PASTURAGE. 67 



the honey which is extracted from them, I will 

 now advert to what has been stated relative to 

 their impregnating it with deleterious qualities. 

 During the celebrated retreat of the ten thousand, 

 as recorded by Xenophon in his Memorabilia, the 

 soldiers sucked some honey-combs in a place near 

 Trebizonde, where was a great number of bee- 

 hives, and in consequence became intoxicated, 

 and were attacked with vomiting and purging. 

 He states that they did not recover their senses 

 for twenty-four hours, nor their strength for three 

 or four days. Tournefort, when travelling in Asia, 

 bearing in mind this account of Xenophon, was very 

 diligent in his endeavours to ascertain its truth, 

 and had good reason to be satisfied respecting it. 

 He concluded that the honey had been extracted 

 from a shrub growing in the neighbourhood of 

 Trebizonde, which is well known to produce the 

 before-mentioned effects, and even to disturb the 

 head by its odour. From his description and 

 that of others, the plant from which this honey 

 was extracted, appears to be the Rhododendron 

 ponticum or A zalea pontica of Linnaeus, both nearly 

 allied to each other, and growing abundantly in 

 that part of the country. The smell resembles 

 honey-suckle, but is much stronger. Father Lam- 

 berti confirms Xenophon's account, by stating 

 similar effects to have been produced by the 



