S im o n i d e s the Lefs ftaid five years in Meroe ; after him,
Ariftocreon, Bion, and Baiilis*. It is not then probable -that
men o f their character omitted to afcertain the faiit whether
or not the place where they lived was an ifland. Diodorus
Siculus has faid, that Meroe was in the form o f a
fhield, that is, in the figure o f that triangular fhield called
Scutum, pointed at the bottom, and growing broader towards
the top where it is fquare. Nothing can be more
exait than this refemblan'ce o f the lower part o f Atbara, that
is, from Gerri to the Magiran, the part we fuppofe Diodorus
was acquainted with, and itis.fcarcely poflible that he could
have fixed upon this refemblance without having feen fome
figure o f it delineated upon paper.
■ As this muft fuppofe a more than ordinary knowledge in
Diofiorus, we ihall examine how the meafures he has given
us o f the ifland correfpond with the truth. He fays, that
the ifland is 3000 ftadia long, and 1000 ftadia broad. Now
taking 8 ftadia for a mile, we have 375 miles, and meafu-
rin g with the compafs from the river Falaty, where, as I have
faid, Atbara becomes an ifland by the confluence o f the rivers,
I find that diftance to be 343 miles, o f 60 miles to a degree,
fo that without making any allowance for the difad-
vantages o f the country, it is impoflible at this day to have
a more accurate eftimation. As for the breadth, it is fcarce-
ly poflible to guefs at w hat part Diodorus means it was mea-
fured, on account o f the figure o f the fhield, as I have already
obferved, as conftantly varying. But fuppofe, as is
moft probable, that the breadth o f the ifland was referred to
the
tfie place where the city flood, then, in place o f 123 miles, the
produce o f 100b ftadia, I find it meafures 145 miles, a difference
as little to be regarded as the other.
L e t u s now examine what information we can learn
from the report o f the centurions fent on purpofe- by Nero
to explore this unknown country, whofe report has been
looked upon as decifive o f the diftances o f places through
which they palled.
T h e s e travellers pretend, that between Syene and the entrance
into the ifland o f Meroe was 873 miles, and from
thence to the city 70 miles ; the whole diftance then between
Syene and the city o f Meroe will be 943 miles, or «3°
43'. Now Syene was very certainly in 24°, a few minutes
more or le fs ; and from this i f we take 130, there w ill remain
9" o f latitude for the ifland o f Meroe, according to- the re-
port o f thefe centurions,- and this would have carried Meroe
far to the;fouthward o f the fountains o f the Nile, and confounded;
every idea o f the geography o f Africa; The parallel
which marks 1 1° cuts Gojamvery exa&ly in the middle,
and this peninfula may be faid to refemble the ihield called
Pelta; but very certainly not the Scutum, to which Diodorus •
has very properly likened it; Befides, their own obfervation
condemns "them; for it is about Meroe where they firft faw
a n appearance o f ve rd ure ; th e re a fo n o fw h ich is very plain,
i f the latitude o f that city was in 160, upon the verge o f the
tropical rains,where, as aneye-witnefs, I who have palled that
dreary diftance on foot can teftify, thofe green herbs and'-
lhrubs, though they begin, as is very property and cautioufly
exprefled,'to appear there, feem neither luxuriant ■ nor-abundant.
But.’