"بعثة لإجراء عملية مسح لنهري دجلة والفرات، تم تنفيذها بأمر من الحكومة البريطانية، في السنوات ١٨٣٥، ١٨٣٦، ١٨٣٧؛ تسبقها إشعارات جغرافية وتاريخية للمناطق الواقعة بين نهري النيل والسند. في أربعة مجلّدات. مع أربع عشرة خريطة ورسمًا، ومزينة بثلاث عشرة لوحة، بالإضافة للعديد من الرسومات بالحفر على الخشب. المجلّد الأول." [‎٣‎٦‎٣] (٩٠٥/٤٣٨)

CHAP. XVI.] VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS.
363
or gymnotus (according to Messrs. Dumeril and Bebron) and
common turtle, attain considerable magnitude.
The palm is seen occasionally ; but this and other tropical Fruits,
fruits do not arrive here at the same perfection as they attain
at a short distance southward. The pistachio, the quince, and
the carob or locust-tree 1 flourish; and the rest of the vegetable
productions are nearly the same as those of Southern Europe,
but are more perfect.
Of trees may be noticed the spreading cypress 2 (Arbor Trees and
vitse), the stone pine (Pinus pinea), the wild pear, the Judas-tree shrubs "
(Cercis siliquastrum), the Siberian crab, and the carob or St.
John's head (Ceratonia siliqua). The chestnut and the wal
nut are usually of large growth ; the oriental plane, as well as
the beech, attains an extraordinary size; and the like may be
said of many shrubs, such as the olive, bay-laurel, oleander,
myrtle, and heath,—the last being almost a tree. In some
parts of the country wild vines cluster over the trees, beneath
which there is a thicket of wild lavender, lilac, and white
cistus, rising to the height of 4 or 5 feet. Elsewhere tracts
are covered with the flowering acacia, the arbutus (Arbutus
unedo), and rhododendron, all in the greatest perfection.
The chief products are silver, copper, iron, lead, and alum; J i r e oduc ^ t ons of
fine figs, grapes, and other fruits; grain; silk, cotton, hemp,
and hemp-seed; flax, tobacco, opium, saffron ; madder, mastic,
and other gums; galls, yellow berries, sheep's wool, goat's
hair, skins, hides, leeches, sponges, wax, honey, salt, and some
wine.
The people of the country are employed in weaving tents. Employments
hair-bags, and the celebrated carpets; in the preparation of otthepeople-
various kinds of leather, and the manufacture of culinary
utensils. These furnish the means of carrying on a domestic
trade, and likewise afford ample returns for the purchase of
British and other manufactured goods; but the commerce is
trifling compared with that which might be prosecuted in a
country occupying the most favourable position possible, hav
ing extensive lines of sea-coast, along which are chains of
1 Ceratonia siliqua. 2 A variety of the Cupressus serapervirens.
3 A 2