104 History of Nature. [BooK VI. 



over it 120 Bridges. It had many Towns upon its Banks; 

 the most celebrated being Tyritacen, Cygnus, and Phasis, 

 situated at its very Mouth. But the most illustrious was 

 JE&, fifteen Miles from the Sea : where Hippos and Cyanos, 

 two very great Rivers, coming from different Parts, flow into 

 it. Now it possesseth Surium only, which taketh its Name 

 from the River Surium, that runneth into it. And thus far 

 we said that Phasis was capable of being navigated by great 

 Ships. And it receiveth other Rivers, remarkable for size 

 and number, among which is the River Glaucus. In the 

 Mouth of this River (Phasis) there are Islands without a 

 Name. It is distant from Bsarus 75 Miles. Being past 

 Phasis, there is another River called Charien ; the Nation of 

 the Salae, named in old Time Phthirophagi and Suani ; the 

 River Cobus, which issueth out of Caucasus, and runneth 

 through the Country of the Suani. Then Rhoas ; the region 

 Ecrectice : the Rivers Sigania, Tersos, Atelpos, Chrysorrhoas, 

 and the Nation Absilae: the Castle Sebastopolis, a hundred 

 Miles from Phasis; the Nation of the Sanigares, the Town 

 Cygnus, the River and Town called Pityus. And last of all, 

 the Nations of the Heniochae, which have many Names. 



CHAPTER V. 



The Region of Colchis, the Ached, and other Nations in 

 that Tract. 



NEXT followeth the region of Colchis, which is likewise 

 in Pontus : wherein the craggy Summits of the Caucasus 

 wind and turn toward the Rhiphaean Mountains, as hath been 

 hinted ; on the one side bending down toward the Euxinus 

 and Moeotis ; and on the other inclining to the Caspian and 

 Hircanian Seas. The remainder of the Coasts are occupied by 

 savage Nations, as the Melanchlseni, the Choruxi; Dioscurias, 

 a City of the Colchi, near the River Anthemus, now lying 

 waste, although it was so renowned in Time past, that by the 

 report of Timosthenes there were settled therein 300 Nations 

 which used distinct Languages. And afterwards our Ro- 

 mans were forced to provide 130 Interpreters for the Traffic 



