ThefixthBookeof 



beit he pafled farre beyond Mcroe : after him^ AriJlocreon^B'm^'^nd B a fills. As for Simonidis (the G 

 younger and the later writer)had fojourned in Meroe fiveyeeces^when he moi of vErhyopia.For 

 Timojihenes the Admirall of Ptelomdm FhiUddfhm his naviejiath left in record^thatfroa-i Sye- 

 ne to Mcroe is 60 daies journey, without any other particularizing of the mealure by miles. But 

 Eratojihenes prccifely noteth* that it is ^2 5 miles. \^rtejfiidormhm 600. Sebcpn affirmeth. 

 That from the frontiers of -^gypt it is i ^75 miles.From whence^the laft rehearfed writers count 

 forward but 1270. But all this difference and difpute about this pointjis lately determined ten- 

 ded by the report of thofe travellers whom 'JS^ero fent of purpofe to difcover thole countries; and 

 they made relation of the truth upon their ccrtaine knowledge, that it is 874 miles from Syenc 

 in this manner particularly by journies. Namely, from the faid Syeneto Hiera-Sycaminon 54 

 iniles:from thence to Tama 75 miles . From Tama to theEuonymites countrey, the firft of all H 

 the^thyopianSjiio.Forwardto Acina 54.ToPitara2 5.ToTergedum io5miles. Where by 

 the way it is to be noted, thatinthemiddeftof this trad lieth the ulandGagandusj where they 

 began firft to have a fight of the birds called Parrats:and beyond another Ifland in the fame way 

 which is called Artigula, they might lee monkies a^nd marmofets : but being once beyond Tcr- 

 gedum, they met with thebeafts Cynocephali. From thence to Napata 80 miles : this is the 

 only little towne among all the reft beforenamed. From which tothe lilandMeroeis 36omiks. 

 They reported moreover,that about Meroe(& notbefore)the grafTeand hearbes appeared frefli 

 and greene 5 yeajand the woods (hewed fbmewhat in comparifon of all the way bcfidesj and that 

 theyelpied thetrads of Elephants and Rhinocerotes where they had gone. As for the towne ic 

 felfe Meroe,they faid it was within the liland from the very entrie therof 70 miles : & that juft by, J 

 there was another Ifland called Tatu, which yeelded abay or haven to land arfor them that topk 

 the arme and channcll of Nilus on the right hand. As for the building within Mcroe,thcrc v?ere 

 biu: few houfcs in it : that the Ifle was fubjed unto a ladie or queene named Candace^ a name that 

 for many y eeres alreadie went from one queene to another fuccelTively .Within this towne there 

 is the temple ofgreatholinefle and devotion in the honour of //i/'//<fr Ihmmn : and in all that 

 trad many other chappels. Finally, fo long as the /Ethyopians fwaicd the fcepter and reigned, 

 this Ifland was much renowmed and very famous . For by report jthey were wont to furnifh the 

 iEthyopian king with armed men 25oooo,& to maintain of Artifanes 400000. Laft of all there 

 have been counted 45 kings of the /Ethyopians3andib it is reported at this day. 



Chap. xxx. 



^ The ntanifold^jlri^ngc^and wonder full jormes and f])apes of weff^ 



A LI iEthyopiain generallwasin old time called i^theria : afterwards Atlantia: and finally 

 of Fulcanes fonnc Mthiops^ii tooke the name iEthyopia. No wonder it is, that about the 

 coafts thereof there be found both men and beafts of ftrange and monftrous fhapes,con- 

 fideringthe agilitieof the Sunnesfierie heat, foftrongand powerfull in thole countricSjwhich 

 is able to frame bodies artificially of fundrie proportionSjand to imprint and grave in them di- 

 vers formes. Certes/eported it is, that far within the countrey Eaftward there are a kind of peo- 

 ple without any nole at all on their face,having their vifage all plain and flat. Others again with- ^ 

 out any upper lip, and fome tonguelefle. Moreover, there is a kind of them that want a mouth, 

 framed apart from their nofcthnls : and at one and the fame hole,and no more taketh in breath, 

 receiveth drinkc by drawing it in with an oaten ftraw, yea,and after the fame manner feed them- 

 felves with the graines of oates,growing of the owne accord without mans labour and tillage for 

 their onely food. And others there bcjWho in fteed of fpcech and words,make fignes5as well with 

 noddingtheirheads,as moving their other members. There are alfo among them, that before 

 the time of PWtfw^//^Z4/i&)'y//^kingofiEgyptjknewnoufeatallof fire. Furthermore, writers 

 there bee, who have reported, that in the countrey neere unto the meeres and raarifhes from 

 whence Nilusifliieth,thercinhabite thofe little dwarfes called Pygmei.But to returne ao-aine to 

 the utmoft coafts of^thyopiajwhere we left: there is a continuall raunge and courfe of moun- M 

 taines all red like fire, as if they were ever burning. Moreovcr.beyond Meroe there is a countrey 

 lying above the Troglodites and the red fea : where,after you be three dales journey from Napa- 

 ta toward the coaft of the faid red fea, you fliall find that in moft places they fave raine wacer for 

 their ordinarie u(e to drinke^and otherwiJfe ; all the countrey betweene is very plenteous and full 

 ' of 



