* The word “Ladders” is the translation of the Egyptian word “Khatiu,” employed in the text to designate the country laid out in terraces where the incense trees grew; cf. with a different meaning, the “ladders” of the eastern Mediterranean.

Gums required for the temple service had hitherto reached the Theban priests solely by means of foreign intermediaries; so that in the slow transport across Africa they lost much of their freshness, besides being defiled by passing through impure hands.  In addition to these drawbacks, the merchants confounded under the one term “Aniti” substances which differed considerably both in value and character, several of them, indeed, scarcely coming under the category of perfumes, and hence being unacceptable to the gods.  One kind, however, found favour with them above all others, being that which still abounds in Somali-land at the present day—­a gum secreted by the incense sycomore.*

* From the form of the trees depicted on the monument, it is certain that the Egyptians went to Puanit in search of the Boswellia Thurifera Cart.; but they brought back with them other products also, which they confounded together under the name “incense.”

It was accounted a pious work to send and obtain it direct from the locality in which it grew, and if possible to procure the plants themselves for acclimatisation in the Nile valley.  But the relations maintained in former times with the people of these aromatic regions had been suspended for centuries.  “None now climbed the ’Ladders of Incense,’ none of the Egyptians; they knew of them from hearsay, from the stories of people of ancient times, for these products were brought to the kings of the Delta, thy fathers, to one or other of them, from the times of thy ancestors the kings of the Said who lived of yore.”  All that could be recalled of this country was summed up in the facts, that it lay to the south or to the extreme east, that from thence many of the gods had come into Egypt, while from out of it the sun rose anew every morning.  Amon, in his omniscience, took upon himself to describe it and give an exact account of its position.  “The ‘Ladders of Incense’ is a secret province of Tonutir, it is in truth a place of delight.  I created it, and I thereto lead Thy Majesty, together with Mut, Hathor, Uirit, the Lady of Puanit, Uirit-hikau, the magician and regent of the gods, that the aromatic gum may be gathered at will, that the vessels may be laden joyfully with living incense trees and with all the products of this earth.”  Hatshopsitu chose out five well-built galleys, and manned them with picked crews.  She caused them to be laden with such merchandise as would be most attractive to the barbarians, and placing the vessels under the command of a royal envoy, she sent them forth on the Bed Sea in quest of the incense.