Again—the same author observes—“Strabo says that Cato had ten thousand men, which he divided into separate bodies, that they might more conveniently obtain supplies of water in that arid region. That they marched on foot, and completed the tour of the Syrtis from Berenice in thirty days. Those who examine the distance will find that the rate of marching was eleven and a half geographic miles in direct distance, or about one mile above the mean of ordinary marches, which is 10.6.” But as the circumference of the Greater Syrtis is ascertained (as above stated) to be four hundred and twenty-two geographic miles, it will follow that the rate of marching must here have been, in actual distance, about fourteen geographic miles for each day.] [Footnote 19: Ἡ χαλεποτης δε και ταυτης της Συρτεως, και της μικρας, οτι πολλακου τεναγωδης εστιν ὁ βυθος, κατα τας αμπωτεις και τας πλημμυριδας, συμβαινει τισιν εμπιπτειν εις τα βραχη και καθιζειν· σπανιον δ᾽ ειναι το σωζομενον σκαφος. Διοπερ πορρωθεν τον παραπλουν ποιουνται, φυλαττομενοι μη εμπεσοιεν εις τους κολπους υπ᾽ ανεμων αφυλακτοι ληφθεντες. (Lib. 17. § 20.) The word σκαφος here used, though it means literally _boat_, appears to be applied in this passage to vessels in general.] [Footnote 20: Travels in Barbary, vol. i. p. 164.] [Footnote 21: Major Rennell has noticed a parallel instance in our own country. “There can be no doubt” (he observes) “of the increase of the Goodwin (sand) at the present moment, and of its slow progression towards the state of firm land. Let those who doubt the facts here set forth attend to the changes at Ephesus, at Myriandrus, in the Gulf of Issus, and various other places.”] [Footnote 22: In a note the author adds, “possibly with an exception to Scylax as a professed guide to others. The observations of Polybius would probably, had they come down to us, have saved us much conjecture.”] [Footnote 23: When Nature’s hand the first formation tried, When seas from land she did at first divide, The Syrts, nor quite of sea nor land bereft, A mingled mass uncertain still she left; For nor the land with seas is quite o’erspread, Nor sink the waters deep their oozy bed, Nor earth defends its shore, nor lifts aloft its head. The site with neither and with each complies— Doubtful and inaccessible it lies; Or ’tis a sea with shallows bank’d around, Or ’tis a broken land with waters drown’d; Here shores advanced o’er Neptune’s rule we find, And there an inland ocean lags behind. * * * * * * Perhaps, when first the world and time began, Here swelling tides and plenteous waters ran; But long confining on the burning zone, The sinking seas have felt the neighb’ring sun: Still by degrees we see how they decay, And scarce resist the thirsty god of day. Perhaps in distant ages ’twill be found, When future suns have run the burning round, These Syrts shall all be dry and solid ground: