NOTE 3.—­This was no doubt a breed of four-horned sheep, and Polo, or his informant, took the lower pair of horns for abnormal ears.  Probably the breed exists, but we have little information on details in reference to this coast.  The Rev. G.P.  Badger, D.C.L., writes:  “There are sheep on the eastern coast of Arabia, and as high up as Mohammerah on the Shatt-al-Arab, with very small ears indeed; so small as to be almost imperceptible at first sight near the projecting horns.  I saw one at Mohammerah having six horns.”  And another friend, Mr. Arthur Grote, tells me he had for some time at Calcutta a 4-horned sheep from Aden.

NOTE 4.—­This custom holds more or less on all the Arabian coast from Shehr to the Persian Gulf, and on the coast east of the Gulf also.  Edrisi mentions it at Shehr (printed Shajr, I. 152), and the Admiral Sidi ’Ali says:  “On the coast of Shehr, men and animals all live on fish” (J.A.S.B. V. 461).  Ibn Batuta tells the same of Dhafar, the subject of next chapter:  “The fish consist for the most part of sardines, which are here of the fattest.  The surprising thing is that all kinds of cattle are fed on these sardines, and sheep likewise.  I have never seen anything like that elsewhere” (II. 197).  Compare Strabo’s account of the Ichthyophagi on the coast of Mekran (XV. 11), and the like account in the life of Apollonius of Tyana (III. 56).

[Burton, quoted by Yule, says (Sind Revisited, 1877, I. p. 33):  “The whole of the coast, including that of Mekran, the land of the Mahi Kharan or Ichthyophagi.”  Yule adds:  “I have seen this suggested also elsewhere.  It seems a highly probable etymology.”  See note, p. 402.  —­H.C.]

NOTE 5.—­At Hasik, east of Dhafar, Ibn Batuta says:  “The people here live on a kind of fish called Al-Lukham, resembling that called the sea-dog.  They cut it in slices and strips, dry it in the sun, salt it, and feed on it.  Their houses are made with fish-bones, and their roofs with camel-hides” (II. 214).

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

CONCERNING THE CITY OF DUFAR.

Dufar is a great and noble and fine city, and lies 500 miles to the north-west of Esher.  The people are Saracens, and have a Count for their chief, who is subject to the Soldan of Aden; for this city still belongs to the Province of Aden.  It stands upon the sea and has a very good haven, so that there is a great traffic of shipping between this and India; and the merchants take hence great numbers of Arab horses to that market, making great profits thereby.  This city has under it many other towns and villages.[NOTE 1]

Much white incense is produced here, and I will tell you how it grows.  The trees are like small fir-trees; these are notched with a knife in several places, and from these notches the incense is exuded.  Sometimes also it flows from the tree without any notch; this is by reason of the great heat of the sun there.[NOTE 2]