68 JOURNEY FROM The region of the Cinyphus has been celebrated for its extraordinary fertility ; Herodotus asserts that it yielded three hundred for one, and other writers have concurred in extolling the richness of its soil *. It is remarkable, however, that some authors who have highly commended the soil of the Byzacium, have, at the same time, omitted to notice the fertility of the region of the Cinyphus ; while others, on the contrary, who have recorded the extraordinary produce of the district last mentioned, have failed to make any allusion to the productive qualities of the Byzacium. This circumstance has induced Dr. Della Celia to imagine that some of the writers in question intended to include both these districts in one ; and in support of this idea he cites passages from Pliny and Strabo, which appear to him decisive in its favour. Pliny says (it is Dr. Della Celia who speaks) that “ the people who inhabit the Byzacium are called Libyphoenices '|-it is therefore only necessary to ascertain in what country the Libyphoenices dwelt, to determine the position r* of the Byzacium ij:. And here, continues the Doctor, is a very clear reply of Strabo to this desideratum of ancient geography — “ Upon * A'/ad'n Ss yn Kizl rm Et/EffWEgiTai vEpiovTai’ Ew’Exarora <yag tTnav a.v% suijrvis eueixv £x(pE§Er •h Se ev rt] Kivt/9n e'S'i rqt’nnoma.. (Melp. g 67J.) Scylax calls the region of the Cinyphus yaipiov xaXov — and Mela describes the river — per uberrima arva decidens. Other authorities may be added to these in support of the fertility of the district.

Libyphoenices vocantur qui Byzacium incolunt. I Plinio dice Libyphoenices vocantur qui Byzacium incolunt. Si tratta dunque di sapere dove abitavono i Libifenicii per sapere il sito della regione Bizacina. Ed eccole una chiarissima risposta di Strabone a questo quesito di antica geografia : Sulla marina che e da Cartagine fino al Cefalo, e fino ai Masselibii e il territorio dei Libifenicii. — (Viaggio da Tripoli, &c. p. 48.)