THE OLIVE 419
teenth century positively denies the occurrence of olives in China.' Of course, this Arabic traveller is not an authority on Chinese affairs: many of his data concerning China are out and out absurd. He may even not have visited China, as suggested by G. Ferrand; notwithstanding, he may be right in this particular point. Likewise the Archbishop of Soltania, who wrote about 133o, states, "There groweth not any oil olive in that country."'
1 YULE, Cathay, Vol. IV, p. 118.
2 Ibid., Vol. III, p. 96.
IIIF Color HighRes
