42 History of Nature. [BooK IV. 



hath written, that Lusitania, with Asturia and Gallaecia, is in 

 Length 540 Miles, and in Breadth 526. But all the His- 

 paniae (Spains), from the two Promontories of Pyrenaeus along 

 the Seas, are supposed to take up in Circuit of the whole 

 Coast 2900 Miles, and by others, 2700. Over against Celti- 

 beria are very many Islands, called by the Greeks Cassiterides, 

 from the plenty of Lead :* and from the region of the Pro- 

 montory of the Arrotrebae, six named Deorum (i. e. of the 

 Gods) which some have called Fortunatae. But in the very 

 Cape of Bsetica, from the Mouth of the Strait 75 Miles, 

 lieth the Island Gades, 12 Miles long, as Polylius writeth, 

 and 3 Miles broad. It is distant from the Continent, where 

 it is nearest, less than 700 Paces, 2 in other Parts above 7 

 Miles. Its space containeth 15 Miles. It hath a Town of 

 Roman Citizens, which is named Augusta, Urbs Julia 

 Gaditana. On that side that looks toward Spain, within 

 about 100 Paces, is another Island, 3 Miles long, and a 

 Mile broad, wherein formerly was the Town of Gades. The 

 Name of this Island, according to Ephorus and P hilts tides t is 

 Erythia : but according to Timceus and Silenus, Aphrodisias : 

 by the Native Inhabitants, of Juno. The bigger, Timeeus 

 saith, was by them called Cotinusa ; our Countrymen name 

 it Tartessos, the Poani Gadir, 3 which in the Punic Lan- 

 guage signifieth 4 the number of seven. 5 Erythia was 

 called, because the Tyri were reported to have had their 

 first beginning out of the (Red) Sea, Erythraeum. Some think 

 that Geryon here dwelt, whose Herds Hercules took away. 

 There are again some who think that it is another, over 



1 See p. 36, c. xvi. 



1 Less than three-quarters of a mile. 



8 Or Gadiz. 



4 Septem, or, as some read, Septum (t. e. a park or enclosure). 



s From the Hebrew root signifying to make a fence, the Phoenicians 

 called any enclosed space Gaddir, and particularly gave this name to their 

 settlement on the south-western coast of Spain, which the Greeks from 

 them called Gaderia, the Romans Gades, and we Cadiz. See Bochart, 

 vol. i. 628-734. This name is very appropriately given to the island 

 mentioned by Pliny ; but why it should be derived from a Punic word 

 signifying seven is not so apparent. Wern. Club. 



