The Geographical System of Herodotus, Examined and Explained by a Comparison with those of other Ancient Authors and with Modern Geography in the course of the work are introduced, Dissertations on the Itinerary Stade of the Greeks, the Expedition of Darius Hystaspes to Scythia, the Position and Remains of Ancient Babylon, the Alluvions of the Nile and Canals of Suez; the Oasis and Temple of Jupiter Ammon, the Ancient Circumnavigation of Africa and other subjects of History and Geography; the whole explained by eleven maps, adapted to the different subjects; and accompanied with a complete index

Front matter

, acne A BOMBAY BRANCH oF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, TOWN HALL, BOMBAY. z Ra Ug

001045

Digitized with financial assistance from Observer Research Foundation on 11 March, 2020

SECTION I. _ i128 PAGE

Preliminary Observations - - = - = = I | SECTION 1 Cslbitasing the Itinerary Stade of the Greeks - - - 1g | SECTION III.

Of Europe, according to Herodotus - - - - 35 SECTION IV. | | of ibe pee or Eusine Scythia -~ = 2 50 SECT ION V. .

Of the Countries bordering on Western Scythia = - 83 SECTION VI. 4 ee e Darius Hystaspes, to Western Seytbia * 7 | 101

SECTION VII.

The Coikatries situated beyond Western Scythia, to the East and North-east -~ .s = oe - a4 2 129° SECTION VIIL.

Of Asia, aeeetes to Herodotus” - - 2 = = 164

XVi CONTENTS.

SECTION ‘IX.

_ PAGE

The Subject continued - - - ~ gt oe 184, SECTION X.

of Eastern nO, or r tbe Country of the Massigete a 207

SECTION XI. .

el the Twenty Satrapies of Darius Hystaspes -~ = 229. SECTION XI ——

- Ihe Subject continued .- > .*# «= = - 2 BTA

SECTION XIII.

An Examination of the Report of Aristagoras, concerning the Royal Road Jen Iénia to Susa eee - 324 _ SECTION XIV. . te Concerning the Site and Remains of the ancient City of Babylon 335 -

‘SECTION XV.

On the Captivity and Disposal of the Ten Tribes: of. the Fews 389

SECTION XVI. .

Of Africa at large, according to Herodotus = - - 408

SECTION XVII. .

Concerning the Isthmus of Suex, and the ancient .Canals that united the two Seas - - - +. .- - - 449

SECTION XVIII.

General Observations on the Floods and Alluvions of Rivers, &c, ec. applied more ‘particularly’ to the Nile: seas an In-" quiry concerning the Site of aes - + - 481

CONTENTS. ; Xvi

SECTION XIX:

PAGE Concerning the Number, Order, and Positions of the Branches of the Nile, ancient and modern - = - =~ = 518 SECTION XX.

Coceet the Oases of Egypt and Lybia ne, 7.

SECTION XXI.

The Subject continued—Oasis and Temple of Fupiter Ammon ~ 576

: SECTION XXII.

Of 1 the.Tribes who inhabited the Coast and Country of Lybia, between Egypt and Carthage - ~ -- - 606

SECTION XXIII.

Concerning the two Syrtess the Lake Tritonis; the Temple and _fligis of Minerva; and the Antiquity of the aan of dyed Skins, i in » Africa - - - - - 646

. SECTION XXIV.

Concerning the Circumnavigation of Africa, by the Ships of Pharaob Necho, King of Egypt - - - - = - 672 et _ “SECTION XXV. | "The Subject continued = - a a - 693 | | SECTION XXVI.

AN Examination of the ‘Account of the Voyage of Hanns, along

ROT Western Coast of ae ee Qe “Hddenda °- = = = = mG , CT a a i ae a i a a 1°

LIST OF MAPS TO THE WORK.

F . ; = ;

aI No. I. THE Wor tp, according to the ideas of Herodotus, who supposed its surface to be fiat.~ This map explains his ideas - of the relative positions of the countries and seas, known to him: to face a - - ° pager’

IL. The same,-.on a ae scale, but on a spher ical Arciertions : and with the countries in their just relative positions, and proportions, | - = = - = - page L

HI. Euxine, or WesTERN Scytura; with the tribes or nations bordering on it: including the whole space between the, rivers Teisse and Wolga; and between the Euxine sea and. Moscow. This map is explanatory of the IV, V, and VIth Sections, - - - - - - page 50

_ IV. Maps of the HELLEspont and Bospuorus; shewing the positions. of the Bripczs of Darius and Xerxes: explanatory of the latter part of Section VI. Also, Edrisi’s idea of the situation of the rampart and country of Goc and Ma- GoG, referred to,. from Section VII. - page 116

V. The Twenty SATRAPIES of Darius HysTAasPEs, in Asia and Africa : including also. Greece, Thrace, the two Scythias, and the country of the Issedones, to the borders of Serica. This map describes not only the twenty Satrapies, but the extent of the knowledge of Herodotus, eastward ; thd nearly the whole tract known to him, in Asia. It also, shews the relative positions, and the extent, of the two Scythias ; 3 and in the description of the latter, combines

LIST OF MAPS, ae XIX the ideas of the Russian and Chinese geographers, with those of Sherefeddin and Strahlenberg. It explains the wholé of the VII, VIH, IX, X, XI, and XIIth Sections, respecting Asia, the Eastern Scythians, and the Satrapies ; -as also what relates to the tract between the two Scythias,

No. VL. The position of ancient Basyzoy, in respect of Seleucia, Ctesiphon, Bagdad, and other places, in Babylonia, and Mesopotamia: with the canals drawn from the Euphrates to the Tigris, in the narrow part of Babylonia. Also the elevation of the Tower of Belus, and the disposition of

_ the public structures in Babylon, - = - page. 335

VIL. Lower Eoyrt, aNciENT and MODERN: shewing the chariges in the courses of the branches of the Nile, and the difference between the ancient and the modern Deltas. Also the lines of the canals, that joined the Nile to the Red sea; the vestiges of the canal near Suez; and two sketches, explanatory of the bars of rivers. This map is explanatory of the XVII, XVIIL, and XIXth Sections, page 449°

VIII. Map to explain the Position of Memputs, and the change of place of the head of the Delta of the Nile: explanatory of the latter part of Section XVIII. .- page 494

IX. The coast and country of Lysia, from Egypt to Carthage ; the country of Egypt, generally; the Oasrs of Egypt and Lybia; and the middle and eastern basons of the Mediterranean sea. This contains also a Map of Post- Tons, shewing the data for the position.of Jupiter Ammon; &c.: and the whole is explanatory of the XX,

-XXI, XXII,.and XXIIId Sections, page 545

XX

LIST OF MAPS.

No. X. Map to explain the Circumnatication of Arnica, by the

‘Ecyptians, under Pharaoh Necho; shewing also the streams of. current in the Atlantic,: ard the general courses of the trade winds. Explanatory of the XXIV. and XXVth Sections, - - - page 642

XJ. Map to explain the VoyacE of Hanno, the Carthaginian, from Carthage to the Western Guinea: with an extension of the coast of Africa to Benin, and the Island of ;

Arnica. This is explanatory of Section XX VI; and also of apart of Section XVI, on Africa, ~~ page 719

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THE

GEOGR APHY OF HERODOTUS

“EXAMINED, Ke. ea ee

SECTION I.

Preliminary Observations—The Geography of Heronotus not intended for a System, but to explain a History-—he regarded the whole habitable Earth, as one Continent — bis Character for Vera ity, on the Increase—bas suffered most, through his Reader’s Neglect of distinguishing what the Author saw, from what be only heard—was ignorant of abstract Science ; and did not believe that the Earth was globular :—but is respectable as a His-

“torian, Geographer, and Moralist —a great Traveller — bis Geography consists more tn relative Positions, than actual Distances, and Dimensions.—Scope of bis geographical bei

As the writings of Herodotus furnish the earliest record of history, among the heathen authors whose works have reached us, so they also furnish the earliest known system of geography, as far as it goes.* It may therefore be worth while to examine this system,

_* The late Prorgssor RogertTsoNn, whose memory the Author venerates, as he esteemed him living, has the following remark, at the opening of his last work, the Bisquisition concerning ancient India, What he there says respecting aes is equally applicable to geography. .

«< Whoever attempts to trace the operations of men in remote times, and to mark the various steps of their progress in any line of exertion, will soon have the mortifi-

B

~ in order to compare it with the actual geography ; as well as in certain cases, with the systems of Eratosthenes, Strabo, Ptolemy, and Pliny.* We have said, as far as it goes, because’ the geography of Herodotus i is confined more to Asta and AFRICA, than to Ev- ROPE: and is. by no means intended to form ali abstract systém, but to explain with more effect, the transactions recorded in a history, the theatre of which includes little more in Europe, than the provinces bordering on the Aigean sea, the Propontis, Euxine, and Palus Maotis; and in Africa, the kingdom of Egypt and its dependencies; but almost the whole of the known: parts of Asia. Limited, however, as the theatre of war in Europe might be, the brilliancy of the transactions on it, surpassed those throughout all the rest of the space.

If it be. supposed (as in reason it may) that our Author was master of all the geographical, as well as historical knowledge, ef his own times, it may be inferred that the Greeks. knew. but little . concerning the western parts of Europe, besides the mere sea coast; and although our Author seems to entertain no doubt of the exiscation to find, that the period of authentic history is extremely limited. It is little more than 3060 years since the books of Moses, the most ancient and only genuine record of what passed in the early ages of the world, were composed. Herodotus, the most ancient heathen historian whose works have. reached us, flourished 1000 years later. If we push our inquiries concerning any point beyond the 2ra where written history commences, we enter upon the region of conjecture, of fable, and of uncertainty. Upon. that ground, I will neither venture myself, nor endeavour to, conduct my readers.”

The materials of our author’s geography may be reckoned of a 2 date of 450 to 500 years before our zra. Dr. Usher fixes his birth at 484 before Christ, He also says that he read his books before the council at Athens, in 4453 of course, when he was about 39 years of age. This was about 44 years before the expedition of Cyrus, and. the. retreat of the ten thousand; 111 before Alexander crossed the Hellespont.

* In order to form an idea in detail of the systems of the thiee first of these geek geographers, the reader is referred to the work of M. GosseLtn, entitled Geographie des Grees analysée, 1780.

“PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. $s tence of a Northern ocean, he confesses his ignorance, whether, or not, Europe was bounded on the north and east by the ocean.

“It is proper to remark, that Herodotus considered, and perhaps

rightly, the whole of the earth then known, as ONE SINGLE CONTI- NENT: regarding Europe, Asia, and Africa, as nothing more than divisions of that continent. In effect, he does not attach any degree of importance to the question concerning the boundaries of these divisions; and therefore speaks of the line of separation be-: , tween Europe and Asia, Asia and Africa, in a vague way. “Iam far,” says he, Melpom. 45, “ from-satisfied why to one continent, three different names; taken from women, have been assigned, — To one of these divisions (meaning Asia) some have given as a boundary the Egyptian Nile and the Colchian Phasis ; others, the

Tanais, the Cimmerian Bosphorus, and the Palus Maotis.”

‘It appears that he adopted for the boundary of Asia, the river Phasis, and not the Fanais: and for that of Africa, the Isthmus of Suez, in preference to the Nile; for, speaking of Africa, he says that it is “ bounded by the sea, except in that particular part, which is contiguous to Asia.” Something, however, like contradiction appears in respect of this subject: for it will be seen hereafter, that he excludes Egypt from Ajrica, as well as from Asia ; which ap-

-_pears very extraordinary, and can only be accounted for, on the ground that he does not, like others, distribute the habitable world: into continents, but into regions: and that Egypt might be considered as a region of itself. .

The shore of the Baltic sea, from whence amber was brought (Prussia), seems to have been the extent of his knowledge, that

way. The British Islands he knew in part, as being the place from

. whence the Phoenicians, and from them the Greeks, had their tin ;

an indispensable article, it would appear, as without it they could

ndt harden their copper, so as to make it answer the purposes of

iron, in weapons. He accordingly speaks of the Casstterides, as

the islands from whence the tin was said to be brought. It has Ba been very much the custom to refer the Cassiterides to the Scilly Islands alone; but the idea ought to be extended | to Cornwall at least : and, it is possible that very great changes have taken place in the state of Scilly and Cornwall since the date of that traffic.*

The fact of the insular nature of ‘Britain mist of course have been ascertained by the Phoenicians, who sailed between it and the - continent, in their way to the amber country: but whether they knew much concerning the extent of Britain northward, or of the existence of Ireland, is a fact that appears not to have reached us, It is however, very probable, that in the idea of Herodotus, the Cassiterides were a cluster of small islands, insignificant in any other point of view, than as containing tin mines.

Of Asta, by much the greater part was unknown ; and yet, not~ withstanding this deficiency, the proportion of space on the globe, known to Ptolemy, about Goo years after Herodotus, did not greatly exceed that, which was known, in a general way, to Herodotus himself; although during that interval all the knowledge acquired by the Macedonian and Roman expeditions, had been _ . brought forward to public view. This is easily explained. The track of Alexander was confined generally within the limits already known to our Author; so that it brought no accession of space. And although the discoveries and inquiries made by the Romans, had added to the space known to Herodotus, the north and north-eastern parts of Europe, together with the British Islands at large; as well as Serica, the borders of China, the Peninsula beyond the Ganges, the eastern part of India, and Taprobana ; yet the ground lost by geographers in Africa, nearly, if not entirely, overbalanced, all the latter acquisitions. So that in Africa, Herodotus knew more than Ptolemy, vastly more than Strabo. For, it is certain, that

* There are some curious particulars in Diodorus Siculus respecting an island near | the British coast, to which carriages laden with tin, came at Jow water, in order to , its being embarked on vessels for the continent. See the course of this merchandize in lib. ve C22.

Herodotus had a very positive, and in some degree, circumstantial, knowledge, of the course of the river Niger; now, by the disco~ veties recently made by Mr. Park, shewn to be the same with the Joliba, or great inland river of Africa: so that we must extend his knowledge of the inland part of Africa, to the same point, known . to Ptolemy, and to the Romans. Again, Ethiopia, and the general course of the Nile, to a certain point, were alike known to Herodotus and to Ptolemy, by report; although the place of the distant fountains of the Nile was involved in obscurity. But the striking

. difference in the quantity of space known, in Africa, to these - authors, respectively, arose from Herodotus’s knowing that Africa extended a vast way to the south of the Nile, and Niger, and that it had been sailed round; whilst Ptolemy was either ignorant of the circumstance, or disbelieved it.

‘In point of discrimination also, as well as of extent, geography, ° in some particulars, lost ground between the times of. Herodotus and Strabo: for Herodotus knew that the Caspian sea was a lake, and describes it as such; but this was afterwards either forgotten, . - or the opinion was over-ruled: and from the date of Alexander's expedition, to Ptolemy, the Caspian passed for a gulf of the Northern ocean; to which it was supposed to be joined, by an exceed- | ing long and narrow strait. So that an actual visit to the spot, by Alexander and his followers, had the singular effect of falsifying, instead of improving, the systems of geography.

_It isa common and just remark, that the authority of our Author’s work has been rising in the opinion of the world, in latter times; which may be referred to the number of discoveries that have been: lately made, and which are continually making, in the countries which he describes. It was ignorance and inattention therefore, that determined the opinions of his judges; a charge in which

~ seVeral of the. ancients are implicated as well as the moderns. The ..

same want of attention has confounded together, the descriptions of what he saw, with what he had only beard; and which he might think himself bound to relate. Mr. Wood speaks much to the purpose respecting this matter. He says, “ were I to give my: opinion of him, having followed him through most of the countries which he visited, I would say, that he is a writer of veracity in‘his description cf what he saw, but of crepuxity in his relations of what he had nearp.” We may add, that superstition made him — credulous in believing many improbable stories but love of truth prevented him from asserting falsehoods. The instances of gross superstition manifested by him are too numerous to be recounted ;: but superstition was also common to many other great characters.

But his ignorance in certain points is infinitely more unpleasing than his superstition : for it may be observed, that however distinguished our Author may have been as an HISTORIAN, GEOGRAPHER, and MORALIST, yet that as a man of science, and a natural philosepher, he ranks very low indeed; as is too conspicuous in several parts of his work. Such is his ignorance of the existence of snow in elevated situations in warm climates; Euterpe, 22; his belief that the sun was vertical in India, before mid-day; Thalia, 104; and his very unphilosophical way of accounting for the swelling of the Nile; in which he talks of the sun’s being driven out of his course, &c. Euterpe, 24.

It appears also, that he did not believe that the earth was of a globular form; which alone was sufficient to lead him into great errors. Says he, Melpom. 36. “I cannot but think it exceedingly ridiculous to hear some men talk of the circumference of the earth, pretending, without the smallest reason or probability, that. - ' the ocean encompasses the earth; that the earth is round, as if mechanically formed so; and that Asia is equal ‘to Europe.” Again,

Melpom. 42, although he believed that the ships of Néchao had circumnavigated Africa, yet it appeared incredible to him, that during thé voyage they should have had the sun on their right band. All which arose from his ignorante in matters of science. But wheresoever he speaks of history, or of morals, he fails not to give information and satistaction; these being his proper walks. |

We could with pleasure dwell on this subject, if the scope of our work permitted it; for the justice and propriety of his remarks on matters of common life, prove his observation to be very acute, and his judgment no less clear. But we cannot resist the tempta-~ tion of inserting the following remarks, at this time, as they shew the strong contrast between a virtuous republican of Greece, and a modern republican, formed on a Gallic model. And yet no one can doubt that the permanent comfort and happiness of the human species, were to the fall, as. much the object of the former, as of the latter’,

Speaking of the. atrocious conduct of Cambyses in Egypt, he says, “ For my own part, I am satisfied that Cambyses was .deprived of his reason; he would not otherwise haye disturbed the . sanctity of temples, or of established customs. Whoever had the opportunity of choosing for their observance, from all the nations of

-the world, such laws and customs as to them seemed best, would, J am of opinion, after the most careful examination, adhere to their own. Each nation believes that their own laws are by far the most excellent; no one therefore, but a madman, would treat such prejudices with contempt.” Thalia, 38.

- These are the sentiments of a republican, who, it order to enjoy

‘a greater degree of civil liberty, quitted his native city Halicarnassus, when its system of laws -was violated by the ant Lygdamis.*

* He has also the following remark, im his description of Egypt.

'6€ It seems to be an established prejudice, even amongst nations the least ee to consider mechanics and their descendants in the lowest rank of citizens ; and to esteem those as the most noble, who were of no profession ; annexing the highest degrees of honour to the exercise of arms. This idea prevails throughout Greece, but more particularly at Lacedemon ; the Corinthians, however, do not hold mechanics in disesteem.” Eutefpe,.167.

The most extraordinary of his errors, as being so directly contrary to what appears to the most common observer, is the story of the vertical sun in the morning : but it is possfole that the Story may be accounted for, satisfactorily ; though not altogether to the credit of our Author’s knowledge. He says, “

« In distinction from all other nations, the heat with these people (the Indians) is greatest, not at mid-day, but in the morn~ ing. They have a vertical sun, when with us, people withdraw from the Forum; during which period the warmth is more excessive than the mid-day sun in Greece,” Thalia, 104.

The time when the Forum was full, is fixed by the best authorities, at nine in the morning ; and although we have no idea of the hour when the people retired from it, yet, the context considered, it must be supposed to be at a considerable distance short of noon; it being in some degree contrasted with it, by our Author. .

Is not this very extraordinary misapprehension, occasioned by the neglect of reducing the time to the meridian of the place? For, » by the difference of longitude between Greece (or perhaps Ionia might be meant) and hither India, it would certainly happen, that when it was nine o'clock in Greece, it would be about noon on the banks of the Indus. if Herodotus could have been maa to believe that the earth was round, it is probable that he would not have fallen into this’ error, occasioned perhaps, by a story, literally true, but maliciously told h’m by one who believed that'the earth was globular, but could not persuade Herodotus that it was so. And we have already remarked that he says, “ I cannot but think it exceedingly ridiculous to hear some men talk,” &c.

His geographical notices are scattered throughout his work ; and would, according to Mr. Beloe’s observation, fill a volume. They are ever placed where they may best serve to elucidate.the parts of the history, to which they respectively belong; and not with a view to an abstract system of geography. It is not there-

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. - g fore to be inferred that he was ignorant of any particular subject’ of geography, because he omits to-descant on it; history, and not geography, . being his principal object: We have endeavoured to collect all the ‘scattered notices, into one point of view, in order to maké them bear on, and illustrate each other, in a kind of system; it being only by a reference to: these notices collectively, that any kind of system can be made out. As a geographer, he had an advantage over the generality of his brethren, in that he had seen the countries which he most particularly describes; that is, Eg'ypt, Scythia, Thrace, Persia, Assyria, Lydia, Palestine, Syria, &c. ‘That he visited these, we learn from his own authority, in different parts of his work; as in Euterpe throughout, but particularly in chapters 3, 29, 44, 104, 106, and 167: Clio, 194; and Melpom. 86,

It has appeared, that Herodotus doubts whether the ocean completely encompasses the earth; but he admits that it surrounds it on three sides. For, speaking of the Caspian sea, as being unconnected with all others, (in effect a lake) he says, that the Erythrean sea, and the one frequented by the Greeks, as well as the Aélantic, are parts of the same'ocean ; Clio, 20g: and as he.also says, Melpom. 13, 36, that the Hyperboreans, whom he places to the northward of the Scythians and Issedones, EXTENDED To THE sEA; this is saying, in other words, that the sea bordered on, ‘and confined Europe and Asia on the north, We have here then, in express terms, a north, a south, and a west sea; but no eastern sea; so that he considered the eastern part of the world, as composed of land only: for he says, that “ the Indians are the Jast nation’ towards the east ; and that beyond them is a vast desert, unknown. and unexplored.” Melpom. 40. Again he says, Melpom. 8, “ They affirm, without proving it, that the ocean, commencing at the east, flows round the earth,” —_ .

The geography of Herodotus consists almost entirely of a series: of relative positions of ‘countries, to each other; but-without distances or dimensions, except in certain instances. "Hence, we cai’ ie C:

only refer to those ideas of juxtaposition, the measures given by succeeding geographers; particularly Eratosthenes and Strabo, whose ideas of relative position seem to have ‘differed but little from those of our Author: for we clearly discover his principal errors perpetuated in the systems of those geographers. Wherefore, reasoning from analogy, it may be inferred, that the dimensions of countries, and regions, given generally by them, were those extant in the days of Herodotus; save only such as were corrected by the materials furnished by the expedition of Alexander; which expedition, besides the eclat of the military history belonging to it, furnished in Greece and Egypt, an epoch of geographical improvement and correction, which may not unaptly be compared with

‘that of the discoveries of the Portugueze, along the coasts of Africa and India; or of that of the present time, in which geography has been improved in every quarter of the globe. , But, in effect, the expeditions of Alexander and of Xenophon, how fruitful soever in geographical notices, in detail, did not afford materials for correcting the former errors of the Greeks, respecting some of the most important relative positions, in the gross: as for instance, the Caspian sea was supposed by Herodotus to be opposite to the coast of the Persian Icthyopbagi ; and the sea of Colchis to that of Persia: and these errors existed not only in the days of Herodotus, but continued to those of Eratosthenes and Strabo, also. The cause of their perpetuation will be shewn in the sequel. His ideas of the proportional extent of the known parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, were very defective: for he reckoned the two latter much too small, in respect of Europe. But it is again to be remarked, that succeeding geographers, down to Pliny inclusive, ran into the same kind of error, and even to a greater degree: for instance, the Europe of Eratosthenes and Strabo, exceeded in their.

ideas, the parts of Asia known to Herodotus ; and those of Aftica, if a yet greater degree. Pliny erred yet more in his proportions. Ptolemy was the first who approached the truth, in giving the

- relative proportions of the known regions of the globe, although the absolute measures in longitude given by him, were in excess to a degree perfectly unaccountable: whilst the errors of his predecessors, although in excess likewise, appear to be 505. only in the proportion which the»distance by the road, or by the coasting voyage of a ship, exceeds that by the direct line.. And this seems indeed, to point out the source of many of their errors,

Another error of Herodotus was, his taking the Isthmus of Asia Minor, much too narrow. A like error, but in a greater degree, appears to have arisen in his estimation of the breadth of Arabia; which is inferable from his statements of the respective positions of Egypt _ and Cilicia; Colchis, and the Persian gulf; an error also perpetuated by succeeding geographers: for Pliny, lib. vi. c. 28, com- - pares the Peninsula of Arabia, to that of Italy, not only in form, ‘and position, but in point of size also! Thus the most prominent features of this geography, as far as we can collect from the records

of the times, did not greatly vary, from the days of Herodotus, to those of Pliny.

In so ancient a book, one must not be surprised at finding corruptions in the numerals, or even in the proper names. With respect to the first, we sometimes find them false, in places where a knowledge of the ground, affords the means of detecting them : and hence, the same may be inferred in other places, where, through want of the requisite information, they escape detection. As to. names, it appears that they are more correct, than one had a right to expect. It is however, certain, that in the account of the Persian Satrapies, certain names occur, that cannot be referred to any particular position. Some of these may have been lost, altogether, in subsequent times ; as there is an instance in that of the Caspian’s ' country, whose name was grown obsolete before the time of Strabo: - Others may have been corrupted; and others again were probably no more than names of the principal cities of the several countries, applied to the countries themselves; a custom very prevalent i in the. East, to the great confusion of history, and of geography. But, « on