I 
108 PLIIS't's JiTATUEAL HISTOHT. [Book 11. 
mer fall towards tlie south and in winter towards tlie north. 
The seven stars of the Great Bear are visible there for fifteen 
nights only. In India also, in the celebrated sea-port Pa- 
tale \ the sun rises to the right hand and the shadows fall 
towards the south. While Alexander was staying there it 
was observed, that the seven northern stars were seen only 
during the early part of the night^. Onesicritus, one of his 
generals, informs us in his work, that in those places in India 
where there are no shadows, the seven stars are not visible^ ; 
these places, he says, are called " Ascia^," and the people there 
do not reckon the time by hours ^ 
CHAP. 76. (74.) — ^WHEEE THIS TAKES PLACE TWICE m THE 
TEAB AIS^D WHEEE THE SHADOWS EALL IK OPPOSITE 
DIEECTIONS. 
Eratosthenes informs us, that in the whole of Troglodytice, 
for twice forty-five days in the year, the shadows fall in the 
contrary direction^. i 
CHAP. 77. (75.) — ^WHEEE THE DATS AEE THE LO^s^aEST AND 
WHEEE THE SHOETEST. 
Hence it follows, that in consequence of the daylight 
increasing in various degrees, in Sieroe the longest day 
said to be in the country of the Monedes and Suari ; vi. 22. See the note 
of Alexandre in Lemaire, i. 394. 
1 Our author, in a subsequent part of his work, vi. 23, describes the 
island of Patale as situated near the mouth of the Indus ; he again refers 
to it, xii. 25. His account of the position of the sun does not, however, 
apply to this place. 
2 If we may suppose this to have been actually the case, we might 
calculate the time of the year when Alexander visited this place and the 
length of his stay. 
3 We may presume, that our author means to say no more than that, 
in those places, they are occasionally invisible ; Hterally the observation 
would not apply to any part of India. ^ cttTKia, shadowless. 
5 If this really were the case, it could have no relation to the astrono- 
mical position of the coimtry. 
6 "In contrarium," contrary to what takes place at other times, i. e. 
towards the south. This observation is not apphcable to the whole of 
this country, as its northern and southern parts differ from each other by 
seven or eight degrees of latitude. For an account of Eratosthenes see 
Lemaire, i. 186. 
