the tongue of land between the lake Siwasch and the Mæotis having been neglected, the Russians had twice entered it that way'.

The TAURI, or inhabitants of the Krimea, one would naturally have expected to have found ranked amongst the Scythians; but the matter was otherwise; for in the consultation held by the Scythians with their neighbours, on occasion of the Persian invasion, the Tauri are classed amongst the latter, and are distinguished by some very peculiar, as well as abominable, customs.

"All strangers shipwrecked on their coasts, and particularly every Greek who falls into their hands, they sacrifice to a virgin. The sacred personage to whom this sacrifice is offered, the Taurians themselves assert to be IPHIGENIA, the daughter of Agamemnon;" Melpom. 103. Here it appears, that Iphigenia is put in the place of Diana; to whom she is, by others, represented as the priestess 2. Our

It may not perhaps be going too far, if we were to advance an opinion, that, to RUSSIA, the future value of the Krimea, and province of Taurida (including the embouchure of the Borysthenes), will exceed that of her Asiatic possessions collectively.

"On that inhospitable shore, EURIPIDES, embellishing with exquisite art the tales of antiquity, has placed the scene of one of his most affecting tragedies. The bloody sacrifices of Diana, the arrival of Orestes and Pylades, and the triumph of virtue and religion over savage fierceness, serve to represent an historical truth, that the TAURI, the original inhabitants of the Peninsula, were, in some degree, reclaimed from their brutal manners, by a gradual intercourse with the Grecian colonies, which settled along the maritime coast." (Gibbon, Vol. i. p. 421.)

Author allows that Diana was worshipped by the Thracians; Terpsichore, c. 7.

The whole subsistence of the Tauri, according to our Author, was procured by acts of plunder and hostility. One custom alone, marks their savage character they placed the head of a prisoner on a stake at the top of their chimnies, to operate as a charm for the protection of their families as the superstitious amongst us nail a horse-shoe on the threshold, or against the mast of a ship. Our practice, though equally absurd, is at least harmless in itself; and does not blunt the feelings of the rising generation. From this, and other barbarous tribes along its coasts, we may suppose the Black sea acquired amongst the ancients, the title of inhospitable 3.

3

It has pretty generally happened, that the inhabitants of coasts, particularly dangerous to navigation, are exceedingly unfeeling and ferocious; a habit doubtless acquired by plundering wrecks; which includes also, occasionally, the stripping and maltreating of those who cannot escape from them; and, by an easy transition, to murder. We shall say nothing concerning certain of our own countrymen, in this respect, as they are growing better: but it is worth remarking, that as the Nasamones at the Greater Syrtis were infamous in ancient times for these practices, so, according to Mr. Bruce, who was shipwrecked there, they are not mended in the pre

3 Its ancient name was Axenus; afterwards changed to Euxinus: Pliny, iv. c. 12; and vi. c. 1.

sent times. (See his Introduction, Vol. i.) Many other instances could be adduced; and they absolutely appear to be an effect of geographical situation, combined with adventitious circumstances, on the human mind.

SECTION VI.

EXPEDITION OF DARIUS HYSTASPES TO WESTERN

SCYTHIA.

The march of DARIUS into Scythia may be traced in a general way-passes the Danube, and leaves the floating bridge in charge of the Ionians-Marches eastward to the Tanais, which he crosses, into Sarmatia; the Scythians retreating before him -advances to the Oarus, where he erects a chain of fortresses— the Oarus, (taken for the Wolga,) the term of his expedition, eastward-Scythians lead him to the northward and westward, into the territories of the Seceders, the Melanchlani, Androphagi, and Neuri, in order to save their own lands-The Agathyrsi, on whom the same is attempted, resist both Scythians and Persians-Losses and distresses of the Persian army-recover their bridge on the Danube; which the Scythians could not prevail on the Iönians to destroy-Sepulchres of the kings of Scythia-Barbarous funerals-Gold buried with the bodiesExpedition of Darius, compared with that of Cyrus, against the eastern Scythians-the former invasion of Media, by the Scythians, gave rise to the expedition of Darius-the Scythians, the Gog and Magog of the Scriptures-Idea of the time consumed in the expedition-Iönian and Eolian fleet attend Darius -Conjecture about the supply of provisions for the Persian army-Bridges of Darius and Xerxes, over the Bosphorus and Hellespont-more of vain-glory than use, in these works--Idea of the breadth of the two Straits-Difficulties in the description of Xerxes' Bridge, attempted to be solved.

THE march of DARIUS HYSTASPES through Scythia, cannot, for want of circumstantial detail, be accu

rately followed on the map. But it may, however, be done in a general way; and we shall endeavour to trace it by the aid of those circumstances which present themselves. The trace itself will be found on the Map, No. III. at page 66.

He crossed the Danube over a bridge of boats, at the place where it first begins to branch off, to form the several channels through which it enters the Euxine'; Melp. 89. The place, therefore, may be supposed to have been not far above the site of Ismail, and between that and the conflux of the Pruth with the Danube. The Iönian fleet, which was dispatched from the Bosphorus to perform the service of laying the bridge, sailed two days up from the sea, in order to arrive at the place; Melp. 89.

Having left the Iönians in charge of the bridge, he marched through Scythia, eastward to the Tanais; the Scythian army, which was divided into two bodies, retiring regularly before him, at the distance of a day's march; filling up the wells, and destroying the produce of the fields; 120, 121, 122. Their families, together with such of their cattle as were not necessary to their immediate subsistence, were previously sent off to the northern frontier; 121.

Darius, crossing the Tanais, came into the territories of the Sauromatæ; and from thence into those of the Budini, 122; which having also crossed, he finally came to the desert of seven or eight journies

Mr. Bell says that it enters the Euxine, by a single channel only but this is contrary to every other report, ancient and modern.