Indian Antiquary Vol 05

SR No.: 032497
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 438
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 123

APRIL, 1876.]
TRANSLATION OF THE INDICA OF ARRIAN.
101
possession of the gates and the adjacent parts Yet only a few of them fish out in the deep, of the wall, while he himself despatches men to for boats to do it with are scarce, and the art of look after the grain, and see whether the people fishing is unknown. Generally speaking, they would show it without any attempt at evasion. are indebted for their fish to the ebb-tide. To And they showed a great quantity of flour made take advantage of it, they make for themselves by grinding roasted fish, and also a little wheat nets which are mostly two stadia in length. and barley, for they dieted upon fish, to which they These they weave from the bark of the palm-tree, added wheaten loaves by way of a relish. But twisting the fibres like flax. Now when the when they showed their stores the soldiers sup- sea retires from the land, the parts left dry plied themselves therefrom. They then return- are generally found to be without fish, while ed to the ships, put out to sea, and cast anchor the hollows, which of courso retain some water, near a promontory which the people of the place swarm with them. The fish are generally considered sacred to the Sun, and the name of small, though some are of considerable size : which was Bagia.
these they catch with their nets. The more XXIX. They set sail from this place about delicate kinds they eat raw as soon as they midnight, and after a voyage of 1000 stadia are taken out of the water, but the large and put into Talmone, where they found a har- coarser kinds they dry in the sun, and when bour with good anchorage. They sailed thence sufficiently dried grind into a sort of flour, from to Canasis, a deserted town 400 stadia off, which they make bread. They bake also cakes where they discover an artificial well, and where from this flour.
from this flour.
The cattle, as well a
The cattle, as well as the men, palms were growing wild. These they cut down, eat the dry fish, for there are no meadows in the and used the pith as food, since provisions were country, nor grass at all." But in many parts short in the fleet; and being now sore pinched they fish also for crabs and oysters and mussels. with hunger they sailed all day and all night, Natural salt is found in the land * from these and then drop anchor off a desolate coast. But they make oil. Some of the tribes in babit desoNearchus, fearing lost the men, if they landed, late tracts which are so utterly sterile that they would in despair desert the fleet, ordered the bear neither trees nor even wild fruits. These ships to be moored at a distance from shore. poor wretches have nothing but fish to live on. From this they sailed away and reached Cana- A few of them, however, sow some part of their te, when they anchor, after making 850 stadia. land, and use the produce to eat for zest along This place has a spacious beach and some with their fish, which forms the staple of their small canals. They sailed again, and having diet. The better classes build houses of whalemade 800 stadia reach Troës, where they an- bone, which they collect from the carcases of chor. They found in the place some miserable whales cast ashore, and use instead of wood. little villages. The inhabitants deserted their The doors are formed of the broadest bones they huts, and the soldiers found a little food and dates can find. The poorer members, who form the of the palm-tree. Seven camels had been left great majority of the population, construct their behind, which they killed for food. Launch- houses with the backbones of fish. ing again about the dawn of day, they made XXX. Whales of vast size frequent the outer 300 stadia, and come to anchor at Dagasira. ocean, and other fish larger than those kinds The people thereabouts were nomads. Putting which are found in the Mediterranean Sea. again to sea, they sailed all night and all day Nearchas gives this relation: when they were without taking any rest. Having thus accom- bearing away from Cyiza, the water of the plished a voyage of 1100 stadia, they left behind sea was seen one morning about dawn blown them the shores of the Ichthyophagi, where up into the air as if forced up by a violent gust they suffered greatly from the want of necessary of wind; being greatly alarmed, they asked food. They did not anchor on the beach, on the pilots the nature and cause of this phenoaccount of the heavy surf, but rode at anchor out menon, when it was explained that the whales in deep water. The length of the voyage along in swimming through the sea spout up the the coast of the Ichthyophagi was not much water into the air; on hearing this the rowers, short of 10,000 stadia. These Ichthyophagithrough terror, let the oars drop from their subsist on what their name is derived from, -fish. I hands, but he himself coming up to the men