c 3 6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



-dorus Siculus fays, the Troglodytes, the indigenous inhabi- 

 tants of that very fpot, had a tradition from father to Ion, 

 •from their very earlieft and remoteft ages, that once this 

 .divifion of the fea did happen there, and that after leaving 

 its bottom fometimes dry, the fea again came back, and co- 

 hered it with great fury. The words of this author are of 

 the mod remarkable kind. We cannot think this heathen 

 is writing in favour of revelation. He knew not Moles, 

 nor fays a word about Pharaoh, and his hoft ; but records 

 the miracle of the diviiion of the fea, in words nearly as 

 ftrong as thole of Mofes, from the mouths of unbiafTed, un- 

 deligning Pagans. 



Were all thefe difficulties furmounted, what could we 

 .do with the pillar of lire ? The anfwer is, We mould not 

 believe it. Why then believe the pallage at all? We have no 

 authority for the one, but what is for the other; it is alto- 

 gether contrary to the ordinary nature of things, and if not 

 a miracle, it mull be .a fable. 



The caufe of the feveral names of the Red Sea, is a fub- 

 je£t of more liberal inquiry. I am of opinion, that it cer- 

 tainly derived its name from Edom, long and early its 

 powerful mailer, that word Signifying Red in Hebrew. It 

 formerly went by the name of Sea of Edom, or Idumca; 

 fmcc, by that of the Red Sea. 



It has been obferved, indeed, that not only the Arabian 

 Gulf, but part of the Indian Ocean *, went by this name, 



though 



* Dionyfii PeriegqSs, v. " : . et Comment. Euftathii in eundem. Strabo, lib. xvL 

 jj. 765. Agatheuisri Geographic, lib. ii. cap. u. 



