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840
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1885.
that it was brought from India, and that! It is obtained in the higher regions of the when diluted it produced an admirable mis- Himalayas, and is brought down for sale in ture of blue and purple colours. The dye was considerable quantities, being much esteemed introduced into Rome only a little before by the people of Oriental nations generally Pliny's time."
on account of its strong fragrance. It is stated that as late as the close of the 18. THE PURPLE FLOWER (Avoos toppupowv). 16th century it was not known in Europe what
Grislea tomentosa, Roxb. The Dhavi, Hin. plant produced indigo, although its prepa
Among Photios's extracts from Ktêsias ration at Lisbon was described by Marco Polo.
there occurs the following passage :-"Near As is well known, it has hitherto been a most
the source of the Hyparkhos there grows a important product from British India, but the
certain purple flower, which is used for dyeing introduction of an artificial indigo renders it
purple, and is not inferior to the Greek sort, probable that the trade of the indigo planter
but even imparts a more florid hue." is destined to become extinct ere long.
I am inclined to recognize in this descrip16. A TREE HAVING BEAN-LIEB PODS tion the flowers of the dhava tree (Sanskrit, (Aévopov Mórovs ēxov).
dhátri-pushpika, or agnivála, i.e. flame of Cassia fistula, Linn. Amaltds, Hin. fire), which was named Grislea tomentosa by Suvarna, Sansk.
Roxburgh." According to Strabo,** Aristoboulog men- It will be seen by reference to any of the tions "a tree, not large, bearing great pods, Indian Floras that the flowers of this wild like the bean, ten fingers in length, full of jungle-shrub are largely used as a dye. Thus honey, and says that those who eat it do not Brandis says that they are collected in the easily escape with life."
North-West, and exported to the Pañjab for The above description suggests the pods of dyeing silks ; and Drury, that "in Khandesh, the Cassia fistula, which are sometimes two where the plant grows abundantly, they form feet long. They include, besides the seeds, & considerable article of commerce inland as a sweet mucilaginous pulp, which, however,
a dye.” is not poisonous, but is regarded as a valuable I have often seen baskets-full of the dried laxative. The seeds may be noxious. Possibly flowers exposed for sale at the fairs in Chutia the pulp, if taken in quantity, might produce Nagpûr, together with crude shell-lac, i.e. in disagreeable effects.
the same general region as that in which the 17. NARDOS (Nápdes).
Hyparkhos river was probably situated. The Nardostachys jatamansi, Jones-Spikenard.
petals being minute, it is the coloured sepals
which actually afford the dye. Sumbul-i-Hindi, Persi. Bálchhar, Hind. From the Periplus we learn that gangetic
19. OIL OY SESAME ("Elanov onoauivov). nard or spikenard was brought down the
Sesamum indicum, Linn. Gingely Oil, Eng. Ganges to Gange, near its mouth, and was
Yellu cheddi, Tamil, Til, Hin. forwarded thence to Mouziris and Nelkynda.
This is one of the most valuable oil-yielding Spikenard, which was obtained in the regions
plants in India. Both seeds and oil are still of the upper Indus and in Indo-Skythia, was largely exported from India, as they were, or forwarded through Ozônê (Ujjain) to Barygaza at any rate the latter was, according to the (Bharoch), and was thence exported to Egypt. Periplus," from Barygaza (i.e. Bharoch), it
The true origin of this aromatic drug was having been brought there from the region in first discovered by Sir W. Jones," who was the Narbadâ valley, then known as Ariake. followed in its investigation by Roxburgh" It is much cultivated in India and Egypt, and Royle. They determined it to be the and has found its way even to the West Indies. root of a plant named as above, which belongs The seed contains about forty-five per cent. to the Valerian family.
of oil, which is, when carefully extracted, of a
a B. xv. C. 1, $ 21. 3 As. Res. II. p. 405. 3. 48. Res. IV. p. 109. » Illast. p. 248. » Conf. Ancient India, by J. W. 'Crindle, p. 22.
» According to Brandis the proper name is Woodfordia floribunda, Salis.
Conf. Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, by J. W. 'Crindle, p. 17.
