BOOK IV.] History of Nature. 31 



that the Measure of this Part of the Earth is uncertain. 

 But after the appointed Order, the remainder of this Gulf 

 may be spoken of; and we have already shewn the Seas of it. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 The Islands of Pontus. 



HELLESPONT hath no Islands to be spoken of in Europe. 

 In Pontus are two, a Mile and a half from Europe, and 14 

 Miles from the Mouth : Cyaneae, of others called Symple- 

 gades : and by Report of Fables, they ran one into another : 

 because they being severed by a small Space, to them that 

 enter the Sea full upon them they seemed a Pair: but if 

 the Eye be a little turned aside, they made a Show as if they 

 met together. On this Side the Ister there is one, pertaining 

 to the Apolloniates, 80 Miles from Bosphorus Thracius : out 

 of which M. Lucullus brought Apollo Capitolinus 1 . What 

 were within the Mouths of the Ister we have declared al- 

 ready. Before Borysthenes is the above-named Achillea, and 

 the same is called Leuce and Macaron. This the modern 

 demonstration places 140 miles from Borysthenes : from 

 Tyra, 120 : from the Island Pence, 50. It is in Compass 

 about ten Miles. The rest are in the Bay Carcinites : Ce- 

 phalonnesos, Rhosphodusa, and Macra. I cannot pass by 

 the Opinion of many Writers, before we depart from Pontus, 

 who have thought that all the inland Seas arise from that 

 head, and not from the Straits of Gades ; and they lay for 

 their argument, not without some probability, because out 

 of Pontus the Tide always floweth, and never returneth. 



But now we are to depart thence, that other Parts of 



1 Apollonia was a colony of the Milesians in Thrace, the greatest 

 part of whose chief town was situated in a small island in the Euxine, 

 and contained a temple dedicated to Apollo. The colossal statue of the 

 god which Lucullus is said to have removed from thence, and placed in 

 the Capitol at Rome, is described by Pliny (lib. xxxiv. c. 7), as being 30 

 cubits high, and costing 500 talents. After its removal, it acquired the 

 name of Apollo Capitolinus. (Note. HOLLAND'S Translation says 150 

 talents only.) Wem. Club. 



