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[6] On sailing into the interior sea, from Lynx, there are Zelis1 a city and Tingis,2 then the monuments of the Seven Brothers,3 and the mountain lying below, of the name of Abyle,4 abounding with wild animals and trees of a great size. They say, that the length of the strait at the pillars is 120 stadia, and the least breadth at Elephas5 60 stadia On sailing further along the coast, we find cities and many rivers, as far as the river Molochath,6 which is the boundary between the territories of the Mauretanians and of the Masæsyli. Near the river is a large promontory, and Metagonium,7 a place without water and barren. The mountain extends along the coast, from the Coteis nearly to this place. Its length from the Coteis to the borders of the Masæsylii8 is 5000 stadia. Metagonium is nearly opposite to New Carthage.9 Timosthenes is mistaken in saying that it is opposite to Massalia.10 The passage across from New Carthage to Metagonium is 3000 stadia, but the voyage along the coast to Massalia is above 6000 stadia.
1 Arzila.
2 Tiga in the text.
3 The Septem-Fratres of Pliny.
4 Jebel-el-Mina, or Ximiera, near Ceuta (a corruption of ἑπτὰ, or septem?).
5 Ape mountain.
6 The Muluwi, which now forms the frontier between Morocco and Algeria, as it did anciently between the Mauretanians and Numidians.
7 Cape Hone, or Ras-el-Harsbak. Groskurd corrects the text, and translates: ‘Near the river is a large promontory, and a neighbouring settlement called Metagonium.’ Kramer's proposed correction is followed.
8 Numidia is the central tract of country on the north coast of Africa, which forms the largest portion of the country now occupied by the French, and called Algeria, or Algérie. The continuous system of highlands which extends along the coast of the Mediterranean was in the earliest period occupied by a race of people consisting of many tribes, of whom the Berbers of the Algerine territories; or the Kabyles or Quabaily, as they are called by the inhabitants of the cities, are the representatives. These people, speaking a language which was once spoken from the Fortunate Islands in the west to the cataracts of the Nile, and which still explains many names in ancient African topography, and embracing tribes of quite different characters, whites as well as blacks (though not negroes), were called by the Romans Numidæ; not a proper name, but a common denomination from the Greek form, νομάδες. Afterwards Numida and Numidia became the name of the nation and the country. Sometimes they were called Maurusii Numidæ, while the later writers always speak of them under the general name of Mauri. The most powerful among these tribes were the Massyli, whose territories extended from the river Ampsaga to Tretum promontory; and the Massæsyli, occupying the country to the west, as far as the river Mulucha. Smith, Diet. art. Numidia.
9 Cartagena.
10 Marseilles.
The Geography of Strabo. Literally translated, with notes, in three volumes. London. George Bell & Sons. 1903.
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