which occurs a little after, that they were able to ſail with a wind at right angles[1] to the ſhip's courſe, or, as it is expreſſed in nautical language, "with the wind on the beam."
One of the veſſels was wrecked by the ſea breaking over it, but the rigging and naval ſtores were prebſerved. He alſo tells us, that they even ſcraped off the wax[2], with which the tides were ſmeared, which he and other writers repreſent as one of the moſt neceſſary articles in the fitting out ſhips. Wax was produced in great quantity in this country. Xenophon[3], Polybius[4], Pliny[5], and Dioſcorides[6], all mention the abundance of honey; and it appears from Pliny, that part of the tribute of theſe countries was paid in wax[7], the uſe of which in large quantities is, in ſome degree, explained by this paſſage of Arrian. It may appear extraordinary that the uſe of pitch[8] for naval purpoſes being then well known, it was not employed preferably to Wax, as being more adheſive, tenacious and permanent. But it appears that both of them were in uſe mixed together, for naval purpoſes, into a compoſition called Zopiſſa[9].
- ↑
Πλαγίου τοῦ κλυδῶτος ἐπειρώμεθα.
It appears from Xenophon's Anabaſis, lib. v. p. 402. ed. Hutch. 8vo. that a North wind (Βοῤῥὰς) was counted favourable to thoſe, who intended to fail from the Southern coaſt of the Black ſea to Greece. This, it is plain by the map, muſt have been nearly at right angles to their courſe. I ſuppoſe Βοῤῥὰς here means the North wind, as it is oppoſed to Notus, and as it ſignifies the North wind on the temple of Andronicus Cyrrheſtes at Athens: but it has not this meaning in Arrian, as Βοῤῥὰς there means the North-Eaſt, or ſome point near it.
- ↑ Veget. lib. iv. c. 37. Ovid Metam. lib. xi. ver. 514. Lucan. lib. iii. ver. 685.
- ↑ Anabaſ lib. iv.
- ↑ Wax was one of the articles of trade from this country to Byzantium. Polyb.lib. iv. c. 5.
- ↑ Lib. xxi. c. 14.
- ↑ V. Cera et Mel.
- ↑ Genſque ea, cum ceram in tributa Romania præſtet, mel (quoniam exitiale eſt) non vendit. Lib. xxi. c. 13.
- ↑ There was an ancient Athenian law, prohibiting the exportation of wood and pitch,to which ſome add wax. Petit. Leg. Att.
- ↑ Plin. lib. xvi. c. 12. Dioſcorid. v. Zopiſſa.
