22 DISCOVERIES OF THE ANCIENTS. 
shores of the then known world. His representa- 
tion of the western coast agrees nearly with that 
of Hanno, except that it reaches no farther than 
Cerne j beyond which, he asserts that the accu- 
mulation of mud and sea-weed renders navigation 
impossible. Here the Phenicians carried on trade 
with the Ethiopians, a race who exceeded all other 
men in stature, and even chose their kings on ac- 
count of that quality of body. Ivory was the 
chief object of trade, and was here so abundant, 
that the natives made it into cups, and employed 
it in adorning, not themselves only, but even their 
horses. They abounded in horses and cattle ; 
lived chiefly on flesh and milk, and made, as well 
as imported, a great deal of wine. Other imports 
were Egyptian unguent, Athenian cloths, and va- 
rious domestic utensils. It was reported by some, 
that the coast, from this point, reached across in 
a direct line towards Egypt, and that Africa thus 
formed a peninsula, of which the greatest length 
was from east to west. 
This coast, at a much later period, excited the 
curiosity of the Roman conquerors. Polybius, the 
celebrated historian, was sent by Scipio to make 
an exploratory voyage in this direction. It is 
much to be regretted, that we should possess no 
record of an expedition made by so able and judi- 
cious an observer. Pliny has preserved only a very 
meagre itinerary, from which, however, Gosselin 
