THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4 fo 



It mould appear, that Ptolemy had employed the veffels 

 of India and the Red Sea, to carry on his commerce with 

 the peninfula, and that the manner of trading directly to 

 India with his own fhips, was either not known or forgot- 

 ten. He therefore fent two ambaffadors, or meffengers, 

 Megafthenes and Denis, to obferve and report what was 

 the flate of India fince the death of Alexander. Thefe two 

 performed their voyage fafely and fpeedily. The account 

 they gave of India, if it was ftrictly a true one, was, in all 

 refpects, perfectly calculated to animate people to the fur- 

 ther profecution of that trade. In the mean time, in order 

 to procure more convenience for veffels trading on the Red 

 Sea, he refolved to attempt the penetrating into that part of 

 Ethiopia which lies on that fea, and, as hiftorians imagine, 

 with an intention to plunder the inhabitants of their riches. 



It mull not, however, be fuppofed, that Ptolemy was not 

 enough acquainted with the productions of a country fo near 

 to Egypt, as to know this part of it had neither gold norfilver, 

 whilft it was full of forefls likewife ; for it was that part of 

 Ethiopia called Barbaria, at this day Barabra, inhabited by 

 fhepherds wandering with their cattle about the neighbour- 

 ing mountains according as the rains fall. Another more pro- 

 bable conjecture was, that he wanted, by bringing about a 

 change of manners in thefe people, to make them ufeful to 

 him in a matter that was of the highefl importance. 



Ptolemy, like his father, had a very powerful fleet and 

 army, he but was inferior to many of the princes, his rivals, 

 in elephants, of which great ufe was then made in war. 

 Thefe Ethiopians were hunters, and killed them for" their 

 fubfiftence. Ptolemy, however, wifhed to have them taken 



4 alive,. 



