e
desert sand had combined to silt it up. Neco commenced excavations on a
large scale, following the line of the old cutting, but greatly widening
it, so that triremes might meet in it and pass each other, without
shipping their oars. After a time, however, he felt compelled to desist,
without effecting his purpose, owing to an extraordinary mortality among
the labourers. According to Herodotus, 120,000 of them perished. At any
rate, the suffering and loss of life, probably by epidemics, was such as
induced him to relinquish his project, and to turn his thoughts toward
gaining his end in another way.

[Illustration: HEAD OF NECO.]

Might not Nature have herself established a water communication between
the two seas by which Egypt was washed? It was well known that the
Mediterranean and the Red Sea both communicated with an open ocean, and
it was the universal teaching of the Greek geographers, that the ocean
flowed round the whole earth. Neco determined to try whether Africa was
not circumnavigable. Manning some ships with Phoenician mariners, as the
boldest and most experienced, accustomed to brave the terrors of the
Atlantic outside the Pillars of Hercules, he dispatched them from a port
on the Red Sea, with orders to sail southwards, keeping the coast of
Africa on their right, and see if they could not return to Egypt by way
of the Mediterranean. The enterprise succeeded. The ships, under the
skilful guidance of the Phoenicians, anticipated the feat of Vasco di
Gama--rounded the Cape of Storms, and returned by way of the Atlantic,
the Straits of Gibraltar, and the Mediterranean to the land from which
they had set out. But they did not reach Egypt _till the third year_.
The success obtained was thus of no practical value, so far as the
Pharaoh's warlike projects were concerned. He had to relinquish the
idea of uniting his two fleets in one, owing to the length of the way
and the dangers of the navigation.

He had, however, no mind to relinquish his warlike projects, Syria,
Phoenicia, and Palestine were still in an unsettled state, the yoke of
Assyria being broken, and that of Babylon not yet firmly fixed on them.
Josiah was taking advantage of the opportunity to extend his authority
over Samaria. Phoenicia was hesitating whether to submit to Nabopolassar
or to assert her freedom. The East generally was In a ferment. Neco in
B.C. 608, determined to make his venture. At the head of a large army,
consisting mainly of