ng upon them towards the
south, probably in the country about Erivan, and so in the neighborhood
of Ararat, were the Alarodians, whose name must be connected with that
of the great mountain. On the other side of the Sapeirian country, in
the tracts now known as Mingrelia and Imeritia, regions of a wonderful
beauty and fertility, were the Colchians--dependants, but not exactly
subjects, of Persia.

The northern lowland, which consisted of a somewhat narrow strip of land
between the plateau and the Euxine, was a rich and well-wooded region,
630 miles in length, and in breadth from forty to a hundred. It was
inhabited by a large number of rude and barbarous tribes, each of whom
possessed a small portion of the sea-board. These tribes, enumerated in
the order of their occurrence from east to west, were the following:
the Moschi, the Macrones (or Tzani), the Mosy-noeci, the Mares, the
Tibareni, the Chalybes, the Paphlagones, the Mariandyni, the Bithyni,
and the Thyni. The Moschi, Macrones, Mosynoeci, Mares, and Tibareni
dwelt towards the east, occupying the coast from Batoum to Ordou.
The Chalybes inhabited the tract immediately adjoining on Sinope.
The Paphlagonians held the rest of the coast from the mouth of the
Kizil-Irmak to Cape Baba, where they were succeeded by the Mariandyni,
who owned the small tract between Cape Baba and the mouth of
the Sakkariyeh (Sangarius). From the Sangarius to the canal of
Constantinople dwelt the Thynians and Bithynians intermixed, the former
however affecting the coast and the latter the interior of the country.
The entire tract was of a nearly uniform character, consisting of wooded
spurs from the northern mountain-chain, with, valleys of greater or
less width between them. Streams were numerous, and vegetation was
consequently rich; but it may be doubted whether the climate was
healthy.

The western lowland comprised the inland regions of Mysia, Lydia,
and Caria, together with the coast-tracts which had been occupied by
immigrant Greeks, and which were known as Juolis, Doris, and Ionia. The
broad and rich plains, the open valleys, the fair grassy mountains, the
noble trees, the numerous and copious rivers of this district are too
well known to need description here. The western portion of Asia Minor
is a terrestrial paradise, well deserving the praises which Herodotus
with patriotic enthusiasm bestowed upon it. The climate is delightful,
only that it is somewhat too luxurious; the soil