[Footnote 215:  It may be proper to mention in this place, that the Niger and the Senegal, though agreeing in these particulars, are totally different rivers in the same parallel.  The Senegal runs into the sea from the east; while the Niger running to the east, loses itself in an interior lake, as the Wolga does in the Caspian, having no connection whatever with the ocean.  According to some accounts, this lake only exists as such during the rainy season, drying up in the other part of the year, probably however leaving an extensive marsh, called the Wangara.  If so, the environs of that lake and marsh must be unhealthy in the utmost extreme.—­E.]

To speak somewhat more of Ethiopia, although there are many nations called Ethiopians, yet is Ethiopia chiefly divided into two parts, one of which being a great and rich region, is called Ethiopia sub Egypto, or Ethiopia to the south of Egypt.  To this belongs the island of Meroe, which is environed by the streams of the Nile.  In this island women reigned in ancient times, and, according to Josephus, it was some time called Sabea, whence the queen of Saba went to Jerusalem to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.  From thence, towards the east and south, reigneth the Christian emperor called Prester John, by some named Papa Johannes, or as others say Pean Juan, signifying Great John, whose empire reaches far beyond the Nile, and extends to the coasts of the Red Sea and of the Indian ocean.  The middle of this region is almost in 66 degrees of E. longitude, and 12 degrees of N. lat.[216] About this region dwell the people called Clodi, Risophagi, Axiuntiae, Babylonii, Molili, and Molibae.  After these is the region called Trogloditica, the inhabitants of which dwell in caves and dens, instead of houses, and feed upon the flesh of serpents, as is reported by Pliny and Diodorus Siculus, who allege, that instead of language, they have only a kind of grinning and chattering.  There are also people without heads, called Blemines, having their eyes and mouths in their breast.  Likewise Strucophagi, and naked Gamphasantes; satyrs also, who have nothing of human nature except the shape. Oripei likewise, who are great hunters, and Mennones.  Here also is Smyrnophora, or the region of myrrh; after which is Azania, producing many elephants.[217] A great portion of the eastern part of Africa beyond the equinoctial line is in the kingdom of Melinda, the inhabitants of which have long been in use to trade with the nations of Arabia, and whose king is now allied to the king of Portugal, and pays tribute to Prester John.

[Footnote 216:  Reckoning the longitude from the island of Ferro, the middle of Abyssinia is only in about 52 deg. 30’ E. and as Ferro is 18 deg.  W. from Greenwich, that coincides with 34 deg. 30’ E. as the longitude is now reckoned by British geographers.—­E.]