In Old Times, The
Town Of Kossir Was Built Two Leagues Farther Up The Coast; But Being
Found Incommodious, Especially As The Harbour At That Place Was Too
Small, It Was Removed To This Place.
To this day the ruins of old
Kossir are still visible, and there I believe was Philoteras.
New
Kossir by observations twice verified is in lat. 26 deg.15' N. being 136
leagues beyond Swakem. The port is a large bay quite open to the
eastern winds, which on this coast blow with great force. Right over
against the town there are some small shoals on which the sea breaks,
between which and the shore is the anchorage for frigates and ships
coming here for a loading. The town is very small and perhaps in the
most miserable and barren spot in the world. The houses are more like
hovels for cattle, some built of stone and clay, and others of sod,
having no roofs except a few matts which defend the inhabitants from the
sun, and from rain if any happen now and then to fall as it were by
chance, as in this place it so seldom rains as to be looked upon as a
wonder. In the whole neighbouring country on the coast, fields,
mountains, or hills, there groweth no kind of herb, grass, tree, or
bush; and nothing is to be seen but black scorched mountains and a
number of bare hillocks, which environ the whole place from sea to sea,
like an amphitheatre of barrenness and sterility, most melancholy to
behold.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 530 of 809
Words from 144593 to 144853
of 221361
