Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/411

Chap, 1.] ACCOTJITT OP COUNTRIES, ETC. 377 "with the surname of Yalentia. At a distance of tliii-ty-five miles from this last is the town of A'olubilis, which is just that distance also from botli^ seas. On the coast, at a distance of fifty miles from Lixos, is the river Subur"-, which flows past the colony of Banasa, a fine river, and available for the pui'poses of navigation. At the same distance from it is the city of Sala^, situate on a river which bears the same name, a place which stands upon the very verge of the desert, and though infested by troops of elephants, is much more exposed to the attacks of the nation of the Autololes, through whose country lies the road to Mount Atlas, the most fabulous** locality even in Africa. It is from the midst of the sands, according to the story, that this mountain^ raises its head to the heavens ; rugged and craggy on the side which looks toward the shores of the ocean to which it has given its name, while on that which faces the interior of Africa it is shaded by dense groves of trees, and refreshed by flowing streams ; fruits of all kinds springing up there spontaneously to such an extent, as to more than satiate every possible desire. Throughout the daytime, no inhabitant is to be seen ; all is silent, like that dreadfid stillness which reigns in the desert. A religious horror steals imperceptibly over the feelings of those who approach, and they feel themselves smitten with awe at the stupendous aspect of its summit, which reaches beyond the clouds, and well nigh approaches the very orb of the moon. At night, they say, it gleams with fires innumerable lighted ^ From both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. According to Poinsinet, TolubQis was the synonym of the African name Fez^ signify- ing a ' band,' or ' swathe.' Mannert conjectures that it is the same as the modem Wahli, or QuaUli. D'AnvLlle calls it Guulih, and says that there are some remains of antiquity there. 2 The modern Subu, or Sebou. D' Anville is of opinion that this river has changed a part of its course since the time of PUny. ^ Most probably the modem Sallee stands on its site. ^ Not in reference to the fact of its existence, but the wonderful stories which were told respecting it. ^ Like others of the ancient writers, Pliny falls into the error of con- sidering Atlas, not as an extensive chain of mountains, but as an isolated mountain, surroimded by sands. With reference to its lieight, the whole range declines considerably from west to east ; the liighcst summits in Morocco reaching near 13,000 feet, m Tunis not 5000.