Greek Texts & Translations

inhabit the district in which salt is found, and who have houses constructed of salt: as scales of salt separated by the burning heat of the sun are continually falling off, the houses are sprinkled with water, and the walls are thus kept firm together. The city is distant 200 stadia from the sea. The merchants of Gerrha generally carry the Arabian merchandise and aromatics by land; but Aristobulus says, on the contrary, that they frequently travel into Babylonia on rafts, and thence sail up the Euphrates to Thapsacus ^note with their cargoes, but afterwards carry them by land to all parts of the country. 4

"On sailing further, there are other islands, Tyre ^note and Aradus, ^note which have temples resembling those of the Phoenicians. The inhabitants of these islands (if we are to believe them) say that the islands and cities bearing the same name as those of the Phoenicians are their own colonies. ^note These islands are distant from Teredon ten days' sail, and from the promontory at the mouth of the gulf at Macae one day's sail. 5

"Nearchus and Orthagoras relate, that an island Ogyris lies to the south, in the open sea, at the distance of 2000 stadia ^note from Carmania. In this island is shown the sepulchre of Erythras, a large mound, planted with wild palms. He