V.] STORY OF THE NASAMONES. 97

tribe in the neighbourhood of the Syrtis, who, being seized
with a desire for adventure, determined to explore the deserts
of central Africa. Their narrative is thus given by the historian:

"The young men, despatched on this errand by their com-
rades with a plentiful supply of water and pro-
visions, travelled at first through the inhabited HeroSotuT °*
region, passing which they came to the wild beast
tract, whence they finally entered upon the desert, which they
proceeded to cross in a direction from east to west. After
journeying for many days over a wide extent of sand, they came
at last to a plain where they observed trees growing; approaching
them, and seeing fruit on them, they proceeded to gather it.
While they were thus engaged, there came upon them some
dwarfish men, under the middle height, who seized them and
carried them off. The Nasamonians could not understand a
word of their language, nor had they any acquaintance with the
language of the Nasamonians. They were led across extensive
marshes, and finally came to a town, where all the men were of
the height of their conductors, and black-complexioned. A great
river flowed by the town, running from west to east, and con-
taining crocodiles1."

The dwarfs who are here mentioned are the same race which
we have identified with the Pygmies of Homer2. The river was
regarded by Herodotus himself as being the Nile in its upper
course, which he supposed to flow from western Africa. This
view we know to be erroneous, but the story itself, owing to the
circumstantial manner in which it is narrated, appears to be
deserving of credit. On such a subject as the identification of
this river it is hazardous to speak with confidence, but the direc-
tion which was followed by the Nasamones suggests the pro-
bability that the stream which they reached was the Niger, which
lies to the south-west of the Sahara.

1 a. 32. 2 #. supra> p. 19.

T.