Lying in that direction were better
known than those lying to the north and south, though the longitudes, and
general space assigned the world, in the former deviation, were erroneous.
It was the opinion of most of the ancient geographers, that there was a
southern continent or hemisphere, to correspond to and balance the
northern; and this they formed by cutting off the great triangle to the
south. The ancients also, while they curtailed those parts of the world
with which they were unacquainted, extended the known parts.
The limit of the Roman geography of Europe to the north was the Baltic,
beyond which they had some very imperfect and obscure notion of the south
of Sweden, and perhaps of Norway. They were acquainted with the countries
on the eastern boundary of Europe lying on the Danube and the Vistula, and
the rivers Wolga and Tanais seem also to have been tolerably well known to
them. Of the whole of the west of Europe they were well informed, with the
exception of the general figure, and some part of the British isles.
With respect to Africa, the Romans seem to have been acquainted with
one-third of it. The promontory of Prasum was the limit of their knowledge
on the east coast: its limits on the western coast it is not so easy to
fix. The western horn was the limit of the voyage of Hanno, which,
according to some, is Cape Nun; and, according to others, Cape Three
Points, in Guinea; and we have observed already, that the Gulf of St.
Cyprian was probably the limit of Ptolemy's knowledge. The coasts of Africa
on the Mediterranean, and on the Red Sea, were of course well known to the
Romans; and some points of their information respecting the interior were
clear and accurate, but, as for these, they trusted almost entirely to the
reports of merchants, they were as frequently erroneous.
The northern, north-western, north-eastern, and east parts of Asia were
almost utterly unknown to the Romans; but they possessed tolerably accurate
information regarding the whole hither peninsula of India, from the Indus
to the Ganges, and some partial and unconnected notices of the farther
peninsula and of China.
[5] The most probable opinion is, that they were made of fluat of
lime, or Derbyshire spar.
CHAPTER IV.
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE PROGRESS OF DISCOVERY AND OF COMMERCIAL
ENTERPRISE, FROM THE TIME OF PTOLEMY TILL THE CLOSE OF THE FIFTEENTH
CENTURY.
Although the period, which the present chapter embraces, extends to
thirteen centuries, yet, as it is by no means rich or fruitful either in
discovery or commercial enterprise, it will not detain us long.
