270 
JOURNEY FROM 
writers, and by others who flourished after the occupation of 
ISTorthei-n Africa by Roman colonies, appears to be greatly exagge- 
rated : that it possesses, in fact, no terrors peculiar to itself, at least, 
not that we are acquainted with ; and no difficulties which may not 
be readily surmounted by those who are acquainted with the nature 
of the country, and will adopt the precautions which are necessary*. 
From the regions of the Greater Syrtis let us pass to the Gulf 
itself; and of this we may remark, that the accounts which have 
come down to us of its peculiarities do certainly appear to be much 
better founded than those which we possess of the country along its 
* The want of accurate information which has hitherto obtained, respecting the 
Gulf and the Shores of the Greater Syrtis, has not only occasioned their being incor- 
I'ectly laid down in modern maps, but has necessarily subjected the observations of 
modern writers upon them to errors which would not otherwise have been made. 
In alluding to the breadth across the mouth of the Greater Syrtis, Major Rennell has 
remarked as follows : — 
“ Scylax reckons it a passage of three days and nights across its mouth; which, 
however, measures no more than one hundred and eighty geographic miles on the best 
modern maps. This allows about sixty miles for each day and night collectively.” 
But the actual distance across the Gulf, from Mesurata to Bengazi, is two hundred 
and forty-six geographic miles, instead of one hundred and eighty, and this would give 
a rate of eighty-six miles per day (considered as twenty-four hours). 
Again — the same author observes — “ Strabo says that Cato had ten thousand men, 
which he divided into separate bodies, that they might more conveniently obtain sup- 
plies of water in that arid region. That they marched on foot, and completed the tour 
of the Sj^tis from Berenice in thirty days. Those who examine the distance will find 
that the rate of marching was eleven and a half geographic miles in direct distance, or 
about one mile above the mean of ordinai’y marches, which is 10.6.” 
But as the circumference of the Greater Syrtis is ascertained (as above stated) to be 
four hundred and twenty-two geographic miles, it will follow that the rate of marching 
must here have been, in actual distance, about fourteen geographic miles for each day. 
