried from Siam to Ceylon : is known to occur on Ceylon (Drur.) ; was observed by Roxburgh
cor. iii. pl. 298, Beddome, and Wight, in various parts of the peninsula; by Law, and Graham, in the
vicinity of Bombay, “ some very large tr e e s ” in “ a grove at Belgaum its exudation “ is semitransparent,
very adhesive, and unsuitable as a paint” (Drur.). “ G.gambogia, G. Zeylonica” and
“ G. cowa ” of Roxburgh, according to Graham, and “ G. kydia, G. papilla ” of Wight, and “ Cambogia
gutta” of Linnæus, according to Drury, are all identical.