16 THALIA.

nance, were content to feed on vegetablos; but u
soon as they arrived among the sands and the deserts,
some of them were prompted by famine to proceed to
the most horrid extremities. They drew lots, and
every tenth man was destined to satisfy the hunger
of the rest. When Cambyses received intelligence of
this fact, alarmed at the idea of his troops devouring
one another, he abandoned his designs upon the Ethi­
opians, and returning homeward arrived at length
at Thebes, after losing a considerable number of his
men. From Thebes he proceeded to Memphis, from
whence he permitted the Greeks to embark.—Such
was the termination of the Ethiopian expedition. "

XXVI. The troops who were despatched against
the Ammonians left Thebes with guides, and pene­
trated, as it should seem, as far as Oasis. This placa
is distant from Thebes about a seven days' journey
over the sands, and is said to be inhabited by Sami-
ans, of the ^schryonian tribe. The country is called,
in Greek, " The happy Islands." The army is re­
ported to have proceeded thus far; but what after­
wards became of them it is impossible to know, ex­
cept from the Ammonians, or from those whom the
Ammonians have instructed on this head. It is cer­
tain that they never arrived among the Ammonians,
and that they never returned. The Ammonians
affirm, that as they were marching forwards from
Oasis through the sands, they halted at some place of*
middle distance, for the purpose of taking repast,
which whilst they were doing, a strong south wind
arose, and overwhelmed them beneath a mountain of
sand, so that they were seen no more. Such, as the
Ammonians relate, was the fate of this army.

XXVII. Soon after the return of Cambyses to Mem­
phis, the god Apis appeared, called by the Greeks
Epaphus. Upon this occasion the Egyptians clothed
themselves in their richest apparel, and made great
rejoicings. Cambyses took notice of this, and imagin­
ed it was done on account of his late unfortunate
projects. He ordered, therefore, the magistrates of
Memphis to attend him; and he asked them why they
had done nothing of this kind when he was formerly