THE ANCIENTS IGNORANT OF THE COMPASS. (-0 



And if tbey had once lost the sight of land, they knew not LtB - r - 

 which way to direct their course, but by the Stars, Sunne, 

 and Moone, and that failing (as it doth often in a darke 

 and cloudie season) they did governe themselves by the 

 qualitie of the winds, and by coniecture of the waies which 

 they had passed. Finally, they went as they were guided 

 by their owne motions. As at the Indies, the Indians saile 

 a long way by sea, guided onely by their owne Industrie 

 and natural instinct. And it semes greatly to purpose that 

 which Plinie writes of the Handlers of Taprobana (which at 

 this day we call Sumatra), speaking in this sort, when as 

 he treates of the art and Industrie they vse in sailing. 

 &amp;lt;c Those of Taprobana see not the North to saile by, which 

 defect they supply with certaine small birdes they carrie 

 with them, the which they often let flie, and as those 

 birdes by a natural! instinct flie alwaies towards the land, 

 so the Mariners direct their course after them.&quot; Who 

 doubtes then if they had had any knowledge of the com- 

 passe they would not have vsed these little birdes for their 

 guides to discover the Land. To conclude, this sufficeth to 

 shew that the Ancients had no knowledge of the secrets of 

 the Loadstone, seeing that for so notable a thing there is 

 no proper word in Latine, Greeke, or Hebrew, for a thing 

 of such importance could not have wanted a name in these 

 tongues if they had knowne it. Wherevpon the Pilots at 

 this day, to direct him his course that holds the helme, sit 

 aloft in the poope of the Shippe, the better to observe the 

 compasse; whereas in olde time they sat in the prow of the 

 Shippe to marke the differences of lands and seas, from 

 which place they commaunded the Helme as they vse at 

 this day at the entrie or going out of any Port or haven, 

 and therefore the Greekes called Pilots Proritas, for that 

 they remained still in the prow. 



