Page 368 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

XVI.] COAST OF NUBIA. 341

some other respectable writers, should sup­
pose Kosair to be the Berenice founded by
Ptolemy, although Ptolemy has laid down
its latitude at 23° 50' north, and Strabo has

described it as nearly under the same parallel
with that of Sycne (lib. iii. p. 195 D). In con­
sequence of this mistake, Pliny’s computation
of the distance between Berenice and Koptos,
at two hundred and fifty-eight miles, has been
deemed erroneous (Pocock, p. 87). But as
Pliny not only mentions the total distance,
but names the different stations in the jour­ y'
3
ney, and specifies the number of miles be­
tween each, and as the Itinerary of Antoninus i
coincides exactly with his accounts (D’An-
ville, Egypt, p. 21), there is no reason to call
in question its accuracy
f
* In describing the route of commerce between India and Egypt
by way of tbe Red Sea, Pliny observes that they left the Nile at
Koptos, and made towards Berenice by a camel track across the
Desert; the distance being two hundred and fifty-eight Roman
miles. The first wells occurred at the distance of thirty-two miles
from Koptos; the second in a mountain about a day’s journey
further on; the third at the distance of ninety-five miles from
Koptos. A fourth watering-place in the mountains is mentioned,
but without distances. Then followed the Hydrium of Apollo, at
the distance of one hundred and eighty-four miles from Koptos,
to this succeeds another in the mountains; and then the new Hy­
drium, two hundred and thirty-three miles from Koptos, where
the Romans had a garrison of two thousand men. The next
station was Berenice itself. Of this journey, the greater part was

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