e
Carthaginians lay hands on the gold until it is made equal to the value
of their merchandise, nor do the others lay hands on the merchandise
until the Carthaginians have taken the gold.

197. These are the Libyan tribes whom we are able to name; and of these
the greater number neither now pay any regard to the king of the Medes
nor did they then. Thus much also I have to say about this land, namely
that it is occupied by four races and no more, so far as we know; and
of these races two are natives of the soil and the other two not so; for
the Libyans and the Ethiopians are natives, the one race dwelling in
the Northern parts of Libya and the other in the Southern, while the
Phenicians and the Hellenes are strangers.

198. I think moreover that (besides other things) in goodness of soil
Libya does not very greatly excel 178 as compared with Asia or Europe,
except only the region of Kinyps, for the same name is given to the land
as to the river. This region is equal to the best of lands in bringing
forth the fruit of Demeter, 179 nor does it at all resemble the rest of
Libya; for it has black soil and is watered by springs, and neither has
it fear of drought nor is it hurt by drinking too abundantly of rain;
for rain there is in this part of Libya. Of the produce of the crops
the same measures hold good here as for the Babylonian land. And that is
good land also which the Euesperites occupy, for when it bears best it
produces a hundred-fold, but the land in the region of Kinyps produces
sometimes as much as three-hundred-fold.

199. Moreover the land of Kyrene, which is the highest land of the part
of Libya which is occupied by nomads, has within its confines three
seasons of harvest, at which we may marvel: for the parts by the
sea-coasts first have their fruits ripe for reaping and for gathering
the vintage; and when these have been gathered in, the parts which lie
above the sea-side places, those situated in the middle, which they call
the hills, 180 are ripe for the gathering in; and as soon as this middle
crop has been gathered in, that in the highest part of the land comes
to perfection and is ripe; so that by the time the first crop has been
eaten and drunk up, the last is just coming in. Thus the harvest for the
Kyrenians lasts eight months. Let so much as has been said suffice for
these things.

200. Now when the Persian helpers of Pheretime, 181 having been sent
from Egypt by Aryandes, had arrived at Barca