64 
JOURNEY FROM 
out, will very decidedly authorize us to do, one difficulty will be 
found to arise. It is the impossibility of reconciling the distance 
from the sea, of the nearest range of hiUs to the southward, with 
that assigned by Herodotus to the Hill of the Graces, in which he 
affirms the Cinyphus to have its source. 
The Hill of the Graces is laid down by this geographer at 200 
stadia from the sea * ; whereas the distance of the nearest range of 
hills, to the southward of Wad’ el Khahan, is little more than four 
English miles from the coast ; and we could perceive in this range 
no aperture or break through which we might imagine that a stream 
could have passed in its course from the southward to the sea. We 
should certainly infer, from the appearance of this chain, that the 
river must have had its source in it ; and one of the hills of which 
it is composed does certainly present an appearance of three peaks, 
as we may imagine the Hill of the Graces did ; but then we must 
suppose that some mistake has been made, either by Herodotus 
himself, or by his editors, in the number of stades above mentioned ; 
and, although it is possible that such an error might have occurred, 
we have no greater right to dispute the passage in question, than we 
have to challenge the accuracy of any other statement which is 
received on the authority of the geographer. We mean, with refer- 
ence tc|the text itself, exclusive of local information ; for the pas- 
sage is simply and clearly stated, without the least appearance of 
* Aia Se avrm (Macarum) Kivz/4' iroracfAOs, ^euv ex xscXiv/xei/b Xse^iTwv, sr daXa/raav 
exSiSoi. 0 Se Xoipoy ouTos o XagiTO/v Soktus' iSvci es"*, soiKjris rns ocWns t»k jtqoxaraXiyfisia'ns 
AiQvris ccTTo SaXaaaw Se es- ocvroy faJioi Sinxoaiot e«7i. (Melp. §oe.) 
