68 
JOURNEY FROM 
The region of the Cinyphus has been celebrated for its extraordi- 
nary fertility ; Herodotus asserts that it yielded three hundred for 
one, and other writers have concurred in extolling the richness of 
its soil *. It is remarkable, however, that some authors who have 
highly commended the soil of the Byzacium, have, at the same time, 
omitted to notice the fertility of the region of the Cinyphus ; while 
others, on the contrary, who have recorded the extraordinary pro- 
duce of the district last mentioned, have failed to make any allusion 
to the productive qualities of the Byzacium. This circumstance has 
induced Dr. Della Celia to imagine that some of the writers in 
question intended to include both these districts in one ; and in 
support of this idea he cites passages from Pliny and Strabo, which 
appear to him decisive in its favour. Pliny says (it is Dr. Della 
Celia who speaks) that “ the people who inhabit the Byzacium are 
called Libyphoenices '|- it is therefore only necessary to ascertain 
in what country the Libyphoenices dwelt, to determine the position 
r* 
of the Byzacium ij:. And here, continues the Doctor, is a very clear 
reply of Strabo to this desideratum of ancient geography — “ Upon 
* A'/ad'n Ss yn Kizl rm Et/EffWEgiTai vEpiovTai’ Ew’Exarora <yag tTnav a.v% suijrvis eueixv 
£x(pE§Er •h Se ev rt] Kivt/9n e'S'i rqt’nnoma.. (Melp. g 67J.) 
Scylax calls the region of the Cinyphus y^aipiov xaXov — and Mela describes the river — 
per uberrima arva decidens. Other authorities may be added to these in support of the 
fertility of the district. 
Libyphoenices vocantur qui Byzacium incolunt. 
I Plinio dice Libyphoenices vocantur qui Byzacium incolunt. Si tratta dunque di 
sapere dove abitavono i Libifenicii per sapere il sito della regione Bizacina. Ed eccole 
una chiarissima risposta di Strabone a questo quesito di antica geografia : Sulla marina 
che e da Cartagine fino al Cefalo, e fino ai Masselibii e il territorio dei Libifenicii. — 
(Viaggio da Tripoli, &c. p. 48.) 
