In Numbers C. 20. V. 14. we are told, that Mofes fent meffengers, from Kadesh, unto the K. of Edom.-V. 20. and the K. faid, thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out with much people and with a strong hand. Thus Edom refused to give Ifrael paffage through his borders, wherefore Ifrael turned away from him. Numbers 13. V. 4. And they journeyed from Mount Hor, by the way of the Red Sea, to compass the Land of Edom. And it appears that the Canaanites did not at that time dwell on the borders of the Red Sea, for the Ifraelites were then on their journey to poffefs themselves of their country. It appears alfo that Edom did extend to the Red Sea in Solomon's time, unless there is an interpolation, by way of Explanation. (i)

Niul and his Colony were fettled at Caper-Cheroth. Caper in Chaldee is a town, village, or fettlement, (pagus) and the name of the place where Mofes paffed the Red Sea, was Cheroth. Exod. C. 14. V. 2. Turn and encamp before Piha-Chiroth, between Migdol and the Sea; Numb. 33. V. 8. And they departed from before Pihachiroth, and paffed through the midst of the Sea. This place was on the borders of Ægypt, and in

-Piha פי החירת the Scripture is always written

Chiroth, i. e. the oftium of Chiroth. Hhiroth, Iroth vel Chiroth, Locus deferti ad quem venerunt filii Ifrael mare transfretentes.-(k) Piha-Chiroth. soua Eipal, Os Iroth. (1)

(i) Kings, C. 9. V. 26. And K. Solomon made a Navy of Ships in Ezion geber, which is befide Eloth, on the Shore of the Red Sea, in the land of Edom.-This was a general expreffi

on.

(k) Hieronym. Euseb.
(1) Bonfrerius Oromon.

S 2

Nixi

Nid fupplied the Ifraelites with provifions, (m) and moved lower down with his Shipping, left Pharaoh fhould cross upon them in their march round the borders of Oman on the oppofite Coast -for they were obliged to go round the borders of Edom as before related. And in four years after this event, fays the Book of Leacan, (an Irish MSS.) the Scythians fled with great part of Pharaoh's fleet. Nilus, fays Sir I. Newton, was the Ægyptian Hercules, and in the days of Solomon failed to the straights, he was the Ógmius of the Gauls. (Chronol. p. 181.)

This is an Eastern Story handed down to us in Hebrew and in Arabic, by the Rabbins and Muffulmans. Rabbi Simon, who lived 200 years before Chrift, relates it in this manner. She was "as Merchants Ships, that bring their food from

afar: thefe are the words of Solomon, Prov. "C. 31. V. 14.-Merchants Ships, the N "anioth Canaan, which were on the Red Sea, "when Ifrael paffed it-from afar they brought "them food; this alludes to the provifions thefe "Merchants gave to the Sons of Ifrael, who came "from Egypt without Store of provifions. Da"vid mentions thefe Ships in Pfalm 104. V. 27. "There went the Ships, (that is, on the Red "Sea,) when God fcorned at the Leviathan, that

is, Pharaoh.-And becaufe these Canaan Ships "gave Ifrael of their provifions, God would not destroy their Ships, but with an Eaft wind car

દ

(m) We learn from Ptolomæus Hephæftion, that Nilus was the name of the Egyptian voyaging Hercules. Sir I. Newtón takes him to be Sefac or Sefoftris, and that he was called Nilus, from the great improvement he made to the Nile: and this Nilus he fays was the Ogmius of the Gauls. (Chronology p. 181.)

"ried them far down the Red Sea, and this wind "was by the particular appointment of God; To ..this Mofes refers in Exodus xv. 15. The inha"bitants of Canaan, did melt away for fear, when they were informed by their countrymen, the "mariners, who faw this tranfaction of the paffage of the Red Sea." (n)

66

R. Simon makes thefe Ships to have belonged to the Canaanites,-we have fhewn from good authority that Canaan, in Hebrew, fignifies a merchant, and Canaith and Anac in the Scythian, so that it is difficult to distinguish the meaning of the Scriptures in feveral places, where these words

occur,

The Muffulmans that have made mention of these Ships are Mederek and the author of the Tebüan; they fay, "that when the Ifraelites had paffed the "Red Sea, they were under apprehenfion that "Pharaoh would cross in Ships, and flank them

as they encamped on the oppofite Shore of the "defert; for they knew not that he had perished "in the waters. Therefore, God caufed the body

(n) Iiber Zoar. p. 87. Exod. C. 22. Prov. C. 31. V. 14. Vulgate. She is like the Merchants Ships, fhe bringeth her food from afar. Pfalm 104. V. 26. There go the Ships- there is that Leviathan who thou haft made to play therein, these wait all upon thee, that thou mayeft give them their food in due Seafon.

Exod. xv. 15. Then the Dukes of Edom, fhall be amazed, the mighty men of Moab, trembling fhall take hold upon them: all the inhabitants of Canaan fhall melt away. See Baumgarten's remarks on this Verfe. Un. Hift. V. 2.

We fhall not defend Rab. Simons explanation of these paffages: they are certainly forced-the Story of the Ships and of the fupply of provifions is fufficient for our purpose:-it was not fabricated by an Irish monk, no more than Caper Chiroth for Pihachiroth. From what books did they fteal thefe paffages? from tradition only.

"of

"of Pharaoh to float on the waves in fight of "their camp; which was immediately known, "by the Steel Cuirafs he wore; and this miracle, "of a body fo heavily loaded with Iron, floating 66 on the water, convinced them of the continu"ance of God's kindness and protection. On the "other hand, the Egyptians feeing their King "did not return, faid, he was gone in a Ship to "fome Ifland, either to hunt or to fifh; but, "God here performed another miracle; for the "waves threw up Pharaoh's Corps on the Coast of Ægypt, that all his subjects might be Eye wit "neffes of his death."

С НА Р.

CHAP. VII. PART III.

THEN the Gadeli arrived in that part of

WHE

Scythia, from whence they originally defcended, viz. Armenia, they were harraffed with continual wars by their kindred, the pofterity of Nionnuall, the eldest Son of Phenius Pharfa, who were afraid they would put in fome claim to the Government of the Country: their diffentions continued seven years, in which time Refleoir the Grandfon of Nionnuall was flain. The Children of Niul then retired to Amafan, and after continuing there for fome time, they failed down the narrow Sea (the Hellefpont) that flows from the Northern Ocean (the Euxinus.) They had been driven upon an Island called Caronia in the Pontick, where they staid one year. They were there informed by a Caiker, or Prophet, whom they confulted, and who always attended the Gadeli, that it was ordained, they should have no refting place, till they arrived at a certain Western Ile. Overawed by this prediction of the Caiker, they proceeded on their Voyage weftward, and landed at the Island of Guthia. Here fome fay they continued 150 years,and others fay 300 years, but certain it is, that fome of their pofterity inhabit that Island at this day, from hence they moved to Spain. (o)

(o) Pharufii, quondam Perfæ, Comites fuiffe dicuntur Herculis ad Hefperides tendentis. (Pliny.)

Deinde Pharufii aliquando tendente ad Hefperides Hercule dites, nunc inculti, & nifi quod pecore aluntur admodum inopes. (Pompon. Mela.)

Here