|
I did hear, indeed, what I will now relate, from certain natives of
Cyrene. Once upon a time, they said, they were on a visit to the
oracular shrine of Ammon, when it chanced that in the course of
conversation with Etearchus, the Ammonian king, the talk fell upon
the Nile, how that its sources were unknown to all men. Etearchus
upon this mentioned that some Nasamonians had once come to his court,
and when asked if they could give any information concerning the
uninhabited parts of Libya, had told the following tale. (The
Nasamonians are a Libyan race who occupy the Syrtis, and a tract of
no great size towards the east.) They said there had grown up among
them some wild young men, the sons of certain chiefs, who, when they
came to man's estate, indulged in all manner of extravagancies, and
among other things drew lots for five of their number to go and explore
the desert parts of Libya, and try if they could not penetrate further
than any had done previously. The coast of Libya along the sea which
washes it to the north, throughout its entire length from Egypt to
Cape Soloeis, which is its furthest point, is inhabited by Libyans
of many distinct tribes who possess the whole tract except certain
portions which belong to the Phoenicians and the Greeks. Above the
coast-line and the country inhabited by the maritime tribes, Libya is
full of wild beasts; while beyond the wild beast region there is a
tract which is wholly sand, very scant of water, and utterly and
entirely a desert. The young men therefore, despatched on this errand
by their comrades with a plentiful supply of water and provisions,
travelled at first through the inhabited region, passing which they
came to the wild beast tract, whence they finally entered upon the
desert, which they proceeded to cross in a direction from east to
west. After journeying for many days over a wide extent of sand, they
came at last to a plain where they observed trees growing; approaching
them, and seeing fruit on them, they proceeded to gather it. While
they were thus engaged, there came upon them some dwarfish men, under
the middle height, who seized them and carried them off. The
Nasamonians could not understand a word of their language, nor had
they any acquaintance with the language of the Nasamonians. They were
led across extensive marshes, and finally came to a town, where all
the men were of the height of their conductors, and
black-complexioned. A great river flowed by the town, running from
west to east, and containing crocodiles.
|
|