Of the Trees.
IN Egypt are to be found several Trees very rare, which are not in Europe. Lebaca is one which, as the Copties Stories relate, worshipped our Saviour Christ when he came first to Ischemu∣nein, a City scituate in the middle Egypt near Me∣lave, towards the North. This Tree is now very rare; for I have not seen any in all my Travels.
The Hilélgie is a great Tree full of prickles. I have seen one in the Monastery of Abuhennis, scituate in the middle Egypt, almost over against Melave. I was told that it bears a Fruit like to yellow Dasies. The Sycamore, named by the A∣rabians, Gomeize, is one of the ordinary sort of Trees; as also the Fig-tree, which is of four sorts, 1. The common Fig-tree; 2. The Fig-tree of Fium; 3. Of Europe; 4. Avodlis. The Palm-tree, in Arab. Temer, is one of the most vulgar Trees; it bears above fifty differing sorts of Fruits. There is also the Nebeca, a kind of Page 61Gum-tree. Zante, which is called Acacia. The Mastick, I have seen too in the Monastery of St. Anthony. Carobis, Atles, and Tamrhennes. There is also a Tree called Seiials, a wild kind of Aca∣cia. The Cinamon-tree, named in Arab. Cheiiar Scembar. The Pomgranate, Orange-tree, the Lemon-tree, the Cedar, the Quince-tree, the Sefsafs, a kind of Withy, the Apricock tree, the Almond-tree, the Cypress-tree. The Tree called Mocheits, or Sebeste; the Fruit whereof is good for Food, and to make Glue. The Tree called Alats, the Myrhe, the Fig-tree of Adam, named in Arab. Mouz. The Kebbads, a Tree that bears Oranges of a strange bigness. The Keffe Mariam, or the holy Virgin's Hand.
The Doum, or the Gum-tree, is a rare Tree in Egypt; I have never seen but three in all my Travels: one in the Monstery of St. Athanase, di∣stant from Siut about three hours travelling, to∣wards the South. In this Tree are two things re∣markable: 1. That its Leaves burst forth only at the end of its Branches, and in the thick Bunches. 2. That they are so equal, and even at the end of the Branches, that to look upon them one would think that some have cut, and even'd them with Scissers. The Leaves are very thin and long, and are like the Leaves of the Palm-tree. The Body of this Tree hath many Branches of a con∣siderable bigness, from them proceed others of a lesser size; every one is forked, and the end of these Leaves appear in Bunches, as we have said.
