BOOK V. I. 5-8 



nuinber of miles from the Sebou is the town of 



Sallee, situated on the river of the same name ; this 



town is on the very edge of the desert, and is beset 



by herds of elephants, but much more seriously 



harried by the Autololes tribe, through whose terri- 



tory lies the road to Mount Atlas, which is the sub- HountAtia 



ject of much the most marvellous stories of all the 



mountains in Africa. It is reported to rise into the 



sky out of the middle of tlie sands, a rugged eminence 



covered with crags on the side facing towards the 



coast of the Ocean to which it has given its name, 



but shaded by dense woods and watered by gushing 



springs on the side facing Africa, where fruits of 



all kinds spring up of their own accord with such 



luxuriance that pleasure never lacks satisfaction. 



It is said that in the day-time none of its inliabitants 



are seen, and that all is silent with a terrifying 



silence hke that of the desert, so that a speechless 



awe creeps into the hearts of those who approach 



it, and also a dread of the peak that soars above 



the clouds and reaches the neighbourhood of the 



moon's orb ; also that at night this peak flashes with 



frequent fires and swarms with the Avanton gambols 



of Goat-Pans and Satyrs, and echoes with the music 



of flutes and pipes and thc sound of drums and 



cymbals. These stories havc been pubUshed by 



celebrated authors, in addition to the labours per- 



formed in this region by Hercules and Perseus. It 



is an immense distance away, across unexplored 



country. 



There were also once extant some notes " of the /crpioration 

 Carthaginian commander Hanno, who at the nxost If^^frLa!^ 

 flourishing period of the Punic state was ordered to 

 explore the circuit of Africa. It is Hanno whom 



233 



