CHAP. I.] CEYLON AS KNOWN TO THE PHCENICIANS. 573 



all the regions to the east and the west, both islands and inland 

 parts. But the ^Ethiopians l represented to the king that to the 

 south there were great and renowned countries, densely popu- 

 lated, and rich in precious things, gold and silver, pearls, gems, 

 ebony, pepper, elephants, monkeys, parrots, peacocks, and in- 

 numerable other things ; and that there was a peninsula so far 

 to the east that the inhabitants could see the sun rising out of 

 the sea." (Ch. viii.) " Joramus then sent messengers to Natam- 

 balus, the king of the Babylonians, who were to say to him, 

 ( I have heard that the countries of the ^Ethiopians are numerous, 

 and abounding in inhabitants ; they are easy of access from 

 Babylon, but very difficult from Tyre. If, therefore, I should 

 determine to explore them, and you will let my subjects have 

 suitable ships, you shall have in return a hundred purple 

 cloaks.' Natambalus was willing to do so ; but the ^Ethiopian 

 merchants, who resorted to Babylon, vowed that they would 

 take their departure if he should assist Joramus to sail to 

 ^Ethiopia." (Chap, ix.) " Subsequently Joramus addressed him- 

 self to Irenius of Judea, and undertook that if he would let 

 the Tyrians have a harbour on the sea towards ^Ethiopia, he 

 would assist him in the building of a palace, in which he was 

 then engaged ; and bind himself to supply him with materials 

 of cedar and fir, and squared stones. Irenius assenting, made 

 over to Joramus the city and harbour of Ilotha. There were 

 a great many date trees there, but as their timber was not suit- 

 able for constructing vessels, Joramus despatched eight thou- 

 sand camels to Ilotha, loaded with materials for ship-building, 

 and ordered the shipwrights to build ten ships, and he ap- 

 pointed Cedarus and Jaminus and Cotilus, commanders. . . . 

 They sailed from Ilotha ; but furious tempests prevented them 

 from passing the straits. 2 And while they were wind-bound, 

 they remained five months in a certain island, and having 

 sowed wheat on the low ground, they reaped an abundant crop. 

 After this they sailed towards the rising sun, and leaving the 

 land of the Arabians they fell in with Babylonian ships re- 

 turning from ^Ethiopia. 3 And on the following day they 

 arrived at the country of the ^Ethiopians, which they perceived 

 sandy and devoid of water on the coast, but mountainous in- 

 land. They then sailed eastward along the shore for ten days. 



The ^Ethiopians alluded to were 



a company of Indian jngglem and 

 snake-charmers, whose arrival from 



Babylon is mentioned lib. vii. ch. i. 

 2 Of Bab-el-mandeb. 



India. 



p r 3 



