CINNAMON. 149 



a luxurious perfume ; "I have perfumed 

 my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon."* 



From the great distance the Eastern mer- 

 chants had to travel over desert sands, and 

 the dangers they had to surmount, together 

 with the duties they were obliged to pay 

 at certain cities, the price of cinnamon was 

 much enhanced ; and the fabulous stories 

 told of this aromatic drug appear to have 

 been invented for the purpose of exciting 

 wonder, and adding to its rarity. The coun- 

 try from whence cinnamon came, also, ap- 

 pears to have been concealed in great mys- 

 tery, as well as the spice itself, even in the 

 time of Herodotus, who relates that it fell 

 from the nests of the phoenix, and other 

 fowls which fed on venison, and built on 

 trees situated on the highest rocks, in the 

 country where Bacchus was nourished. It is 

 farther related, that the cinnamon was ob- 

 tained from these nests, by beating them 

 down with arrows headed with lead. 



The cassia was said to be brought from 

 a country surrounded with marshes, and 

 guarded by terrible bats, armed with dread- 

 ful talons, and accompanied by flying dragons. 



# Prov. c. vii. 



