514 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



of furs, and for pewter, to the Britifh Iflands. 

 We carried with us linen-cloths, models of wag- 

 gons, ploughs, and various looms ; pitchers of 

 wine, muficai inftruments, and grains of different 

 fpecies ; among others, thofe of hemp and flax. 

 We caufed to be faflened in chefts, round the 

 poop of the fhip, on the deck, and even along 

 the cordage, flips of the vine, which were in blof- 

 fom, and fruit-trees of various forts. You might 

 have taken our veflel, covered with vine-branches 

 and foliage, for that of Bacchus fetting out on the 

 conqueft of the Indies. 



We anchored, firft, on the coafl of the Ifland 

 Crete, in order to take in feme plants whicli were 

 fuitable to the cHmate of Gaul. This ifland pro- 

 duces a greater quantity of vegetables than Egypt, 

 in die vicinity of which it is fituated, from the 

 variety of it's temperatures, extending from the 

 burning fands of it's (hores, up to the fnowy 

 region of Mount Ida, the fummit of which is 

 loft in the clouds. But, what ought to render it 

 fliill more valuable to it's inhabitants, is, it's having 

 been governed by the fage laws of Minos. 



A favourable wind afterwards drove us from 

 Crete to iht hei2,ht of Melita (4). This is a 

 fmall ifland, the hills of which, being formed of 

 white ftone, appear, at a diftance, on the Sea, 



like 



