Chap. 1.] ACCOUKT OP COrKTBIES, ETC. 883 



although it was in the winter season that he visited them. 

 We also learn from the same source that the people who 

 inhabit the adjoining forests, which are full of all kinds of 

 elephants, wild beasts, and serpents, have the name of Ca- 

 narii ; from the circumstance that they partake of their food 

 in common with the canine race, and share with it the 

 entrails of wild beasts. 



It is a well-known fact, that adjoining to these localities 

 is a nation of JLtliiopians, which bears the name of Perorsi. 

 Juba, the father of Ptolemy, who was the first king* who 

 reigned over both the Mauritanias,and who has been rendered 

 even more famous by the brilliancv of his learning than by 

 his kingly rank, has given us similar inlbrmation relative to 

 Mount Atlas, and states that a certain herb grows there, 

 which has received the name of * euphorbia'* from that of his 

 physician, who was the first to discover it. Juba extols with 

 wondrous praises the milky juice of this plant as tending to 

 improve the sight, and acting as a specific against the bites 

 of serpents and all kinds of poison ; and to this subject alone 

 he has devoted an entire book. Thus much, if indeed not 

 more than enough, about Mount Atlas. 



(2.) The province of Tingitana is 170 miles in length'. 

 Of the nations in this province the principal one was for- 

 merly that of the Mauri*, who have given to it the name of 

 Mauritania, and have been by many writers caUed the 

 Maurusii*. This nation has been greatly weakened by the 

 disasters of war, and is now dwinciled down to a few fami- 

 lies only''. Next to the Mauri was formerly the nation of 



* Bocchus however, the kinsman of Ma«sims8a, had previously for 

 some time reigned over both the Mauritanias, consisting of Mauritania 

 Tingitana and Maiuitania Ceesariana. 



> See B. XIV. c. 7. 12, and B. xxvi. c. 8. 



' Extending from tlie sea to the river Moluga, now called the Molucha 

 and Molochath, or Malva and Malvana. 



* From whom the Moors of the present day take their name. Marcus 

 observes here, that though Pliny distinguishes the Mauri from the Gsetuli, 

 they essentially belonged to the same race and spoke the same language, 

 the so-called Berber, and its dialects, the Schellou and the Schoviah. 



* ' Maurusii' was the Greek name, ' Mauri' the Latin, for this people. 

 Marcus suggests that Mauri was a synonym only for the Greek word 

 nomades, 'wanderers.' 



' As Marcus observes, PUny is here greatly in error. On the inroads of 

 Paulinus, the Mauri had retreated mto the interior and taken refuge in 



