Naturalis historia 6.98

6.98

Ori gens, flumen Carmaniae Hyctanis, portuosum et auro fertile. ab eo primum septentriones apparuisse adnotavere, arcturum neque omnibus cerni noctibus nec totis umquam. Achaemenidas usque illo tenuisse. aeris et ferri metalla et arrenici ac mini exerceri. inde promunturium Carmaniae est, ex quo in adversam oram ad gentem Arabiae Macas traiectus distat L??? p.; insulae tres, quarum Oracta tantum habitatur aquosa, a continenteXXV p., insulae quattuor iam in sinu ante Persida — circa has hydri marini vicenum cubitorum adnatantes terruere classem —,

the cause of which, however, has not been ascertained. Next to these is the nation of the Ori, and then the Hyctanis, a river of Carmania, with an excellent harbour at its mouth, and producing gold; at this spot the writers state that for the first time they caught sight of the Great Bear. The star Arcturus too, they tell us, was not to be seen here every night, and never, when it was seen, during the whole of it. Up to this spot extended the empire of the Achæmenidæ, and in these districts are to be found mines of copper, iron, arsenic, and red lead. They next came to the Promontory of Carmania, from which the distance across to the opposite coast, where the Macæ, a nation of Arabia, dwell, is fifty miles; and then to three islands, of which that of Oracla is alone inhabited, being the only one supplied with fresh water; it is distant from the mainland twenty-five miles; quite in the Gulf, and facing Persia, there are four other islands. About these islands sea-serpents were seen swimming towards them, twenty cubits in length, which struck the fleet with great alarm. They then came to the island of Athothradus, and those called the Gauratæ, upon which dwells the nation of the Gyani; the river Hyperis, which discharges itself midway into the Persian Gulf, and is navigable for merchant ships; the river Sitiogagus, from which to Pasargadæ is seven days' sail; a navigable river known as the Phristimus, and an island without a name;