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MASTICK is a Gummy Rosin, of a Whitish Yellow, well scented, and in Grains, pro∣ceeding from the Le••tisk Tree. The Best comes from Chio.
Three Leagues from the Island of Chio, upon a Mountain to the South, there grows a peculiar sort of Trees; the Leaves are some∣what like a Myrt••••, their Branches so long, that they cr••••p upon the Ground; but which is more won∣derful, that when they are down,
they rise again of themselves. From the beginning of May to the end of Iune, the Inhabitants take great care to keep the Earth under the Tree very clean; for during those two Months there issues out a certain Gum from the Joints of the Branches, which drops upon the Ground; this is that which we call MASTICK, and the Turks, Sakes, according to the Name which they give the Island. The Island produces great store of this MASTICK, which is spent in the Seraglio of Constantinople, where the Women continually chew it, to cleanse and keep their Teeth white. When the MASTICK Season draws near, the Grand Sig∣nior every Year, sends a certain num∣ber of Bestangi's to take care that it be not exported, but be preserv'd for the use of the Seraglio. If it be a plentiful Year for MASTICK, the Bestangi's that cull out the lesser sort to sell, put it into little Bags and seal ••t up; which ••ags being so seal∣ed, are never question'd by the Cu∣stom-House
Officers. TAVERN. of Chio.
Dioscorides affirms, that several other Places afford MASTICK, but still acknowledges, that the MASTICK that grows elsewhere, is rarer, and not so good as that of Chio. They prick these Trees in the Months of August and September, and the MASTICK, which is their Gum, sweating out by the Holes they have made in the Bark, runs down the Tree, and falls upon the Ground, where it congeals into flat pieces, which some time after they gather, then dry them in the Sun, and afterwards range and shake them in a Ranging-Sive, to separate the Dust from them, which so sticks to the Faces of those that handle the Sive, that they cannot get it off, but by rubbing their Faces with Oyl. There are two and twenty Villages in the Island of Chio that have MA∣STICK-Trees, and among them all, they have about an hundred thou∣sand of them, for which they yearly
pay to the Grand Signior, three hun∣dred Chests of MASTICK, which make seven and twenty thousand Oques, at fourscore and ten Oques the Chest, and every Oque contains four hundred Drachms. In raising all this MASTICK, every one of the Villages where it grows, is as∣sess'd, at so many Oques, according as they have more or fewer Trees, for they know within a little, how much every Tree can yield; and seeing all Years are not alike good or bad for all the Quarters where they grow, they who gather more than they are to pay, sell to those who have not gathered so much as their Tax comes to, at the rate of threescore Aspres the Oque, for they assist one another as much as they can, else they would be obliged to buy of the Master of the Custom-House, at the rate of two Piastres the Oque. Afterwards, they sell what they have over to the Cu∣st••mer a•• the price of threescore As∣pre•• the Oque, which turns to good
account to him; for they are not suffer'd to sell to any but the Master of the Customs, who sells it after∣wards for an hundred and fourscore Aspres, or two Piastres the Oque, there being none but he in Chio that can sell any, because it is a Com∣modity that belongs to the Grand Signior, as the Terra Sigillata, or Terra Lemnia is; and for that rea∣son they have Waiters upon all the Avenues of the Places where the Trees grow, who live in little Houses purposely built for them; and search all that come or go that way, to see if they have any MA∣STICK about them, and that so strictly, that once they found a good piece about a Woman, which she had hid in her most privy parts. Whosoever are taken stealing of MASTICK, are without remission sent to the Gallies. THEVENOT's Travels into the Levant, Part 1. Chap. 62.
The Felling of this Tree, at the time of its D••stilling, is prohibited,
on the Penalty of losing the Right Hand of him that does it. PET. HETLIN.
In China, Men, Women, and Children go almost constantly with MASTICK in their Mouths, which they take to be the best thing in the World for fastning of their Teeth, and also for a good Breath. They also put it into their Bread, and Bis∣ket, to give it a more delicate Taste. IOH. RAII Hist. Plant. Tom. 2. Pag. 1581.