ANCIENT R.VOWLEDQE OF AFRICA. 35 



successively four other cities ; after which they came to 

 the great river Lixus, flowing from Libya and the high 

 boundary of the Atlas. Its banks were infested by num- 

 bers of wild beasts, and inhabited only by savage Ethio- 

 pians, living in caves, and repelling every friendly overture. 

 Proceeding three days along a desert coast, the navigators 

 reached an island, which they named Cerne, situated in a 

 recess of the sea, where they established their last colony. 

 Sailing onward still for a number of days, they saw a large 

 river full of crocodiles and hippopotami, and containing 

 various islands. The inhabitants were timid, and fled at 

 their approach ; but the coast presented some remarkable 

 phenomena. During the day deep silence reigned ; but as 

 soon as the sun set, tires blazed on the shore, and the shouts 

 of men were mingled with the varied sounds of cymbals, 

 trumpets, and other musical instruments. This scene, 

 being new to the Carthaginians, struck them with a sort 

 of terror ; but in fact it must have arisen from the custom 

 prevalent over native Africa, where the inhabitants rest 

 during the oppressive heat of the day, and spend great part 

 of the night in dancing and festivity. On another shore 

 the navigators were astonished to see the land all on fire, 

 and torrents of flame rushing into the sea, — an appearance 

 doubtless owing to one of those conflagrations frequently 

 occasioned in such countries by the practice of setting fire 

 to the grass at the end of autumn. Next appeared an 

 island in a bay, where they found a most singular race, 

 bearing the human form, indeed, but covered with shaggy 

 hair, resembling those satyrs and sylvan deities with which 

 pagan mythology peopled the woods. These monsters, 

 whom they call Gorillse, and who seem evidently to have 

 been orang-outangs, ran off on their approach, climbed 

 rocks, and threw dovm stones on their pursuers ; yet three 

 females were caught, and their skins carried to Carthage. 

 At length, the coast becoming desolate, and no longer 

 aflTording either provisions or water, it was found necessary 

 to return. 



How far this voyage extended, and what proportion of 

 the African coast it surveyed, has been the subject of long 

 and learned controversy. The only two disputants who 

 now appear on the field are Major Rennel and M. Gosse- 

 Un ; the former of whom believes that Hanno passed Sierra 



