DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11637#0186
IjrO TRAVELS IN UPPER.
common gypsum is found, in Arabic giaps*, and
also foliated gypsum, or lapis specularis -f.
In the environs of the lakes of natron there are
thick and solid strata of rock-salt, or sal gem J,
which they break into large pieces. This salt is
of a dazzling whiteness without, and a rosy hue
within. In some places, but much more rarely,
another sort of sal gem is found, crystallized in
little, hard, solid, whitish, transparent crystals,
nearly of a pyramidal figure. This is called melhe
maktoum, or marked salt, because these little pyra-
mids have on their base a mark, which appears to
be artificial, and is probably given to them by the
Cophtic monks, by way of increasing the marvel-
ousness which they have contrived to affix to the
origin of these natural productions. They ap-
peared much astonished at the doubts I expressed
on this subject, and had not too much effrontery
in maintaining their imposition. They alone take
upon themselves the office of collecting the marked
salt, which they separate from its bed with little
iron hooks: and if we possessed the stupid credu-
lity of those to whom the lies of monks are so
many oracles, we might believe that this saline
crystallization takes place only on that night when
+
+
Gypsum wslgare.
Sal gemmtt.
f Gypsum lamcllosum.
the
common gypsum is found, in Arabic giaps*, and
also foliated gypsum, or lapis specularis -f.
In the environs of the lakes of natron there are
thick and solid strata of rock-salt, or sal gem J,
which they break into large pieces. This salt is
of a dazzling whiteness without, and a rosy hue
within. In some places, but much more rarely,
another sort of sal gem is found, crystallized in
little, hard, solid, whitish, transparent crystals,
nearly of a pyramidal figure. This is called melhe
maktoum, or marked salt, because these little pyra-
mids have on their base a mark, which appears to
be artificial, and is probably given to them by the
Cophtic monks, by way of increasing the marvel-
ousness which they have contrived to affix to the
origin of these natural productions. They ap-
peared much astonished at the doubts I expressed
on this subject, and had not too much effrontery
in maintaining their imposition. They alone take
upon themselves the office of collecting the marked
salt, which they separate from its bed with little
iron hooks: and if we possessed the stupid credu-
lity of those to whom the lies of monks are so
many oracles, we might believe that this saline
crystallization takes place only on that night when
+
+
Gypsum wslgare.
Sal gemmtt.
f Gypsum lamcllosum.
the