Chap. 33.] MYElttl. 129 



miles, the distance being divided into sixty-five days' jonrney 

 by camel. There are certain portions also of the frankincense 

 which are given to the priests and the king's secretaries : and 

 in addition to these, the keepers of it, as well as the soldiers 

 who guard it, the gate-keepers, and various other employes, 

 have their share as well. And then besides, all along the 

 route, there is at one place water to pay for, at another fodder, 

 lodging at the stations, and various taxes and imposts besides ; 

 the consequence of which is, that the expense for each camel 

 before it arrives at the shores of our 11 sea is six hundred and 

 eighty-eight denarii ; after all this, too, there are certain pay- 

 ments still to be made to the farmers of the revenue of our 

 empire. Hence it is that a pound of the best frankincense 

 sells at six denarii, the second quality five, and the third 

 three. Among us, it is adulterated with drops of white resin, 

 a substance which bears a strong resemblance to it : but the 

 fraud may be easily detected by the methods which have 

 been already mentioned. 13 It is tested by the following qua- 

 lities ; its whiteness, size, brittleness, and the readiness with 

 which it takes fire when placed on heated coals ; in addition 

 to which, it should not give to the pressure of the teeth, but 

 from its natural brittleness crumble all to pieces. 



CHAP. 33. (15.) HYEEH. 



According to some authors, myrrh 13 is the produce of a tree 

 that grows in the same forests as the incense- tree, though 

 most say that they grow in different places : but the fact is 

 that myrrh grows in many parts of Arabia, as will be seen 

 when we come to speak of the several varieties of it. A sort 

 that is highly esteemed is brought from the islands u also, and 

 the Sabaei even cross the sea to procure it in the country of 

 the Troglodytaa. It is grown also by being transplanted, and 

 when thus cultivated is greatly preferred to that which is 

 grown in the forests. The plant is greatly improved by raking 



11 The Mediterranean. 12 In c. 19 of the present Book. 



13 It is supposed to be the product of an arayris, but is not now esteemed 

 as a perfume; but is used in medicine as a tonic. Forskhal has attributed 

 to the Amyris kataf, or kafal, the production of myrrh. According to 

 Ehrenberg, a very similar tree, though constituting a different species, the 

 Balsamodendrum myrrha, also produces this substance. It is imported 

 into Europe from both Abyssinia and Arabia. It was much used by the 

 ancients, to flavour their wines. 



j4 See B. vi. c. 32. 



VOL. in. K 



