nt which they
called _Aucklandia Costus_. But the identity of the _Pucho_ (which he
gives as the Malay name) with Costus was known to Garcia. Alex. Hamilton,
at the beginning of last century, calls it _Ligna Dulcis (sic)_, and
speaks of it as an export from Sind, as did the author of the _Periplus_
1600 years earlier.

My own impression is that _Mukl_ or _Bdellium_ was the brown incense of
Polo, especially because we see from Albiruni that this was regarded as a
staple export from neighbouring regions. But Dr. Birdwood considers that
the Black Dammar of _Canarium strictum_ is in question. (_Report on Indian
Gum-Resins_, by _Mr. Dalzell_ of Bot. Gard. Bombay, 1866; _Birdwood's
Bombay Products_, 2nd ed. pp. 282, 287, etc.; _Drury's Useful Plants of
India_, 2nd ed.; _Garcia; A. Hamilton_, I. 127; _Eng. Cyc._, art.
_Putchuk; Buchanan's Journey_, II. 44, 335, etc.)

CHAPTER XXVIII.

CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF CAMBAET.

Cambaet is a great kingdom lying further west. The people are Idolaters,
and have a language of their own, and a king of their own, and are
tributary to nobody.[NOTE 1]

The North Star is here still more clearly visible; and henceforward the
further you go west the higher you see it.

There is a great deal of trade in this country. It produces indigo in
great abundance; and they also make much fine buckram. There is also a
quantity of cotton which is exported hence to many quarters; and there is
a great trade in hides, which are very well dressed; with many other kinds
of merchandize too tedious to mention. Merchants come here with many ships
and cargoes, but what they chiefly bring is gold, silver, copper [and
tutia].

There are no pirates from this country; the inhabitants are good people,
and live by their trade and manufactures.

NOTE 1.--CAMBAET is nearer the genuine name of the city than our CAMBAY.
Its proper Hindu name was, according to Colonel Tod, _Khambavati_, "the
City of the Pillar." The inhabitants write it _Kambayat_. The ancient city
is 3 miles from the existing Cambay, and is now overgrown with jungle. It
is spoken of as a flourishing place by Mas'udi, who visited it in A.D.
915. Ibn Batuta speaks of it also as a very fine city, remarkable for the
elegance and solidity of its mosques, and houses built by wealthy foreign
merchants. _Cambeth_ is mentioned by Polo's contemporary Marino Sanudo, as
one of the two chief Ocean Ports of India; and in the 15th century Conti
calls it