Chap. 37.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTRIES, ETC. 10' 



CHA.P. 37. (32.) THE FORTUNATE ISLANDS. 



There are some authors who think that heyond these are the 

 Fortunate Islands/'' and some others ; the number of which 

 Sebosus gives, as well as the distances, informing us that Juno- 

 aia ^ is an island seven hundred and fifty miles distant fi*om 

 Gades. He states also that Pluvialia^^ and Capraria*^ are the 

 same distance from Junonia, to the west ; and that in Pluvi- 

 alia the only fresh water to be obtained is rain water. He 

 then states that at a distance of two hundred and fifty miles 

 from these, opposite the left of Mauritania, and situate in the 

 direction of the sun at the eighth hour, are the Fortunate 

 Islands,^ one of which, from its undulating surface, has the 

 name of Invallis,^^ and another that of Planasia,^ from the pe- 

 culiarity^ of its appearance. He states also that the circumfe- 

 rence of Invallis is three hundred miles, and that trees grow 

 to a height of one hundred and fourteen feet. 



Relative to the Fortunate Islands, Juba has ascertained the 

 following facts : that they are situate to the south in nearly a 

 due westerly direction, and at a distance fr^om the Purple 

 Islands of six hundi-ed and twenty-five miles, the sailing being 

 made for two hundred and fifty miles due west, and then three 

 hundred and seventy-five towards the east.^^ He states that 

 the first is called Ombrios,^^ and that it presents no traces of 

 buildings whatever ; that among the mountains there is a lake, 

 and some trees,^^ which bear a strong resemblance to giant 



59 Or Islands of the Blessed — the modern Canaries. 



^ Supposed to be the modern island of Fuerteventura, 



61 Supposed to be that now called Ferro. 



52 Probably the modern Gomera. In B. iv. c. 36, PHny mentions them 

 as six in number, there being actually seven. 



63 He does not appear on this occasion to reckon those aheady men- 

 tioned as belonging to the group of the Fortunatse Insulae. 



6* The present Isle of Teneriffe. 



65 Supposed to be that now called Gran Canaria. 



66 The smoothness of its surface. 



67 It is impossible to see clearly what he means. Littre says that it 

 has been explained by some to mean, that from the Purpurariae, or Madeira 

 Islands, it is a course of 250 miles to the west to the Fortunatae or Canary 

 Islands ; but that to return from the Fortunatte to the Purpui-ariae, required 

 a more circuitous route in an easterly direction. 



68 Or Pluvialia, the Rainy Island, previously mentioned. 



^ Salmasius thinks that the sugar-cane is here alluded to. Hardouin 



