The historie of the vvorld: commonly called, The naturall historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physicke. The first [-second] tome

CHAP. I. [unspec I]

¶ Mauritania.

AT the beginning, the lands of Mauritania vntill the time of C. Caesar, [i. Caligula] sonne of Germanicus, were called kingdomes: but by his cruelty diuided it was into two prouinces. The vtmost promontorie of the Ocean is named of the Greeks Ampelusia: the townes therein were Lissa and Cotes, beyond Hercules pillars. Now in it is Tingi, sometime built by Antaeus: and afterward by Claudius Caesar when he made a Colonie of it, it was called Traducta Iulia. It is from Be∣lone a towne in Baetica by the next and neerest passage ouer sea thirty miles. Fiue and twenty [unspec K] miles from it in the Ocean coast standeth a Colonie erected by Augustus, now Iulia Constan∣tia, exempt from the dominion and iurisdiction of the Kings of Zilis, and commanded to go for law and iustice as far as Baetica. And two and thirty miles from it, Lixos, made a Colony by Claudius Caesar; whereof in old time there went many fabulous and loud lying tales. For there stood, they say, the royall pallace of Antaeus: there was the combat betweene him and Hercules: there also were the gardens and hort-yards of the Hesperides. Now there floweth thereinto out of the sea a certain creek or arme thereof, and that by a winding channell, where∣in men now take it that there were Dragons seruing in good stead to keep and gard the same. It incloseth an Island within it selfe, which, notwithstanding the Tract thereby be somewhat [unspec L] higher, is onely not ouerflowed by the sea tides. In it there standeth erected an altar of Hercu∣les: and setting aside certaine wilde Oliues, nothing else is to be seen of that goodly groue, re∣ported to beare golden Apples. And in good faith lesse may they wonder at the strange lies of Greece, giuen out of these and the riuer Lixus, who would but thinke how of late our coun∣treymen haue deliuered some fables of the same things as monstrous well-neere: to wit, That this a most strong and mighty city, and bigger than great Carthage: moreouer, that it is scitu∣ate right against it, aad an infinite way well-neere from Tingi: and other such like, which Cor∣nelius Nepos hath been most eager to beleeue. From Lixus forty miles in the midland part of the main stands Babba, another Colony of Augustus, called by him Iulia in the field or cham∣pian: also a third 75 miles off, called Banasa, but now it hath the addition of Valentia. 35 [unspec M] miles from it is the towne Volubile, iust in the mid way between both seas. But in the coast and borders thereof, fifty miles from Lixus, runneth Subur a goodly plenteous riuer, and na∣uigable neere to the Colony Banasa. As many miles from it is the towne Sala, standing vpon

a riuer of the same name, neere now vnto the wildernesse, much infested and annoied with whole [unspec A] heards of Elephants, but much more with the nation of the Autololes, through which lies the way to Atlas the most fabulous mountaine of all Africk. For writers haue giuen out, that this hill arising out of the very midst of the sea sands, mounteth vp to the skie, all rough, ill fauored, and ouergrowne on that side that lieth to the shore of the Ocean, vnto which it gaue the name; and yet the same is shadowie, full of woods, and watered with veines of spouting Springs that way which looketh to Africke, with fruitfull trees of all sorts, springing of the own accord, and bearing one vnder another, in such sort, that at no time a man can want his pleasure and delight to his full contentment. Moreouer, that none of the inhabitants there are seene all day long: all is still and silent, like the fearfull horror in desert wildernesse: and as men come neerer and nee∣rer [unspec B] vnto it, a secret deuotion ariseth in their hearts, and besides this feare and horrour, they are lifted vp aboue the clouds, and euen close to the circle of the Moone. Ouer and besides, that the same hill shineth oftentimes with many flashes of fires, and is hanted with the wanton las∣ciuious Aegipanes and Satyres, whereof it is full, that it resoundeth with noise of Haut-boies, pipes, and fifes, and ringeth againe with the sound of tabers, timbrels, and cymbals. These be the reports of great & famous writers, to say nothing of the labors and works both of Hercules and Perses there; and to conclude, that the way vnto it is exceeding great, and not certainely knowne. Bookes there were besides of Hanno, a great captain and commander among the Car∣thaginians, who in the time of the most flourishing state of Carthage, had a charge and com∣mission to discouer and suruey the whole compasse of Africk. Him, most of the Greeks as well as our countreymen following, among some other fabulous stories, haue written that hee also built many cities there; but neither memoriall vpon record, nor any token of them at all is left [unspec C] extant. Whiles Scipio Aemylianus warred in Africk, Polybius the writer of the Annales, receiued of him a fleet: who hauing saled about of purpose to search into that part of the world, hath put thus much downe in writing, that from the said mountaine West, toward the forrest ful of wild beasts which Africk breedeth, vnto the riuer Anatis, are 485 miles. And from thence to Lixus 205. Agrippa saith, that Lixus is distant from the streights of Gades 112 miles. Then, that there is an arme of the sea called Saguti. Also a towne vpon the promontory, Mutelacha. Riuers, Su∣bur and Sala. Moreouer, that the hauen Rutubis is from Lixus 313 miles. And so forward to the Promontorie of the Sun. The port or hauen Risardir; the Gaetulians, Autololes, the riuer Cosenus, the nation of the Scelatites and Massalians. The riuers Masatal and Darat, wherein Crocodiles are ingendred. Then forward, that there is a gulfe of 516 miles, inclosed within the [unspec D] promontory or cape of the mountain Barce, running along into the West, which is called Sur∣rentium: after it, the riuer Palsus, beyond which are the Aethiopians Perorsi, & at their back are the Pharusi. Vpon whom ioine the midlanders, to wit, the Gaetulianders. But vpon the coast are the Aethyopian Daratites, the riuer Bambotus ful of Crocodiles & Hippopotames [i. Water∣horses.] From which, he saith, That there is nothing but mountains all the way as far as to that which we call Theon-Ochema (The gods chariot.) Then, in sailing nine daies and nights to the promontorie Hesperium, he hath placed the mountain Atlas in mid-way thereof, which by all other writers is set downe to be in the vtmost marches of Mauritania. The first time that the Romans warred in Mauritania, was in the time of prince Claudius Emperor: at what time as Ae∣demon the freed seruant of king Ptolomaeus, by C. Caesar slaine, went about to reuenge his death; for [unspec E] as the barbarous people retired and fled back, certaine it is that the Romans came as far as to the hill Atlas. And not only such Generals as had bin Consuls, and were of the Senatours de∣gree and calling, who at that time managed and conducted the wars, but knights also and gen∣tlemen of Rome, who from that time had gouernment and command there, tooke it for an ho∣nor and glory, that they had pierced and entred into Atlas. [* 1.1 Fiue Romane Colonies, as wee haue said, be in that prouince] and by that common fame and report, there may seeme to lie a thorow faire thither. But that is found for the most part by daily experience, most deceiueable of all things else; because persons of high place and great worth, when they are loath to search out narrowly into the truth of matters, sticke not for shame of ignorance, to giue out vntruths: [unspec F] and neuer are men more credulous and apt to beleeue and be deceiued, than when some graue personage fathereth a lie. And verily I lesse maruell, that they of gentlemens degree, yea, and those now of Senators calling, haue not come to the certaine knowledge of some things there: seeing they set their whole affection and mind vpon nothing but excesse and riot; which how

powerfull it is and forcible, is seen by this most of all, when forests are sought out far and neere [unspec G] for Iuory and Citron trees; when all the rocks in Getulia are searched for Murices and Purpu∣rae [shell fishes that yeeld the purple crimson colour.] Howbeit, the natural inhabitants of that country do write, That in the sea coast 150 miles from Sala, there is the riuer Asana, that recei∣ueth salt water into it, but hath in it a goodly faire hauen; and not far from it another fresh ri∣uer, which they call Fut: from which to Dyris (for that is the name in their language of Atlas, by a generall consent) are 200 miles, with a riuer comming betweene, named Vior. And there, the speech so goeth, are to be seene the certain tokens of a ground somtimes inhabited; to wit, the reliques of vine yards and date tree groues. Suetonius Paulinus (a Consull in our time) who was the first Roman leader, that for certaine miles space went ouer Atlas, also hath reported ve∣rily as touching the height thereof, that with the rest: and moreouer, that the foot thereof to∣ward the bottom, stand thick and ful of tail woods, with trees therein of an vnknown kinde, but [unspec H] the heigth of them is delectable to see to, smooth and euen without knots, the leaues & bran∣ches like Cypresse, and besides the strong smell they yeeld, are couered all ouer with a thinne downe, of which (with some help of Art) fine cloath may be made, such as the silk-worm doth yeeld. That the top and crest thereof is couered ouer with deepe snow euen in Sommer time. Moreouer, that he reached vp to the pitch of it at the tenth daies end, & went beyond it, as far as a riuer called Niger, through wildernesses ful of blacke dust; where otherwhiles there stood out certaine cliffes, and craggie rocks, as they were scortched and burnt; and that those places by reason of partching heat were not habitable, albeit a man made triall thereof in the winter season: furthermore, that the pesants who dwelt in the next forests, were pestred with Elephants, wilde beasts, and serpents of all sorts; and those people were called Canarij; for that they and [unspec I] dogs feed together one with another, and part among them the bowels of wild beasts. For cer∣taine it is knowne, that a nation of the Aethyopians whom they cal Peroesi, ioineth vpon them. Iuba the father of Ptolomaeus, who before-time ruled ouer both Mauritanes, a man more memo∣rable and renowned for his study and loue of good letters, than for his kingdome and royall port, hath written the like concerning Atlas: and he saith moreouer, that there is an herb grow∣ing there called Euphorbia, of his Physitions name that first found it: the milkie iuice whereof he praiseth wondrous much, for to cleare the eies, and to be a preseruatiue against all serpents and poisons whatsoeuer; and thereof hath he written a treatise, and made a book by it selfe: thus much may suffice, if it be not too much, as touching Atlas.

Notes

• * 1.1

  It seemeth that this clause is to be set in the beginning of the next chapter.