CHAP. 20.—TREES OF PERSIS.
Adjoining the countries which we have previously mentioned
is Persis, lying along the shores of the Red Sea, which, when
describing [Note] it, we have mentioned as the Persian Sea, the tides
of which penetrate far into the land. The trees in these
regions are of a marvellous nature; for, corroded by the action
of the salt, and bearing a considerable resemblance to vegetable substances that have been thrown up and abandoned by
the tide, they are seen to embrace the arid sands of the seashore with their naked roots, just like so many polypi. When
the tide rises, buffeted by the waves, there they stand, fixed
and immoveable; nay, more, at high water they are completely
covered; a fact which proves to conviction, that they derive
their nutriment from the salt contained in the water. The
size of these trees is quite marvellous; in appearance they
strongly resemble the arbute; the fruit, which on the outside
is very similar to the almond, has a spiral kernel within. [Note]
