Chap. 10.] ACCOUNT OF COUNTEIES, ETC. 415 



the frontiers of -Ethiopia ; that is the name of a pemnsula a 

 mile in circumference, upon which Castra' is situate, on the 

 side of Arabia. Opposite to it are the four islands of 

 Philae^, at a distance of 600 miles from the place where 

 the Nile divides into two channels ; at which spot, as 

 we have already stated, the Delta, as it is called, begins. 

 This, at least, is the distance, according to Artemidorus, 

 who also informs us that there were in it 250 towns ; Juba 

 sa^s, however, that the distance between these places is 400 

 miles. Aristocreon says that the distance from Elephantis 

 to the sea is 750 miles; Elephantis' being an inhabited 

 island four miles below the last Cataract, sixteen'' beyond 

 Syene, 585 from Alexandria, and the extreme limit of the 

 navigation of Egypt. To such an extent as this have the 

 above-named authors* been mistaken! This island is the 

 place of rendezvous for the vessels of the Ethiopians : they 

 are made to fold up**, and the people carry them on their 

 shoulders whenever they come to the Cataracts. 



just below the First Cataract, and was looked upon as the southern 

 fi'ontier city of Egypt against Ethiopia. It was an important point ia 

 the geography and astronomy of the ancients ; for, lying just under the 

 tropic of Cancer, it was chosen as the place through wluch they drew 

 their chief parallel of latitude. The sun was vertical to Syene at the 

 time of the summer solstice, and a well was shown there where the face 

 of the sun was seen at noon at that time. Its present name is Assouan 

 or Ossouan. 



^ If this word means the "Camp," it does not appear to be known 

 what camp is meant. Most editions have " Cerastse,' ' in which case it 

 would mean that at Syene the Cerastes or homed serpent is found. 



2 One of these (if indeed Philse did consist of more than a single 

 island, wliich seems doubtful) is now known as Djeziret-el-Birbe, the 

 "Island of the Temple." 



3 This island was seated just below the Lesser Cataract, opposite Syene, 

 and near the western bank of the Nile. At this point the river becomes 

 navigable downward to its mouths, and the traveller from Meroe or 

 -Ethiopia enters Egypt Proper. The original name of this island was 

 " Ebo," Eb being in the language of hieroglyphics the symbol of the ele- 

 phant and ivory. It was remarkable for its fertihty and verdure, and 

 the Arabs of the present day designate the island as Djesiret-el-Sag, or 

 " the Blooming." 



* This is a mistake of PHny's, for it was opposite to Syene. Brotier 

 thinks that Pliny intended to write ' Philse,' but by mistake inserted Syene. 



^ Artemidorus, Juba, and Aristocreon. 



^ They were probably made of papyrus, or else of hides, Hke the British 

 coracles. 



