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.
The Gulf of Persia, which Nearchus was now about to enter, comprehends the
coasts of Karmania, Persis, and Susiana. Nothing important occurred till
the vessels arrived off Cape Mussenden in Karmania, where they anchored: at
this place Nearchus and Onesicritus differed in opinion relative to the
further prosecution of the voyage; the latter wished to explore this cape,
and extend the voyage to the Gulf of Arabia. The reason he assigned was,
that they knew more of this gulf, than of the Gulf of Persia; and that, as
Alexander was master of Egypt, in the former gulf they would meet with more
assistance than in the latter.
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