THE SOURCE OF THENILE, 543° 
éhe place where the city ftood, then, in place of 125 miles, the 
produce of 1000 ftadia, I find it meafures 145 miles, a differ- 
ence as little to be regarded as the other. 
Let us now examine what information we can learn 
from the report of the centurions fent on purpofe by Nero. 
to explore this unknown country, whofe report has been. 
looked upon as decifive of the diftances of places through 
which they paffed. 
Tuese travellers pretend, that between Syene and the en- 
trance into the ifland of Meroé was 873 miles, and from 
thence to the city 70 miles; the whole diftance then be- 
tween Syene and the city of Meroé will be 943 miles, or 15° 
43’. Now Syene was very certainly in 24°, a few.minutes 
more or lefs ; and from this if we take 15°, there will remain. 
g° of latitude for the ifland’ of Meroé, according to the re- 
port of thefe centurions, and this would have carried Meroé 
far to the fouthward of the fountains of the Nile, and con- 
founded every idea of the geography of Africa. The paral- 
lel which marks 11° cuts Gojam very exactly in the middle, 
and this peninfula may be faid to refemble the fhield called: 
Pelta; but very certainly not the Scutum, to which Diodorus 
has very properly likened it. Befides, their own obfervation 
condemns them, for it is about Meroé where they firft faw 
an appearance of verdure; the reafon of whiclris very plain, 
if the latitude of that city was in 16, upon the verge of the 
tropical rains, where,.as an eye-witnefs, I who have paffed that 
dreary diftance on foot can teftify, thofe green herbs and 
fhrubs, though they begin, as is very properly and cautioufly 
exprefled, to appear there, feem neither luxuriant nor abun- 
dant. 
Bur 
