NASAMONIAN EXPEDITION. 81 
one which Herodotus * records as performed by 
some young Nasamonians. This people occupied 
a district of northern Africa, lying to the west of 
Cyrene, and forming part of the modern Tripoli. 
Five young men, sons of the principal citizens, 
were seized with an ardent desire to explore 
Africa, beyond the farthest limit to which disco- 
very had hitherto reached. They traversed lirst, 
without difficulty, the cultivated tracts of Libya ; 
then passed safely also through the region inha- 
bited by wild beasts, and came to the great desert 
of sand. Being well stored with provisions and 
water, they also entered this tract, and traversed 
it for many days in a westerly direction ; after 
which they came to a plain, diversified with a few 
trees. These being a novel object, they began to 
pluck and eat the fruit with peculiar relish, when 
they were surprised by a body of men, black, and 
of small stature, who immediately made them pri- 
soners. These men carried them through very 
extensive marshes or lakes, to a city inhabited by 
a people similar to themselves. This city was tra- 
versed by a great river flowing from west to east, 
and in which crocodiles were found. From all 
these circumstances, Major Rennell infers, that 
the city must have been one situated in central 
Africa, and the river which traversed it the Niger, 
* II. 32. 
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