from this place it is called the Nile.  Then running from thence westwards, it divides its stream round an island called Meroe[17]; then running to the northward, it empties itself into the Mediterranean.  There, in the winter season, the current at its mouth is opposed by the north winds, so that the river is spread all over the land of Egypt;[l8] and by the rich earth which it deposits, it fertilizes the whole country.  The farther Egypt lies along the southern part of the Red Sea, and to the east is the ocean.  To the west is the hither Egypt, and in the two Egypts there are twenty-four nations.

Sec. 6.  Having before given an account of the north part of Asia, I shall now speak of its southern parts.  I have before mentioned that Mount Caucasus is to the north of India, beginning eastwards on the ocean, and running due west, till it join the Armenian mountains, which the inhabitants call Parcoatrae, from which the Euphrates takes its rise; and from the Parcoatrian mountains mount Taurus runs due west, quite to Cilicia.  To the north of these mountains, quite to the ocean which environs the north east end of the earth, where the river Bore empties itself into the ocean, and from thence westwards to the Caspian sea, which extends to Mount Caucasus, all the land is called Old Scythia, or Hircania.  In this country there are forty-three nations, all situate at great distances from each other, on account of the barrenness of the soil[19].  Then to the westward of the Caspian unto the Tanais or Don, and the Palus Maeotis, thence south to Mount Taurus[20], and north to the ocean, is all Scythia, and is divided among thirty-two nations.  The country on the east side of the Tanais is inhabited by a nation called the Alboari in the Latin tongue, which we now call Liobene.  Thus have I shortly stated the boundaries of Asia, and shall now state those of Europe, as far as we are informed concerning them.

Sec. 7.  From the Tanais westwards to the Rhine, which takes its rise in the Alps, and runs northward, till it falls into that branch of the ocean which surrounds Bryttannia, and southward from the Tanais to the Donua or Danube, whose source is near that of the Rhine, and which runs to the northward of Greece, till it empties itself into the Euxine[21], and north even to that part of the ocean which is called the Cwen sea[22], there are many nations; and the whole of this extensive country is called Germany.  Hence to the north of the source of the Danube, and to the east of the Rhine are the people called eastern Franks[23].  To the south of them are the Swaepas[24].  On the opposite banks of the Danube, and to the south and east, are the people called Baegth-ware[25], in that part which is called Regnes-burh[26].  Due east from them are the Beme[27].  To the north-east the Thyringas[28].  To the north of these are the Old Seaxan[29].  To the north-west of these are the Frysan[30]; and to the west of Old Saxony