Roanoke Rapids herald., 1923-12-21

prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington, d. CO.
Off the northeastern point of Africa
at the entrance to the Gulf Of Alden,
like a chip fallen there In the making
of the continent, lies Socotra, little
island to which the world gives scant
thought, but which sends its pleasant
messages to the nostrils Of thousands
each day. 1t is the Isle of Franklin
cense" from which comes much OF the
pleasant, aromatic gum burned as in
cense alike In the churches and tenn
Piles of the West and the East.
Frankincense is gum resin OBJ
tained from certain trees of the genus
Boswellia, found in Socotra, East At
rica and Arabia. An incision having
been made in the bark Of the tree,
milky juice exudes and slowly hard
ems In tear-shaped drops OF yellowish
hue. These are gathered as olibanum,
or the true frankincense. The idea
that frankincense was originally a
product Of India probably arose from
Gus products of that country, and be-
cause Of the fact that imported frank
incense is sold with native Indian
products.
Among ancient and medieval peoples
frankincense was the physicians cure
all. being confidently administered for
fevers, boils. Internal disorders, lep-
rosy, as an antidote to hemlock pol
soning, as a sedative, stimulant and
a tonic.
In ancient times Socotra and the
southern end of Arabia produced all
the franklncense In the world but to-
day the largest' supply comes from the
Warsangli country, in Somallland.
Socotra, 70 miles long by 35 miles
wide in its widest part and lying 543
miles east of Alden, is said to be geo.
logically older than eastern Asia; yet
in the centuries which have elapsed
since the argosies Of Persia and Tyre
sought it out for its precious balsams
1t has been almost forgotten. The
Europeans who have visited 1t could
-
ship that passes through Bah el-Man-
deb, east or west, sights its cloud belt
ed peaks and gives It room: for
Socotra has no harbors, and the mon
soon snarls about its uncharted rocks
like hungry lioness lying in wait
for her prey.
Tourists Are Not Wanted.
If one makes his way to this out-of-
the-way island he will probably sail
into Tamarida bay, where before him.
smothered In palms. will lie Hadibo.
capitol of the island. In the distance
he will see vast rampant Of gray
limestone mountains thrusting needle
pointed peaks up into the clouds
These are the peaks of Haghier
1t should be explained that the
latch string OF Socotra does not hang
out for tourists. Only after careful
arrangements and the securing of per
and even then his reception may not
be cordial. Its sultan has enjoyed
isolation so long that he considers 1t
sort of priceless privilege and
wishes to preserve It.
Hadibo, or Tamarida, as the Arabs
call 1t. from lamar. the date-frult
tree, is collection of f1at-roofed white
houses scattered among the palms.
The sultan's palace" is a large mud
structure with fiat towers. and the two
~ thn
graceful Arab mosques only by con-
trast The poorer population, chiefly
of African descent and much older in
the history Of the island than its Arab
aristocracy, lives In huts Of thorn and
plated grass, invariably overrun with
luxuriant gourd vines. Surrounded by
tiny garden plots, in which tombac. or
native tobacco, lentils, melons. and
yams grow abundantly. they are more
picturesque outside than inside
There is not much to be seen In
Hadibo. The principal amusement af
forded the visitor is that of being
seen; one Ia fortunate II any part of
his person or belongings escapes much
handling, as well as the sharpest kind
Of scrutiny. Yet they are a kindly
folk, hospitable and quite harmless.
Quarrels among themselves are said
to he almost unknown.
The women for the most part keep
shyly veiled. or crowd behind the
doors. while the men may bring out
their small stores of skins. dried tom
bac, Jumps of frankincense and aloes
for inspection 1t is said that in an
c;ent times the Socotran women ex
ercised the arts Of magic. and among
the Arabs the legend still survives
that they were wont to sit on the
rocks and lure mariners to disaster
with their smiles. Possibly the
Socotran women were the Circes and
the Sirens, so fatal to the old Greek
sailors; but II so. their charms have
sadly deserted them since, or the sail
ormen of that day were even more
impressionable than sailors are now.
Beside Hadibo is khor. or lagoon,
that winds Its placid way through the
palms. Strangely enough. strip of
sand not more than so feet wide d.
vides Its sweet waters from the brine
Of the sea. There are several Of these
silted-in lagoons along the coast. and
that eminent traveller. the late Theo-
dore Bent, thinks they are the rem
nants of ancient harbors In which the
smaller ships Of those times easily
found shelter.