________________
DECEMBER, 1884.)
PTOLEMY'S GEOG. BK. VII, CH. 4.-CEYLON.
389
The Sêres themselves live in the most frugal base to join the Indus, and these all lose their manner, more so indeed than any other people in names when absorbed into that mightier stream. the world. They seek after a life as free as | Here too, besides the islands there are cities, of possible from all disquiet, and shun intercourse which Sedratyra and Gunaikon Limen (Women's with the rest of mankind. So when strangers haven) are considered to be superior to the others. cross the river into their country to buy their But we must bring this description here to an silks or other commodities, they exchange po end, lest in entering into a minute account of the words with them, but merely intimate by their looks seaboard on the extremities of Persia we should the value of the goods offered for sale; and so stray too far from the proper argument." abstemions are they that they buy not any foreign products. Beyond the Sêres live the Ariani, ex.
CAP. 4. posed to the blasts of the north wind. Through their country flows a navigable river called the POSITION OF THE ISLAND OF TAPROBANE. Arias, which forms & vast lake bearing the same
1. Opposite Cape Kôry, which is in India, name. This same Aria has numerous towns, among which Bitana Sarmatina, and Sotera and
is the projecting point of the Island of Ta proNisibis and Alexandria are the most notable. If
band, which was called formerly Simouyou sail from Alexandria down the river to the
ndou, and now Salikê. The inhabitants Caspian Sea the distance is 1,500 stadia.
are commonly called Salai. Their heads are Immediately adjoining these places are the P&- quite encircled with long luxuriant locks, like ropanis atae, who look on the east towards the those of women. The country produces rice, Indians and on the west towards Caucasus, lying
honey, ginger, beryl, hyacinth” and has mines themselves towards the slopes of the mountains.
of every sort of gold and of silver and other The River Ortogordomaris, which is larger than
metals. It breeds at the same time elephants any of the others, and rises among the Baktriani,
and tigers. flows through their territory. They too, have some towns, of which the more celebrated are Agazaca
2. The point already referred to as lying and Naulibus and Ortopana, from which the navi.
opposite to Kory is called North Cape gation along the coast to the borders of Media in (Boreion Akron) and lies ...... 126 12° 30' the immediate neighbourhood of the Caspian 3. The descriptive outline of the rest of the Gates extends to 2,200 stadia. Contiguous to the island is as follows: Paropanisatae just named are the Drangiani, After the North Cape which seated quite close to the hills and watered by a
is situated in .................. 126° 12° 30' river called the Arabian, because it rises in
comes Cape Galiba ............
11° 30' Arabia. Among their other towns they have two
Margana, a town ........... 123° 30° 10° 20 to boast of in particular, Prophthasia and Ariaspe,
Iogana, a town ............... 123° 20° which are both opulent and famous. After these,
8° 50 and directly confronting them, Arachovia
Anarismoundon, a cape...... 122° 70 45 comes into view, which on its right side faces the
Mouth of the River Soana... 122° 20' 6° 15' Indians. It is watered by a stream of copious Sources of the river ......... 124° 30' 3o volume derived from the Indus, 'that greatest of Sindokanda, a town rivers, after which the adjacent regions have been Haven of Priapis
122° named. This stream, which is less than the 4. Anoubingara .........
121° 2° 40' Indus, forms the lake called A rachotoscrene.
Headland of Zeus ............ 120° 30' 1° The province, among other important cities, has
Prasôdês Bay ................. 121° Alexandria and Arbaca and Choaspa. In the very
Noubartha, a town............ 121°40' on the line. interior of Persis is Gedrosia, which on the right touches the Indian frontier. It is watered
Mouth of the river Azanos... 123° 20' 1° S.
The sources of the river...... 126° by several streame, of which the Artabius is the
1°N most considerable. Where it is inhabited by the
Odôka, a town.................. 123
2° S. Barbitani the mountains sink down to the Orneôn, (Birds' Point) a plains. A number of rivers issue from their very headland ..................... 125° 2° 30'
1240
1220
troen. Pausanias, who wrote about 180 A.D. is the first classical author who writes with some degree of correct. ness about silk and the silk-worm. Conf. P. Mela, i, 2, 3; iii, 7, 1; Pliny, VI, 17, 20, Prop. i, 14, 22; Sol. 50 Isid. Orig. xix, 17, 6; ib. 27, 5.
» In one of the temples, says Kosmas, is the great hyacinth, as large as a pine-cone, the eolour of fire and flashing from a distance, especially when catching the beams of the sun, a matchless sight.
