BOOK II.] History of Nature. 1 1 7 



try of the Oretes, in India, there is a Mountain named Maleus, 

 near which the Shadows in Summer are cast into the South, 

 and in Winter to the North. There, for fifteen Nights only, 

 the Constellation Septentrio is to be seen. In the same 

 India, at Patales (a famous Port), the Sun riseth on the 

 right Hand, and Shadows fall to the South. While Alex- 

 ander was there, Onesicritus, an Officer of his, wrote that it 

 was observed there, that the North Star was seen the first 

 Part only of the Night : also that in such Places of India where 

 there were no Shadows, the North Star did not appear : and 

 that those Quarters were called Ascia* 9 where they kept no 

 Reckoning of Hours. 



CHAPTER LXXIV. 



Where Twice in the Year the Shadows fall in contrary 

 Directions. 



BUT throughout all Trogloditice, -Eratosthenes hath writ- 

 ten, that the Shadows twice a- Year, for forty-five Days, fall 

 in contrary Directions. 



CHAPTER LXXV. 

 Where the Day is longest, and where shortest. 



IT cometh thus to pass, that by the variable Increment of 

 the Daylight, the longest Day in Meroe doth comprehend 

 twelve equinoctial Hours, and eight Parts of one Hour: but 

 in Alexandria, fourteen Hours ; in Italy, fifteen ; in Britain, 

 seventeen, where, in Summer, the Nights being light, by 

 infallible Experience shew that which Reason forceth to be- 

 lieve : namely, that at Midsummer, as the Sun approacheth 

 near to the Pole of the World, the Places of the Earth lying 

 underneath, have Day continually for six Months: and con- 

 trariwise, Night, when the Sun is remote as far as Bruma. 

 And this, Pythias of Massiles hath written of Thule 2 , an 

 Island distant Northward from Britain six Days' sailing ; and 



1 That is, without shadow. 



2 This is judged to be Iceland. The geography of Britain will be 

 found in the fourth book. Wern. Club. 



