18 DISCOVERIES OF THE ANCIENTS. 
were embarked persons, of both sexes, to the num- 
ber of 30,000. The narrative begins at the pas- 
sage of the Straits, or Pillars of Hercules. After 
two days sail from thence, they founded, in the 
midst of an extensive plain, the city of Thymiate- 
rium. In two days more they came to a cape, 
shaded with trees, called Solocis, or the promon- 
tory of Libya, on which they erected a temple to 
Neptune. They sailed round a bay, thickly bor- 
dered with plantations of reeds, and where nume- 
rous elephants and other wild animals were feed- 
ing. On emerging from it, they founded succes- 
sively other four cities. Their next course was to 
the great river Lixus, flowing from Libya and from 
high mountains behind, which were filled with 
wild beasts, and inhabited by a race of inhospitable 
Ethiopians, who lived in caves, and surpassed even 
the wild animal s in swiftness. Proceeding then three 
days along a desert coast, they came to a small island, 
situated in a deep recess of the sea, to which they gave 
the name of Cerne, and where they founded a colony. 
They now entered another bay, and passing over 
a great extent of coast, found several islands and 
rivers, particularly one very large, filled with croco- 
diles and hippopotami. Returning to Cerne, they 
sailed southwards along the coast of the Ethiopians, 
a timid race, who fled at their approach. After 
passing a wooded promontory, they came to a gulf, 
in which were several large islands. Here a re- 
