Bochart mentions another on the Syrian coaft. Charibdim vocat Syriæ locum inter Apamæam & Antiocham, in quo Orontes abforptus poft 40 ftadia rurfus emergit.

This learned man derives Scylla from exitium, and Charibdis from N

Scol Chor obdan, foramen perditionis. My readers will judge which of the two explanations is most agreeable to reason.

Sicilia, the name of the ifland, he derives from Siclul, i. e. perfectio. Quia inter omnes infulas quæ notæ erant tum temporis, facilè primas obtinet; or from wN Efcol, botrus, Syris

D Segol & Segul. Unde eft quod Grammatici Segel vocant a forma botri vocale punctum è tribus punctis in triangulum fic digeftis.-Ea ipfa voce puto Phænices Siciliam appellaffe, quafi botrorum infulam.

That the point fegol was fo called, from a bunch, we readily allow, for the name of every letter, and every point, alludes to trees or its fruit, (as we fhall fhew in a Treatife on the Ogham) agreeable to the defcription of the alphabet by the Irish Grammarians: but here we might go further, and fay, it was called Sicily from Sgolog, the olive-tree, i. e. the Sgol. facred to Oga, our Hercules; the Tyrian Oga or Minerva-for fgol in Irish is an olive; it is also the morus or arbor fapiens, both which were dedicated to Mercury and to Hercules ;-for on the north fide of Sicily are the fmall islands of Eolus, that is, of Eolas (fcience) an epithet in Irish of Hercules; and amongst thefe was Infula Herculis; Longinis, the fhip-ifland, &c. oppofite to which was the town of Mylæ, i e. the Sailor, another epithet of Hercules. Sgol in Irish

is

is a cluster, a bunch, a multitude; hence the Englifh word, a fkull of herrings, &c.; but as Sicily was fruitful of the vine, Bochart forms o into No fegulaja, id eft, Infula botrorum, vel Infula Uvarum.

He strengthens his conjecture from the Naxos, at the mouth of the river Trigidi in this island, being facred to Bacchus. Na, po rú. Hefych.

Aiunt etiam apud ipfos (Naxos) fingularem quandam effe vino præftantiam, ex qua conftet quam benè fit affectus (Bacchus) Deus erga infulam. (Diod. L. 5.) Et Solinus, Naxos Dionyfia prius quam Naxos dicta, vel quod hofpita Libero patri, vel quod fertilitate vitium vincat cæteras. Quæ fit detorfit Ifidorus Naxos infula à Dionyfio dicta, quafi Dionaxos, quod fertilitate vitium vincat ceteras,

;

Bochart does not fhew the derivation of Naxos I think it owes its name to our Scythi finding there excellent old wine, which in Irifh is aghet, a corruption from the Arabick atick, both which fignify old wine-G and are commuable; achet is the Arabic word with the tranfpofition of one letter. The Irish An-aoi-achet, the Island of Old Wine; from whence Naxos, and confequently the Greeks would: dedicate fo delicious a spot to Bacchus.

From the north we proceed to the weft; there we find the Ægades Infulæ, and the most western, called Hiera, i. e. Iar-aoi, the Western Island ;— and taking a tour fouthward, we ftopt at the fouthern promontory called Odh-deas, i. e. the South Point, whence Odyffea & Odyffleum Promontorium.

Bochart

Bochart thinks the name derived from Dha

das, i. e. myrtus.

In their paffage to the Weft, they find a bay favourable for fifhing, where the fifh depofit their fpawn and breed; this they call Iucharai, from Iuchar, spawn of fish, and here they build a fishing town called Hycara-Ύκκαρα βαρβαρικόν χωριο, Hycara barbaricum oppidum.

NDP Chik-caura Sinùs Pifcis, fays Bochart. Here, I think, and at Drubhan, or Druphan, i. e. the village or habitation, our Scythi firft fettled, and between thefe points is Sicania.

We have no account of Etna, the burning mountain, in our Irish history: it is observed, that Homer did not mention it; that great author would not have omitted fo fine an opportunity of exerting his poetical talents, had it burned in his time; and had the expeditions of our ancient Irish to this Ifland,, been the fabrication of modern monks, they would not have had the ingenuity to have omitted it.

The Caiker or Fiofache, attended them in all their expeditions. The office of Caiker is often mentioned in the Irish history as a Prieft and Prophet, peculiarly adapted for military fervices, like the Sagan of the Jews.

This paffage and the explanation of the word Caiker will tend, perhaps, to explain one of the most difficult texts in the holy fcriptures. I mean the 6th, 7th, and 8th verfes of the 5th Chap. of the 2nd book of Samuel. "And David and his

men went to Jerufalem, unto the Jebufites "the inhabitants of the land; which fpake unto "David, faying, except thou take away the blind "and the lame, thou fhalt not come in hither: thinking David cannot come in hither".

'

T

"And

"And David faid, whofoever getteth up to the gutter (aquæduct or fewer) and fmiteth the "lame and the blind that are bated of David's foul, "he fhall be chief and captain".

The text has y aor and no phiffach, tranflated blind and lame, and inftead of Phiffach, the Chaldee has Chaker. y Aor fignifies to watch, as well as to be blind, whence y Air, Vigil, Angelus perpetuò vigilans, nunquam dormiens: hence Aire in Irifh is a chieftain, an officer, a guard, and we have Caiker and Fiofache fignifying the war priest or prophet: thefe, probably, were mounted on the walls of Jerufalem encouraging the foldiers and bidding defiance to David, and not the blind and lame; for, why fhould the blind and lame be hated of David's foul? (a) Or how could David diftinguish the lame and the blind, from able men, when posted on lofty walls?

P Chaker in the Chaldee is to prædict, to inveftigate, to fearch into nature.-Sephiri ha'm' Chakar DD Libri fcrutationis, i. e. Phyfici, which perfectly correfponds with the office of our Caicer, who was not only a priest, but an officer; for, in the clofe of this part of the history, we are told, that the principal commanders in this voyage were Ealloid, Lambfionn, Cing and Caicer. That in their voyage to Guthia, they met with Murdbuchon (Syrens) who fung the officers to fleep, and would have killed them, had not Caiker given them a charm (b).

(a) And the Inhabitants of Jebus faid to David, Thou shalt not come hither.The fucceeding words of Samuel are very difficult. (Kenniort.) Diff. p. 33.

(b) & with a instead of p, in the Chaldee is conductor. The Irish, at least the modern Irish, can make no diftinction, the C being always founded as K, and this letter

they have not in their alphabet.

MILESPAIN or MILESIUS.

CHAP. VIII. PART I.

The Voyage of the MILESIANS from Guthia to An Spain, i. e. The Spain, i. e. The Ship Country.

B

RATHA, fon of Deaghatha, was the prin cipal commander in this voyage and conducted the Gaduli from Guthia (Sicilly) to An Spain, Spain. The officers under him were Oige, Uige, Mantan, and Caiker. They failed from Guthia, (i. e. Sicily) leaving Catria on their left hand, and keeping the S. West Coast of Eorp (or Europe,) landed in Spain.

The pofterity of Tubal the grand fon of Japhet, were the inhabitants of the country at that time, and with them the Gadelians fought many defperate engagements (c). Bratha had a fon born in Spain, whom he called Breogan: he built the city of Breogan near Cruine.

The famous Gallam, who was called Miles and Milefpain (d), was the fon of Bille, fon of Breogans

(c) Tubal five Jubal, quinto genitus Japheti filii Noe, dictus Attalus, & ab eo quod in Mauritania obierit. Atlas Mauritanus, primus Hifpaniæ regnum obtinait, ut ex Latinis afferunt Eufe bius & Hieronymus, ex Hebræis Jofephus, & ex Chaldæis Berofus. (Tarapha, Hift. Hifp. p. 8).

The Spanish writers fay that Tubal was called Tarfis; that that he was the grandfon of Japhet, our Irish hiftory informs us that the fons of Tarfis accompanied them to Ireland and were always distinguished not to be of Gadelian race.

(d) Goles, the old Spanish name of Hercules. (De Laftongfa on ancient Spanish medals).

T 2

This