Sec. 8. Rules for the Choice of sundry Drugs, with an Account of the Places whence they are procured.[136]

Lignum aloes, a wood so called by us, is called garroo by the Mallays.  The best comes from Malacca, Siam, and Cambodia,[137] being in large round sticks and very massy, of a black colour interspersed with ash-coloured veins.  Its taste is somewhat bitter, and odoriferous; and when a splinter is laid upon a burning coal it melts into bubbles like pitch, continuing to fry till the whole is consumed, diffusing a most delightful odour.

[Footnote 136:  Purch.  Pilgr.  I. 389, being a continuation of the Observations by Mr Saris.—­E.]

[Footnote 137:  In the Pilgrims this last place is called Cambaya, but which we suspect of being an error of the press.—­E.]

Benjamin, or Benzoin, is a gum called Minnian by the Mallays.  The best kind comes from Siam, being very pure, clear, and white, with little streaks of amber colour.  Another sort, not altogether so white, yet also very good, comes from Sumatra.  A third sort comes from Priaman and Barrowse, which is very coarse, and not vendible in England.[138]

[Footnote 138:  On this subject Purchas has the following marginal note.  “Burrowse yieldeth Tincal, called buris in England; worth at Bantam a dollar the cattee, and here in England ten shillings the pound.  It is kept in grease.”—­Purch.

The substance of this note has not the smallest reference to benjamin or benzoin, and evidently means borax, called burris or burrowse, which used likewise to be called tincal, a peculiar salt much used in soldering, and which is now brought from Thibet by way of Bengal.—­E.]

The best civet is of a deep yellow colour, somewhat inclining to golden yellow, and not whitish, as that kind is usually sophisticated with grease.  Yet when civet is newly taken from the animal, it is whitish, and acquires a yellowish colour by keeping.

There are three sorts of musk, black, brown, and yellow; of which the first is good for nothing, the second is good, and the last best.  It ought to be of the colour of spikenard, or of a deep amber yellow, inclosed only in a single skin, and not one within another as it often is.  It should not be too moist, which adds to its weight, but of a medium moisture, having a few hairs like bristles, but not many, and quite free from stones, lead, or other mixed trash, and having a very strong fragrant smell, which to many is very offensive.  When chewed it pierces the very brain with its scent; and should not dissolve too soon in the mouth, neither yet to remain very long undissolved.  Musk must not be kept near any sweet spices, lest it lose its scent.