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that though the water of the fountain might be pleasantto the taste, yet he who drank of it would lose his senses.The lines are thus :

Sweet drops of cooling draught the spring supplies,

But whoso drinks, his reason petrifies.

At Susa, the capital of Persia, there is a fountain at whichthose who drink lose their teeth. On this also is writ-ten an epigram, stating that the water was excellent forwashing, but that if drank it caused the teeth to fall outof their sockets. The verses are as follow :

A dreaded spring you see,

Yet if their hands, good stranger,

Folks choose to wash, they’re freeTo do so without danger ;

But if from your tongue’s tip,

Just passing from the lipInto your hollow venter,

This liquor pure should enter,

Your tools for munching meat

Straight on the ground will tumble,

And leave their empty seat

With toothless jaws to mumble.

CHAPTER IV.

OF THE QUALITIES OF WATERS IN CERTAIN PLACES.

The quality of the water, in some places, is such, that itgives the people of the country an excellent voice forsinging, as at Tarsus, Magnesia, and other countries.In Africa there is a city called Zama, which king Jubasurrounded with double walls, and built a palace there;about twenty miles from which, is the town of Ismuc,whose territory is of vast extent. Though Africa is the