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424 CH R O N O LO G IC A L A R R A N G EM E N T
Cohns aromaiicns of Tropical Asia, A shrubby Labiate plant, delightfully fragrant, and called
in the environs of Bombay “ pathur-choor ” (Graham), in Bengalee “ pathoor-choor ” (D ru r .); in
Burmah “ pen-bu ” (Mason), and from early times in common use as a potherb : — observed in Burmah
by Mason v. 474; by Loureiro 452, in Anam, employed in asthma, chronic coughs, epilepsy, and
other convulsive affections; is termed “ marrubium album Amboinicum ” by Rumphius v. pl. 102.
Westward, was observed by Ro.xburgh, and Long, in gardens in Bengal, the leaves eaten, used besides
medicinally by the natives in colic and dyspepsia (Drur.), and a good substitute for borage when
put into beer and other drinks ; was observed by Law, and Graham, “ common in gardens ” as far as
Surat. The “ zatarhendi villosum ” observed by Forskal p. cxv to n o wild among the mountains of
Yemen, exceedingly fragrant, and said to be edible and to please monkeys, may be compared.
As early perhaps as this date (Avadan. asok.) Vrihaspati succeeded by Vrichasena, now king
at Pataliputra on the Ganges.— He is called Somasarman in the Puranas (Burn. i. 430 to ii. 778).
“ 113 B. C ,” (Clint, iii. p. 346), in Syria, withdrawal to Aspendus of Antiochus V I . ; and Antiochus
Cyzicenus associated with him in the government.
“ In this y e a r ” (Liv , and Clint ), invasion of the Cimbri and Teutones ; crossing the Alps into
Illyria and Italy.
112 B. C. = “ 6th year of Ptolemy V I 11.,” -in a papv'rus showing that he had attained his majority
and was now sole ruler of Egypt (C. Mull, geogr. min. i. p. ivii.).
About this time (Sm. b. d.), the orator L. Licinius Crassus as Roman quaestor visiting Asia,
where he heard Metrodorus of Scepsis. On his return, he received instruction from the philosopher
Charmidas at Athens. — He died “ B. C. 91.”
L a r ix Europæa of the mountains of middle Europe. Called in Britain larch, in Germany
“ liirch e ” (Prior), in France “ mélèze” (Nugent), in North Italy “ larice ” (Lenz ); and clearly the
“ p ic ea ” tree called according to Metrodorus of Scepsis “ padus” by the Gauls, abounding at the
source and giving its name to the river Pa'dus, — in the Ligurian language called “ Bodincum” (Plin.
iii. 20, compared Cerasus padus) : the “ la r ix ” is mentioned by Vitruvius ii. 9, Isidorus xvii. 7, and
i.s described by Pliny .xvi. 19 and 8t as a resin-bearing tree with pungent leaves and strong very durable
wood: L. Europæa is described by Miller, is known to grow in Switzerland and Germany, and
according to Lindley yields Venice tiirpentine. Eastward, this product imported from Subalpine Gaul
where it is called “ larika ” is enumerated by Dioscorides ¡.-92; and to the present day the living
tree continues unknown in Greece (Fraas, and others). B y Eu opean colonists, L. Europæa was
carried to Northeast America, where in our Northern States it continues sparingly cultivated for
ornament.
“ i l l B. C .” (Liv., and Clint.), war commenced by the Romans against Jugurtha in Numidia.—■
The war lasted five years.
“ The same y e a r ” (Strab , and C. Mull, geogi'. min. i. p. Ivii), return of Eudoxus of Cyzicus
from his voyage down the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean. The ship’s prow surmounted with a carved
horse’s head found by liim on the East coast of Africa, may be regarded as evidence of commercial
intercourse with Hindustan (see below Socotra). — A t the Braminical city of Toka on the Godaveri, I
found river-barges having a figure-head of this pattern.
The “ nësôi thé éuthaimonës ” fortunate isles (Agatharch. 103) is a translation of the Sanscrit
“ dvipa sukhatara,” — and lience the name Socotra, according to Bochart and others (C. Mull, geogr.
min. p. 191). The Dioscoridis Island of the Greeks, is identified by writers ; is said to have been
colonized with Greeks by one of the Ptolemies (Cosm. Ind. iii. 179) ; contained a mixed population
of Indians, Arabs, and Greeks in the days of the author of the Erythraean periplus p 16 ; is mentioned
also by Pliny vi. 32, and Claudius Ptolemy viii. 22 ; and Cosmas Indicoideustes conversed with
some of the inhabitants speaking Greek, but did not land there.
That ships from the “ mouth of the Indus ” visited Socotra as eariy as this date, may be inferred
from what has been above stated ; and the “ white cattle with the females hornless ” on the “ ëuthai-
mônës ” isles, — are regarded by Ritter, and C. Muller, as the zebu or Indian variety : cattle imported
by Plindu merchants, were observed by myself in Southern Arabia.
As early possibly as this date, Hindu merchants proceeding farther Westward across the Desert
to Meroe on the N ile .— There or in other localities along the river in Upper Nubia, “ a figure
unknow'n in E g y p t” having “ three lion’s heads and four arms,” was observed by Lepsius eg and
sin. p. 156 to 178 (probably Braminical) ; also “ tanks ; ” a “ small temple, with riders on elephants,
lions, and other strange barbarous scenes ; ” and at Soriba, “ Indian work in ebony.”
“ 110 B. C. = 1st year of the ‘ youan-foung ’ of Wou-ti ” — (Chinese chron. table).
In or about 109 B. C. (see Clint, iii. p. 535, and C. Mull. p. liv.), Agatharchides in his old age
writing his account of the Erythraean Sea.
The KPOKOTTAC of East Africa described by Agatharchides 77 — is clearly the spotted
hyena, H. crocuta.
OF A C C O M P A N Y IN G A N IM A L S A N D P L A N T S . 4 2 5
Already in the time of Agatharchides 61, circumcision practised by the East African tribes ; and
in some instances among the Troglodytae, total excision. “ Blood and milk ” also mixed together
for food by the pastoral tribes; — as to the present day a little farther South among the Galla.
Beyond the agricultural Ethiopians bordering Egypt, the Rhizophagi on the Astaboras, are
described by Agatharchides 50 as living on roots ofKAAAMUJN growing in great abundance in the
marshes; — Phragmites communis, eight feet high and called “ matastre,” was observed by Grant
“ from 4° 55' N. to 9° N. the banks of the Nile to the horizon are a sea of this reed,” and farther
South, made into flutes by the Waganda, “ said to grow arm-thickness at Lake N’yassa,” used for
huts.
Herminiera elaphroxylon of Tropical Africa. The pith-tree is a Leguminous tree called
“ ambash ” (Grant); and the Y A H C : A TTA AHC grasped according to Agatharchides 30 by the Ethiopians
inhabiting the marshes,— may be compared: H. elaphroxylon was observed by Grant from
“ 3° to 8° N.,” its light logs used by the natives in swimming across the Nile, and the tree growing
“ so rapidly that in three years it almost choked up the channel of the r. Bahr-el-Gazelle.” Westward,
was observed by Guillemin and Perrotet in Senegambia.
Beyond the Rhizophagi, according to Agatharchides 51, the Spermatophagi and Hylophagi
much resemble each other ; the Spermatophagi living in summer on spontaneous fruits falling from the
trees, and during the remainder of the year on an herb BOTANHC growing in shady valleys and
having a stem like that of B 0 Y N I A C I N.
Blepharis edulis ai Nubia and Tropical Arabia. A Ruellioid plant called in Yemen “ zo gaf”
(F o r sk .); and possibly the BOTANHC in question: — B. edulis was observed by Grant, the only
vegetation “ on the firm sand desert behind Meroe, 16° 50' N. ; ” by Forskal p. 1 14, about Lohaja and
Mor in Yemen, the leaves “ sapida,” eaten crude ; is known to grow as far as Persia (Burm. ind. pl.
42, and Pers.).
Ruellia sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. Included perhaps in the “ votanes ” eaten by the Ethiopians
; — observed by Grant “ about 2° N .” on the steep banks of the Nile, and eaten by his attendants
“ at Chogwe hills,” in 5° 30' S.
Sclerocarya birrea of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A forest tree called “ m’clioowee ” (Grant) ;
and its fruit probably included among those eaten by the Spermatophagi : — observed by Grant from
“ 5° S. to 3° 15' N-.” on the Nile, the kernels of its fruit eaten, and its wood used for grain-mortars.
Received from Africa, and described by Hochstetter.
Anacardiacece ?? of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A tree called “ m’soowee” (Grant); and its
fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi:— observed by Grant from Turah
nullah s° S. to “ Madi 3° N .” on the Nile, its bullet-sized plums eaten, and its wood used for grain-
, mortars.
Detarium sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A Leguminous tree called “ bootoo” (Grant) ; and
its pods probably included among the fruits eaten by the Spermatophagi:— observed by Grant at
“ 3° 15' N .” on the Nile, its fruit eaten.
Syzygium Guineense of Equatorial Africa. A small Myrtaceous tree called “ m’sawa” (Grant) ;
and its fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant in “ 3° N.”
on the Nile, its fruit eaten. Westward, was received by Decandolle from Guinea.
Terminalia sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A large tree called “ m’foof’o o ” (Grant) ; and its
nuts probably included among the fruits eaten by the Spermatophagi; — observed by Grant from
Unyanyembe to Gani, 5° S. to 3° N. on the Nile, its nuts eaten, and its wood used for building and
for tinting bark-cloth yellow by the Wanyamuezi.
Rubiac. oi Eastern Equatorial Africa. Called “ m’koolookootoot’oo ” (Grant); and its fruit
probably included among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant in Madi on
the Nile, its drupe pleasant-tasting.
Carissa sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. Resembling an orange tree, thorny and called
“ m’fombwah” (Grant); and its fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: —
observed by Grant in “ 3° N .” on the Nile, its fruit eaten, and its roots used to remedy foughs by
the Wanyamuezi.
J-/. of Tropical Africa. A very handsome umbrageous tree called “ m’fo o ” (Grant); and
its fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant in “ forests
3° 58' S. to 2° 30' N.” on the Nile, its fruit eaten, and wood made into drums : by Livingstone no. 5,
observed farther South ; received also from Africa and described by Don.
i Ficus sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A large tree (Grant); and its fruit probably among the
'kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant “ Jan. and Feb.,” Madi to Gondokoro “ 4“
54' N.” on the Nile, its figs half an inch in diameter, sweet.
Rhamnus sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A shrub called by the Wanyamuezi “ m’qumtae-
qustte ” (Grant) ; and its fruit possibly among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed
54
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