Of Bot. Disc. I. p. 2. See Heyd, Com. Levant, II.
616-618.) - H.C.]
Galangal was much used as a spice in the Middle Ages. In a syrup for a
capon, temp. Rich. II., we find ground-ginger, cloves, cinnamon and
galingale. "Galingale" appears also as a growth in old English gardens,
but this is believed to have been Cyperus Longus, the tubers of which
were substituted for the real article under the name of English Galingale.
The name appears to be a modification of the Arabic Kulijan, Pers.
Kholinjan, and these from the Sanskrit Kulanjana. (Mr. Hanbury;
China Comm.-Guide, 120; Eng. Cycl.; Garcia, f. 63; Wright, p. 352.)
NOTE 6. - The cat in question is no doubt the fleecy Persian. These
fowls, - but white, - are mentioned by Odoric at Fu-chau; and Mr. G.
Phillips in a MS. note says that they are still abundant in Fo-kien, where
he has often seen them; all that he saw or heard of were white. The
Chinese call them "velvet-hair fowls." I believe they are well known to
poultry-fanciers in Europe. [Gallus Lanatus, Temm. See note, p. 286, of
my edition of Odoric. - H.C.]
NOTE 7. - The times assigned in this chapter as we have given them, after
the G. Text, appear very short; but I have followed that text because it
is perfectly consistent and clear.
