It is supposed, however, that this is the real latitude;
but that the west coast of Jutland is the country at which he arrived. But
this obliges us to believe that his course from the northern extremity of
Britain, instead of being north or north-east, or indeed at all to the
north, was in fact south-west; a supposition which cannot be admitted,
unless we imagine that the ancients were totally ignorant of the course
which they steered. On the other hand, Pytheas' description of the
productions of Thule agrees with Jutland; the culture of millet in the
north, and of wheat in the south, and the abundance of honey: there is
also, about a degree to the north of the latitude of 55 deg. 34', a part of the
coast still denominated Thyland; and in the ancient language of
Scandinavia, Thiuland. The account of Pytheas, that near Thule, the sea,
air, and earth, seemed to be confounded in one element, is supposed by
Malte Brun to allude to the sandy downs of Jutland, whose hills shift with
the wind; the marshes, covered with a crust of sand, concealing from the
traveller the gulf beneath, and the fogs of a peculiarly dense nature which
frequently occur. We must confess, however, that the course having been
north, or north-east, or north-west, for this latitude of course may be
allowed in consideration of the ignorance or want of accuracy of the
ancients, never can have brought Pytheas to a country lying to the
south-west of the extremity of Britain.
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