62 STEPPES AND DESERTS. 



covered with reeds and sea-weed (Spvov KOI^VKOQ.) The 

 sea-weed is uncovered at ebb and covered at flood tide." 

 Is he not here speaking of a shallow place between the 

 34 and 36 of latitude ? Has a shoal dissappeared in 

 consequence of volcanic eruption? Vobonne speaks of 

 rocks north of Madeira. (Compare also Edrisi, Geog. 

 Nub., 1619, p. 157.) In Scylax it is said, "The sea beyond 

 Cerne is unnavigable on account of its great shallowness, 

 its muddiness, and the great quantity of sea grasses. The 

 sea grass lies a span thick, and is full of points at the top, 

 so that it pricks." The sea- weed found between Cerne, 

 (the Phoenician station for laden vessels, Gaulea, or, according 

 to Gosselin, the small island of Fedallah, on the north- 

 western coast of Mauritania), and Cape de Yerde, does 

 not now by any means form a great sea meadow, or con- 

 nected tract of fucus, a " mare herbidum," such as exists 

 beyond the Azores. In the poetic description of the coast 

 by Festus Avienus, (Ora Maritima, v. 109, 122, 388, and 

 408), in the composition of which, as Avienus himself says, 

 (v. 412) he availed himself of the journals of Phoenician 

 ships, the obstacle presented by the sea- weed is referred to 

 in a very circumstantial manner; but its site is placed much 

 farther north, towards lerne, the " Sacred Island." 



Sic milla late flabra propellunt ratem, 

 Sic segnis humor sequoris pigri stupet. 

 Adjicit et illud, plurimmn inter gurgites 

 Exstare fucum, et ssepe virgulti vice 

 Retinere puppim .... 

 Hsec inter undas multa csespitem jacet, 

 Eamque late gens Hibernorum colit. 



