The Tree From Which
It Is Collected Grows In The Neighbouring Mountains, But Principally
Upon Djebel Sobh, And Is Called By The Arabs Beshem.
I was informed that
it is from ten to fifteen feet high, with a smooth trunk, and thin bark.
In the middle of summer, small incisions are made in the bark; and the
juice, which immediately issues, is taken off with the thumb-nail, and
put into a vessel.
The gum appears to be of two kinds; one of a white,
and the other of a yellowish-white colour: the first is the most
esteemed. I saw here some of the latter sort, in a small sheep-skin,
which the Bedouins use in bringing it to market: it had a strong,
turpentine smell, and its taste was bitter. The people of Szafra usually
adulterate it with sesamum oil, and tar. When they try its purity, they
dip their finger into it and then set fire to it; if it burn
[p.310] without hurting or leaving a mark on the finger, they judge it
to be of good quality; but if it burn the finger as soon as it is set on
fire, they consider it to be adulterated. I remember to have read, in
Bruce's Travels, an account of the mode of trying it, by letting a drop
fall into a cup filled with water; the good Balesan falling coagulated
to the bottom, and the bad dissolving, and swimming on the surface. I
tried this experiment, which was unknown to the people here, and found
the drop swim upon the water; I tried also their test by fire upon the
finger of a Bedouin, who had to regret his temerity:
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