"This serpent is the Bûska, described in Jackson's enlarged Account of Marocco, &c. p. 109. Providence has afforded to man an opportunity of evading the attack of this deadly animal; for when it coils itself up, and by the strength of its tail darts forward fifteen or twenty yards at once, the person attacked, by watching vigilantly its motions, evades the attack, by moving only a short distance from the right line, in which it is prepared to dart forwards; neither can the Bûska govern itself in the extent of its movement, but necessarily goes as far as its strength will permit, and then coils itself up again in a circular form, again erects its head, and darts a second time to its object. I have conversed with Arabs, who have been attacked by this monster, and they have assured me, that, by vigilantly watching its motion, and the direction of its head, when preparing to dart forward, they may escape its attack. [297]
"It is not correct to assert that Nasari is a general term, applied to infidels in Muhamed; it is applied to Christians only. Kaffer is the general term applied to all who have not faith in the Arabian Prophet. [298]
"That which you call the Talk Tree, is the tree which produces the Barbary gum; the name is talh. [299]"
Footnote 297:[ (return) ] Vide Leyden's Africa, p. 306.
Footnote 298:[ (return) ] Ibid, p. 429.
Footnote 299:[ (return) ] Ibid. 204.
"The Keydenah.--This is the Sudanic name for the tree which produces the Argan nut, or olive, the kernel of which resembles a bitter almond, and from it, not from the shell, they extract the oil, so celebrated for frying fish, and for burning; a pint of which will afford light as long as two pints of olive oil.
"The She plant, or properly Sheh is not wild thyme, nor does it resemble it, it is the wormseed plant, the seed of which is an article of exportation, from the ports of Marocco, The sheh resembles the absynthum. The wild thyme is called zatar, also an article of exportation from the ports of the Marocco empire. [300]
"The Alsharra signifies the Book of Laws of Muhamed. [301]
"Gebel Ramlie should be written Jibbel Rummelie, i.e. the Sandy Mountain. [302]