Page:The geography of Strabo (1854) Volume 1.djvu/230

 21 6 STRABO. CASAUB. 143. besides many others. The canals which have been cut in various directions are also found usefujjnjbhe^tiaffic which is carriecTon between place and place, both amongst the people themselves and with foreigners. The conflux of water at the flood-tides is also valuable, as rendering navigable the isthmuses which separate the different pieces of water, thus making it possible to ferry over from the rivers into the estuaries, and from the estuaries into the rivers. Their trade is wholly carried on with Italy and Rome. The navigation is excellent as far as the Pillars, (excepting perhaps some little difficulties at the Strait,) and equally so on the Mediterranean, where the voyages are very calm, especially to those who keep the high seas. This is a great advantage to merchant-vessels. The winds on the high seas blow regularly ; and peace reigns there now, the pirates having been put down, so that in every respect the voyage is facile. Posidonius tells us he observed the singular phenomenon in his journey from Iberia, 1 that in this sea, as far as the Gulf of Sardinia, the south-east 2 winds blow pe- riodically. And on this account he strove in vain for three whole months to reach Italy, being driven about by the winds against the Gymnesian islands, 3 Sardinia, and the opposite coasts of Libya. 6. Large quantities of ^orn and wine are exported from Turdetania, besides much. oil, which is of the first quality; 4 also wax, honey, pitch, large quantities of the kermes- berryj^nd vermilion not inferior to that of Sinope. 6 The country furnishes the timber for their shipbuilding. They have likewise imnraL_salt, and not a few salt streams. A considerable quantity of salted fish is exported, not only from hence, but also from the remainder of the coast beyond the Pillars, equal to that of Pontus. Formerly they exported large quantities of garments, but they now send the [unmanufactured] wool, which is superior even to that of 1 Spain. 2 oe Evpoi. 3 Majorca and Minorca. 4 In his third book, Strabo, speaking of Campania, regards the oil of Vcnai'rum as superior to any other. In this he agrees with Pliny, who places in the second class the oils of Baetica and Istria. Pausanias con- siders these two oils, both for beauty of colour and excellence of flavour, inferior to that produced at Tithorea in Phocis, and which was sent to Rome for the service of the emperor's table. 5 Coccus tinctorius, used to dye scarlet. 6 Sinoub, still a Turkish city of importance.