Historical Account of Discoveries and Travels in Africa, by the late J. Leyden, enlarged and completed to the present time, with illustrations ... by H. Murray

Front matter

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF DISCOVERIES AND TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Printed by Walker and Greig, Edinburgh. HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF B$coberie0 antr atoibeig IN AFRICA, FROM THE EARLIEST AGES TO THE PRESENT TIME; INCLUDING THE SUBSTANCE OF THE LATE DR LEYDEN'S WORK ON THAT SUBJECT. By HUGH MURRAY, F.R.S.E. SECOND EDITION, CORRECTED AND ENLARGED. VOL. I. EDINBURGH : PRINTED FOR ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND COMPANY, EDINBURGH ; AND LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, LONDON. 1818. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR JOSEPH BANKS, K. B. PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, WHOSE UNREMITTING EFFORTS TO PROMOTE- THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERY THROUGHOUT THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, AS WELL AS THE WORLD IN GENERAL, ESTABLISH A JUST CLAIM TO THE GRATITUDE OF HIS COUNTRY, THIS WORK is MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY HUGH MURRAY.

Preface

. 1 HE progress of discovery in Africa has long been an object of peculiar interest ; nor can it be difficult to trace the sources from which that interest has arisen. This immense Continent contains in its bosom a number of extensive, populous, and even civilized kingdoms, all of them imperfectly known, and of some of which even the names have not yet reached Europeans. Equally remarkable is the obscurity which involves the grandest features of its physical geography. Africa, therefore, is still humbling to that pride of knowledge, which Europe very justly indulges with regard to the other quarters of the globe. An extraordinary zeal, however, to remove this reproach, has

PREFACE.

. been for some time manifested in this coun try ; and seconded and aided as that zeal now is by government, a series of splendid discoveries may be expected to be the result ; so that it is more than probable, that, in the course of fifteen or twenty years, Africa will lose its place in the list of un known regions. In order, however, that these discoveries may be understood and appreciated by the general reader, some preliminary know ledge seems requisite. It is impossible duly to estimate what one traveller has done without knowing what had been effected by his predecessors in the same tract ; the per usal of the one naturally excites curiosity Avith regard to the other. But the narratives of former travellers are dispersed through a multitude of books, often of difficult access, and loaded with tedious and uninteresting details.

A work seemed wanted, which might collect from these various sources whatever was most curious and interesting, and might thence form a connected view of the progress of discovery from the ear liest ages.

PREFACE.

. IX The writer who first attempted to supply this important desideratum, was Dr Leyden, in the work which forms the basis of the present publication.* To those who have any knowledge of our recent literary history, it cannot be necessary to point out the circumstances Avhich peculiarly qualified Dr Leyden for this task ; his depth of research, his force of imagination, and, to use the emphatic expressions of Lord Minto, " his " incomparable genius, urging and sustain *' ing his invincible powers of mental la " bour/'-j- He entered upon it with all that * A Historical and Philosophical Sketch of the Dis coveries and Settlements of Europeans in Northern and Western Africa, at the close of the eighteenth century. 12mo, 442 pages. Edinburgh, 1799. •j- " It is impossible," says Lord Minto, in his Address to the College of Fort William, " to exclude from our " minds the painful recollection of a loss sustained by " this College, by the votaries of eastern learning, and, " I will not refrain from addirig, by the lovers of genius <e and worth, yet more estimable than all other endow " ments, in the premature and lamented death of Dr " Leyden.

It is not required, it would not be fitting, " in this place, to repress entirely the sentiments with « which this event has filled every bosom, capable of ap- X

PREFACE.

. ardour and enthusiasm which formed pro minent features in his character. " Africa," says a biographer who intimately knew him, " had peculiar charms for Leyden. " He delighted to read of hosts, Avhose " arrows intercepted the sunbeams ; of kings, " who judged of the number of their sol " diers, by marching them over the trunk " of a cedar ; of the royal halls of Dahomy, " built of skulls and cross bones ; all, in short, " that presented strange, wild, and romantic " views of what have been quaintly entitled " the ultimities and summities of human " nature, and which furnished new and un " heard of facts in the history of man, had " great fascination for his ardent imagina " tion."* So completely were his views " predating, and when appreciated, of honouring alive, " and deploring in the grave, an example of excellence " intellectual and moral, so rare and eminent.

I must « restrain, however, even the justifiable effusion of public u regret, heightened, as it is, by private sorrow on this " mournful theme; not for the poverty of the subject, " or the coldness of affection, but for their abundance "• and excess." * Edinburgh Annual Register, 1811.

PREFACE.

. XI directed to African discovery, that he actually made overtures to the Association for being employed as one of their missionaries. All the energies of his mind were, therefore, put forth upon this subject ; and having taken Raynal for his model, he hoped, with the pride of conscious genius, not to fall much short of his standard. The work, when published, was found to correspond to the efforts of genius and industry with which it had been composed. It soon obtained a wide circulation, not only in this country, but over the Continent. It was translated into German,* and is enumerated by Eich horn among the most valuable materials for the African part of his learned work, entitled, " History of the Three last Centuries." M. de la Richarderie also repeatedly no tices it with praise in his valuable work, the " Bibliotheque des Voyages."

This work having now become scarce, a new edition has for some time been con- * Historische und philosophische Skizze der Ent deckungen et Niederlassungen der Europaer in Nord und West Africa, um ende der achtzehnten Jahrhun derts. Aus dem Engl. von S. St. Bremen, 8vo, 1802.

PREFACE.

. XII tern plated. Indeed, Dr Leyden himself had actually undertaken one on a more ex tended scale, embracing the whole continent. A small part was actually written, and is included in these volumes ; but his departure for India unfortunately prevented its com pletion. In the present work, the object has been, not only to include the whole of Africa, but to trace the progress of discovery from the earliest ages. How far this difficult undertaking has been successfully perform ed, must be left to the judgment of the reader. It was my original wish to have preserved the portion of the narrative composed by Dr Leyden, distinct from the additions made to it. On considering, however, the general enlargement which it was necessary to give to the work, it appeared that such a plan would have broke down entirely its unity and connection.

It seemed of more importance to the public to receive a dis tinctly arranged view of the subject, than to be able to distinguish, at a glance, the con tributions of its respective authors. There appeared a necessity, therefore, for taking PREFACE, XIII down, as it were, the parts of Dr Leyden's performance, and arranging them anew, in the more comprehensive plan which is now adopted* In the present arrangement, the two in troductory chapters trace the progress of dis covery, from the earliest ages to the com mencement of maritime enterprise in modern Europe. The First Book then follows the progress of modern discovery in the interior; and this subject, being of peculiar interest, occupies the whole of the first volume. Under this head, it has been ne- * The following list will enable the reader at once to trace the parts of the work for which he is indebted to Dr Leyden.

Book I. Chap. IV. Travels in the Sahara, I. p. 286 — 299. V. The African Association, p. 300 — 342. VI. Park's First Journey, p. 343—408. VII. Browne's Journey, p. 409 — 428. Book II. Chap. II. Description of Egypt (published for the first time), II. p. 107—194. IV. The Western Coast, p. 261—314. The rest of the work it has been necessary to supply from other sources.

PREFACE.

. XIV cessary to include those parts of the coast by which the attempts to penetrate inward have been chiefly made, — as Congo, and the banks of the Senegal and Gambia. The Second Book exhibits the discoveries in the maritime countries, beginning with Abys sinia, the chief native power, and making thence the circuit of Africa. The Third Book is occupied with geographical illus trations and views of the present state of Africa. Under the former head, it is at tempted to exhibit, as a branch of the history of science, a view of the progress of inquiry and speculation relative to this continent, from the earliest ages, rather than to indulge in present conjectures, which a few years, it may be hoped, would render superfluous. In this part of the work I have been fortunate enough to obtain from my friend, Pro fessor Jameson, a general view of the natural history of Africa, the great importance of which cannot fail to be appreciated by every reader. In the Appendix Avill be found transla tions of some scarce and curious passages of the early geographers, relating to central

PREFACE.

. XV Africa, which, though often referred to, are rarely accessible to the general reader. A list is annexed of the best works tending to illustrate the geography of this Continent, which, it is hoped, will be found useful to those who wish to make deeper researches into that interesting subject. The maps accompanying this work have been executed with the greatest care, and from the most recent and authentic mate rials. The historical maps attached to the third book can be considered only as sketch es, without any attempts at minute accu racy. It is hoped, however, that they will be found to contain an accurate expression of the general ideas entertained by geographical inquirers, at these successive pe riods, of the form and constituent parts of the African Continent.

ADVERTISEMENT.

TO THE SECOND EDITION. The favourable reception experienced by the first edition of this Work, has induced the writer to spare no pains in improving the present one. The whole has been carefully revised, and some parts nearly new modelled. A considerable num ber of early English voyages to the western coast have been introduced for the first time. They were omitted in the last edition, as belonging properly to a part of the Work (Book II. chap. 4.) which, being executed by Dr Leyden upon a plan chiefly descriptive, had not embraced these narratives. Some persons, however, for whose opinion the Author entertains a particular re spect, have expressed a wish to see them includ ed ; and it has occurred that they might form not an unappropriate introduction to the narravol. i. b

ADVERTISEMENT.

. tive of the attempts made by the English to pene trate into the interior by the route of the Gambia. A complete view is thus exhibited of the pro gress of English navigation to this part of the world. As the chapter on English discoveries became thus much prior in chronological order to that on French discoveries, the arrangement of the two has been transposed. The valuable narra tive of the expedition to the Congo has been analyzed as fully as space would permit ; and a series of interesting notices in the Quarterly Re view have enabled some account to be given of the researches of M. Belzoni in Egypt, of the expedition to Ashantee, and of the plans now on foot for exploring Africa. To make room for these additions, without too much increasing the bulk of the work, a few passages have been omitted, which were either of secondary impor tance, or have been superseded by later information. CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.

Introduction

.

Chapter I. Discoveries Of The Ancients

Division of the Ancient World into Continents. — Medi-» terranean Coast. — Influence of poetical ideas. — Curiosity of the Ancients respecting the interior. — Attempts to circumnavigate Africa ; Phenicians under Necho ; Sataspes ; Eudoxus. — Voyages along the Western Coast : Hanno ; Scylax ; Polybius — Eastern Coast : Evemerus ; Arrian's Periplus. — Attempts to penetrate into the interior ; the Nasamones ; Cambyses ; Alexander ; Roman Expeditions, ... Page 3

Chapter II. Discoveries During The Middle Ages

The Arabians Their Entrance into Africa ; their Establishment on the Niger. — Kingdoms of Ghana, Wangara, XX CONTENTS. &c. — Limits of their Knowledge. — Leo Africanus.— ■ Changes in Central Africa — Foundation of Tombuctoo. —Description of that City. — Ghinea. — Melli Gualata, - Page 36

Book I. Discoveries And Travels In The Interior Of Africa

CHAPTER I. DISCOVERIES OF THE PORTUGUESE, AND TRAVELS IN CONGO.

Early Voyages along the Western Coast — Prester John. — Establishment at Arguin Expedition to the Senegal. — Early Accounts of Tombuctoo and Jenne — Discovery of, and Voyage up the Congo, by Diego Cam. — Conversion of the Monarch to Christianity. — Missions to the Upper Part of the Congo Batta. — Pango. — Sundi. — Esseno Concobella Mission to Matamba ; Zingha To Maopongo — Voyage of Carli Of Merolla Of Battel. — De Grandpre — Descriptions, by various Authors, of the Origin and Course of the Congo, 48

CHAPTER II. EARLY DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH.

Early Voyages to Africa Windham. — Lok. — Towrson. Baker. — Fenner — First Voyages to the Senegal and Gambia — Plans for penetrating to Tombuctoo. — Thompson. — Jobson. — Vermuyden. — Stibbs. — Job-Ben-Solomon; — Moore, " CONTENTS*. XXI

Chapter III. Discoveries Of The French

French African Companies Jannequin — First Voyage of Brue ; the Siratik. — Second Voyage of Brue ; Gallam ; Accounts of Bambarra and Tombuctoo Third Voyage of Brue ; the Gum trade Compagnon ; Bambouk ; its Gold mines Adanson Saugnier — Savigny, Page 217

Chapter IV. Travels In The Sahara, Or Great Desert

General View of the Great Desert Adventures of Saugnier. — The Monselemines The Mongearts Brisson. < — The Ouadelim and Labdesseba, ... 286

Chapter V. The African Association

Institution of the Association Ledyard Lucas Description of Fezzan, Bornou, and Cashna Watt and Winterbottom's Journey to Foota Jallo Major Houghton, ..... . . 300

Chapter VI

park's first journey. Arrival of Mr Park — Pisania. — Yani. — Medina. — Bondou. — Kajaaga Kasson. — Kaarta — Account of the Lotus. — War between Kaarta and Bambarra. — Travels and detention in Ludamar. — Escape through the Wilderness to CONTENTS. Bambarra — Travels in Bambarra to Silla, and return along the Niger — Travels in Manding, and hospitable reception at Kamaliah — Travels in Jallonkadoo. — Kon kodoo, Satadoo, and Dentila. — Account of Foota Torra. —Return to Pisania, ... - Page 343

Chapter VII

mr browne's journey. Departure from Assiut Arrival and residence in Darfur Description of that Country Begarmee — Bergoo. — Darkulla Donga. — The Bahr-el-Abiad, - 409

Chapter VIII. Further Proceedings Op The African Association

Horneman His Departure from Cairo. — Journey through the Desert. — Siwah. — Remains of Ammon.— Augila. — Fezzan. — The Tibbo and Tuarick. — Interior of Africa. — Nicholls Roentgen. — Burckhardt L'Hagi Mahommed Jackson, ..... 429

Chapter IX. Park's Second Journey

Plan of a new Expedition to the Niger — Undertaken by Mr Park — His arrival at Goree — Departure Beginning of the rainy season. — Alarming sickness. — Washing for Gold — Depredations of the Natives Arrival on the Niger Interview with Mansong's Prime Minister Residence at Sansanding. — Builds a boat, and sets sail.— . CONTENTS. XXIII Reports of his death. — Particulars, as narrated by Amadi Fatouma, - - .... Page 456

Chapter X. Adams's Narrative

Shipwreck of Adams — His Journey through the Desert — Soudenny Arrival at Tombuctoo. — Description of that city. — Journey across the Great Desert. — Captivity among the Arabs. — Ransom. — Observations on his Account of the Political State of Tombuctoo, - - 487

Chapter XI. Riley's Narrative

Shipwreck. — Captivity. — Deliverance. — Sidi Ishem. — Narrative of Sidi Hamet. — Adventures in the Desert. — Tombuctoo — Wassanah, ..... 507

Chapter XII. Expeditions To The Niger And Congo, And Plans For Exploring

AFRICA. Arrangement of the Expeditions. — Captain Tuckey — Preparations Voyage Arrival off Malemba. — Entrance into the Congo. — Shark Point — Voyage up the River. — Embomma Noki The Yellala or Cataracts — Journey by land Return. — Unfortunate termination of the Expedition. — Major Peddie and Captain Campbell — New Plans for exploring Africa — Lieutenant Gray — Tripoli Ritchie and Marryat Expedition to Ashantee, HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF DISCOVERIES AND TRAVELS IN AFRICA. VOL. I. A

INTRODUCTION.

.

Chapter I. Discoveries Of The Ancients

Division of the Ancient World into Continents. — Mediterranean Coast Influence of poetical ideas. — Curiosity of the Ancients respecting the interior. — Attempts to circumnavigate Africa; Phenicians under Necho.; Sataspes ; Eudoxus Voyages along the Western Coast ; Hanno ; Scylax ; Polybius. — Eastern Coast ; Evemerus ; Arrian's Periplus. — Attempts to penetrate into the interior ; the Nasamones ; Cambyses ; Alexander ; Roman Expeditions. In every age, which has been animated with any liberal spirit of inquiry, the discovery of regions before unknown has afforded a favourite gratifi cation to human curiosity. The contemplation of nature under a new aspect, — the view of be ings who, generally resembling ourselves, display yet some features that are strikingly dissimilar, — • even the perils and adventures through which the discovery is made, kindle always an extraordi nary interest.

Several expeditions of discovery are mentioned by ancient writers, and many more were probably undertaken, of which no records are now in existence. Yet the steps of their pro gress can by no means be traced with the same precision as those by which the modern world has been explored. Regular narratives, such as have now become so frequent, were either never produced, or have all perished in the wreck of antiquity. The events connected with this pro gress, are found only in detached notices scatter ed through the writings of geographers, histo rians, and even of poets. These have, however, been collected with very great diligence by a se ries of learned men in modern times, from whose inquiries, compared with the original materials, it may be possible to exhibit such a sketch of the progress of ancient discovery in Africa, as will be gratifying to the curiosity of the general reader.

The first steps of that process by which the old world was divided into continents, are involved in some obscurity. Several curious notices, however, are recorded by Eratosthenes.* The distinction * Strabo (Xylandri), II. 45. It is true, Strabo himself en deavours to controvert these observations, but, so far as I can discover, on no solid ground, and solely from his general wish to contradict his predecessor. The application to Africa is of my own making ; but I think it arises clearly from the pre cedent of Asia, and from the particular and general uses of the names of Africa and Libya, as noticed in the text. DIVISION INTO CONTINENTS. began in the islands called Cyclades, the earliest seat of Grecian science. There it was adopted, in order to discriminate between the opposite shores of Greece and of Caria.

It appears from Homer, that the latter actually contained a small district called Asia, which, from this singular ac cident of its position, has given its name to a third part of the habitable globe. As knowledge extended, the name of Asia soon spread over the whole peninsula, of which Caria formed the western extremity. It gradually took a far wider range ; yet this peninsula continued to be called Asia Proper, or Asia Minor, which last name it retains to this day. In the same manner, the coast of Libya naturally formed a third continent, which was called Africa, or Southland, expressive of its relative position to Greece. Accordingly, we find here a district, which, down to the twelfth century, was called Africa Proper, and sometimes Africa Minor ; to which we may add, that Libya, the native name of this region, is, by the most ancient writers, generally extended to the whole continent.

From these three positions, the pro gress of discovery spread in every direction ; and each newly explored region was added to the quarter from which the discoverer had taken his departure. At length the adventurers from different sides met ; and at that point, the boundary line of two continents was fixed. The meeting of those coming respectively from Europe and from Asia, appears to have been on the banks of the Phasis ; which river, in the age of Herodotus, was supposed to divide these two quarters of the globe. In Africa, the desert which separated Egypt from Libya, formed a bar against discovery ; while the fine regions of Syria and Egypt were rapidly tra versed. Egypt, therefore, being discovered by Asiatic adventurers, was, in defiance of the clear est natural indications, long considered as part of Asia.

Even in the time of Strabo, the Nile was generally viewed as the boundary of the two con tinents ; nor is it till Ptolemy, that we find the natural limits fully assigned, of the Red Sea, and the Isthmus of Suez. Meantime, discovery proceeded with greater activity along the western regions of Africa. Objects here presented themselves, which acted powerfully on the exalted and poetical imagination of the ancients. They were particularly struck by those oases, or verdant islands, which reared their heads amid the sandy desert. Hence, doubtless, were drawn those brilliant pictures of the Hesperian gardens, the Fortunate Islands, the Islands of the Blest, which are painted in such glowing colours, and form the gayest part of an cient mythology. The precise position of these celebrated spots has been a subject of eager and doubtful inquiry.

The chief difficulty is, that INFLUENCE OF POETICAL IDEAS. 7 there are different points of the continent to which they seem to be fixed, with almost equal precision. In fact, it seems clearly shewn, by some learned writers,* that this variety of position is referable, not to any precise geographical data, but to the operation of certain secret propensities, that are deeply lodged in the human breast. There arises involuntarily in the heart of man, a longing after forms of being, fairer and happier than any presented by the world before him — bright scenes, which he seeks and never finds, in the circuit of real existence. But imagination easily creates them in that dim boundary, which separates the known from the unknown world. In the first discoverers of any such region, novelty usually produces an exalted state of the imagination and passions ; under the influence of which, every ob ject is painted in higher colours than those of nature.

Nor does the illusion cease, when a fuller examination proves that, in the place thus assigned, no such beings or objects exist. The human heart, while it remains possible, still clings to its fond chimeras. It quickly transfers them to the yet unknown region beyond ; and, when driven from thence, discovers still another more remote, in which they can take refuge. Thus, we find * See Gosselin Geographie Ancienne. Malte Brun His toire de la Geographie. these fairy spots successively retreating before the progress of discovery, yet finding still, in the farthest advance which ancient knowledge ever made, some remoter extremity to which they can fly. The first position of the Hesperian gardens appears to have been at the western extremity of Libya, then the farthest boundary, upon that side, of ancient knowledge.

The spectacle which it often presented, a circuit of blooming verdure amid the desert, was calculated to make a powerful impression on Grecian fancy, and to suggest the idea of quite a terrestrial paradise. It excited also the image of islands, which ever after ad hered to these visionary creations. As the first spot became frequented, it was Soon stripped of its fabled beauty. So pleasing an idea, however, was not to be easily relinquished. Another place was quickly found for it ; and every traveller, as he discovered a new portion of that fertile and beautiful coast, fondly imagined, that he had at length arrived at the long-sought-for Islands of the Blest. At length, when the continent had been sought in vain, they were transferred to the ocean beyond, which the original idea of islands rendered an easy step.

Those of the Canaries having never been passed, nor even fully explor ed, continued always to be the Fortunate Islands, not from any peculiar felicity of soil and climate, but merely because distance and imperfect know- MEDITERRANEAN COAST. 9 ledge left full scope to poetical fancy. Hence we find Horace painting their felicity in the most glowing colours, and viewing them as a refuge still left for mortals, from that troubled and im perfect enjoyment, which they were doomed to experience in every other portion of the globe. It is only by these obscure and evanescent traces, that we discover the progress of the an cients along the northern coast of Africa. At the earliest period of authentic history, the whole of this tract was known to the northern European nations, and formed, as it were, one system along with them.

The names of Egypt, of Libya, and of Carthage, are as familiar in classic story, as those of Greece and of Rome. To the south, however, there remained an immense expanse of land and ocean unexplored. The extent of this unknown region, the peculiar aspect of man and nature, the uncertainty as to its form and termi nation, rivetted upon it, in a peculiar degree, the attention of the ancient world. All the expedi tions of discovery on record, with scarcely any exceptions, except those of Nearchus and Pytheas, had Africa for their object. They were under taken with an anxious wish, first, to explore the extent of its two unknown coasts, those which stretched beyond the Mediterranean on one side, and the Red Sea on the other ; to ascertain, above all, the termination to which these led ; and next. to penetrate into the depth of that mysterious world in the interior, which, guarded by the most awful barriers of nature, enclosed, as with a wall, the fine and fertile shores of northern Africa.

At an era anterior to the earliest records of his tory, extraordinary efforts appear to have been made to effect the circumnavigation of Africa. The first attempt is that recorded by Herodotus, as having been undertaken by order of Necho king of Egypt. The narrative relates,* that certain Phenician navigators, employed by that enterpris ing monarch, set sail from the Red Sea into the northern ocean. They continued to navigate along the exterior coast of Africa, till their provisions were exhausted. They then landed, sowed a crop, waited till the harvest was gathered in, and, with this new supply, continued their voyage. In this manner, they spent two years, and part of a third ; at the end of which time, they arrived at the Pil lars of Hercules, and sailed up the Mediterranean to Eygpt. They related, that, in passing round Africa, they had the sun to the right, that is, to the north of their course ; a report which Herodo tus refuses to believe, but which, to us, who know that such must have been its position, affords the strongest presumption in their favour.

This narrative has been the subject of much learned and * Herodotus, IV. 42. NECH0 AND SATASPES. 11 curious discussion. Gosselin* and Vincents have endeavoured to prove that it is altogether beyond any means which navigation, at that infant era, could call into action. On the other hand, the learned arguments of Major Rennell t appear to throw upon the relation a very strong aspect of probability. Nor is this much diminished by con sidering, that the event is entirely unnoticed by many of the most learned writers in subsequent times. Ancient knowledge was of so glimmering and transitory a nature, that it would be easy to multiply instances, in which important facts, con signed in the writings of the best authors, have been lost to the world, during a long succession of ages. § The memory of this voyage probably gave rise to another, which is also recorded by Herodotus. || Sataspes, a Persian nobleman, having committed an act of violence, was condemned by Xerxes to be crucified.

One of his friends persuaded the monarch to commute this sentence into that of a * Geographie des Anciens, I. 199. 216. •J- Periplus of the Erythrean Sea. ,*■ J Geography of Herodotus, sect. 24, 25. •J Striking examples will be furnished by comparing the geographical information of Herodotus and Strabo, with re gard to the course of the Tanais, the nations to the north of the Black Sea, the form of the Caspian, &c. • || IV. 43. voyage round Africa, which was represented as a still severer punishment. Sataspes, accordingly, having procured a vessel and mariners in the ports of Egypt, set out on this formidable expedition. He passed the Straits, and sailed along the western coast for several months, which would probably bring him as far as the desert. The view of those frightful and desolate shores, and of the immense ocean which dashed against them, might well intimidate a navigator, bred in the luxurious indolence of the Persian court.

Sataspes, struck with panic, turned the vessel, and measured back his way to the Straits. He did not even hesitate to present himself before Xerxes, conceiving, probably, that the series of adventures and sufferings through which he had passed, might obliterate the recollection, both of the crime he had committed, and of the part of his task which he had left un performed. He stated, that, after having, in defiance of every difficulty, navigated an immense extent of coast, he had arrived at an obstacle (of what nature is not specified) which rendered his further progress altogether impossible. To a monarch like Xerxes, who expected that all nature would obey his fat, such an excuse was not likely to appear very satisfactory. He considered only that his mandate had been unfulfilled, and order ed the original sentence to be immediately executed.