or in equalities of the sand, either made for this purpose or accidental.  The greater quantity consists of small fish; but many large ones are also caught, which they search for in the pits, and extract with nets.  Their nets are composed of the bark or fibres of the palm, which they twine into a cord, and form like the nets of other countries.  The fish is generally eaten raw, just as it is taken out of the water, at least such as are small and penetrable; but the larger sort, and those of more solid texture, they expose to the sun, and pound them to a paste for store:  this they use instead of meal or bread, or form them into a sort of cakes or frumenty.  The very cattle live on dried fish, for there is neither grass nor pasture on the coast.  Oysters, crabs, and shell-fish, are caught in plenty; and though this circumstance is specified twice only in the early part of the voyage, there is little doubt but these formed the principal support of the people during their navigation.  Salt is here the production of nature, by which we are to understand, that the power of the sun in this latitude, is sufficient for exhalation and crystallization, without the additional aid of fire; and from this salt they formed an extract which they used as the Greeks use oil.  The country, for the most part, is so desolate, that the natives have no addition to their fish but dates:  in some few places a small quantity of grain is sown; and there bread is their viand of luxury, and fish stands in the rank of bread.  The generality of the people live in cabins, small and stifling:  the better sort only have houses constructed with the bones of whales, for whales are frequently thrown upon the coast; and, when the flesh is rotted off, they take the bones, making planks and doors of such as are flat, and beams or rafters of the ribs or jaw-bones; and many of these monsters are found fifty yards in length.”  Strabo confirms the report of Arrian, and adds, that “the vertebrae, or socket bones, of the back, are formed into mortars, in which they pound their fish, and mix it up into a paste, with the addition of a little meal.”—­(Vincent’s Nearchus, p. 265.)

Dr. Vincent, in this passage, does not seem to be aware that no whale was ever found nearly so long as fifty yards, and that half that length is the more common size of the largest whales, even in seas more suitable to their nature and growth.  That the animal which Nearchus himself saw was a whale, there can be little doubt:  while he was off Kyiza, the seamen were extremely surprised, and not a little alarmed, at perceiving the sea agitated and thrown up, as Arrian expresses it, as if it were forcibly lifted up by a whirlwind.  The pilot informed them that it was occasioned by the whales blowing; this information, however, does not seem to have quieted their fears:  they ceased rowing, the oars dropped from their hands, and Nearchus found himself under the necessity of exerting all his presence of mind and authority to recall them to their duty.  He gave directions to steer towards the place where the sea was lifted up:  in their advance the crew shouted all together, dashed the water with their oars, and sounded their trumpets.  The whales were intimidated, sunk on the near approach of the vessels, and, though they rose again astern, and renewed their blowing, they now excited no alarm.