the Ancients under the name of Aethiopia Inferior Zanguebar and Abissinia under that of Aethiopia Superior Congo contains several Kingdoms which I forbear to mention because of no great Note Cafraric is a Sea-Coast Country that extends it self from Angola part of Congo as far as the Cape of Good Hope Southward and from thence as far as Zanguebar Eastward Monomotapa and Monomugi are two Inland Country 's of Africk lying within the Compass of Cafraria But Zanguebar is a Sea-Coast Country towards the East Abissinia is a vast Empire divided into several Kingdoms and whereof the Western part is watered by the River Nilus Nubia ly's West and North of Abissinia and the Desart of Barca or Libya Marmarica North of Nubia Egypt which next to Barbary is the most noted and frequented Country of Africk is bounded Eastward with the Isthmus of Sues and the Red-Sea Westward with Barca and the Desart of that name Northward with the Mediterranean and Southward with Nubia and Abissinia Thus much for the Old World And now I come to the New otherwise known by the Name of America or else the West Indies Phil. I remember you told me before the New World was called New for the late Discovery and World for the vast Greatness of it Pray how long is it since it was first discovered Sophr. 'T is almost two hundred years ago and the first Discoverer of it was Christopher Columbus an Italian born of Genoa He being a Man of great ability's and born to undertake great Matters could not perswade himself when he considered the Motion of the Sun but that there was another World to which this Glorious Planet did impart both his Light and Heat when he went from us This World he resolved to seek after and accordingly in the year 1486. he opened his Design to the State of Genoa But the business being slighted there he sent his Brother to the Court of England Who unluckily fell in his way hither into the hands of Pirates and was by them detained a long while However he got his Liberty at last and so came over to England where his Proposition was so well relished that Columbus was sent for to take measures with him But he not having heard a long time from his Brother conceived the Offer of his Service to have been neglected and had already made his Address to the Court of Spain At that time Reigned King Henry VII here and Queen Isabella in Spain Where Columbus at last with much ado and after many delays had three Ships furnished not so much for Conquest as for Discovery Phil. How came he at last to compass his Design Sophr. Being furnished with the Ships aforesaid he ventured upon the main Ocean steering his Course to the Westward Two whole Months did he float upon this unknown Sea before he could see any Land Insomuch that his Men began to Mutiny and refused at last to go on He promised them to return again if they did not see Land in three days They agreed And as Providence would have it on the third day they discovered the Island Guanahani in the 24th Degree of Northern Latititude There having Landed he took possession of it for the Crown of Spain October 11. Anno 1492. and called it St. Salvador which is S. Saviour Afterwards he discovered and took possession of Hispaniola and with much treasure and applause returned into Spain Preferred for this good Service first to be Admiral of these Indies and afterwards to a Coat of Arms with this Motto For Castille and Leon Columbus has got a New World and in conclusion to the Title of Duke de la Vega. The next year he returned thither discovered the Islands of Cuba Jamaica and Hispaniola and in this last built the Town now called St. Domingo In the Year 1497. the same year that Vasquez de Gama found out the Passage by Sea to the East Indies a happy Time for Discovery's he went another Voyage in which he discovered amongst other Places Paria in the Firm Land And in the year 1500. he began his fourth and last Voyage which he performed without adding much to his former Discoveries At last he died in Spain in the year 1506 and was honourably Interred at Sevil. But though Columbus be dead yet Columbus's Fame shall live to all Posterity's 'T is he we are indebted to for the Advantage we have of seeing clearly those Things which either were Unknown or but blindly guessed at by the Ancients Next to Columbus John Cabot a Venetian the Father of Sebastian Cabot discovered a great part of this Continent in behalf of Henry VII of England For in the year 1497. he found out all the North-East Coasts hereof from Florida Southward to New-found-Land and Terra di Laborador in the North. Then came Americus Vesputius a Florentine imployed therein by Emanuel King of Portugal Anno 1501. on a design of finding out a nearer way to the Molucca's than by the Cape of Good Hope And though he passed not further than the Cape of St. Augustine in Brasil yet from him to the great Injury and Neglect of the first Discoverers this Continent has got the Name of America Sic Vos non Vobis fertis Aratra Boves Phil. Indeed this is a great piece of Ingratitude But Usus invaluit and now it is past cure Sophr. I have but this more to tell you upon the Subject of this Discovery that after Americus there came several private Adventurers and Undertakers out of all parts of Europe bordering on the Ocean Amongst whom Magellan was the first that compassed the whole World and found the South Passage called from him the Streights of Magellan Wherein he was followed by Drake and Cavendish of England Thus this New World became a Prey to Europe but to Spain especially Thus the Natives were invaded and till the time of Charles V. Millions of them destroyed by the Spaniards Cruelty who to secure their Usurpation and satiate their Avarice laid aside all sense of Religion and Humanity it self and so made Christianity a Bug-bear to those naked Heathens Auri Sacra Fames quid non mortalia cogis Pectora But the Blood of these poor People cry's for Vengeance still And 't is observable already how the Monarchy of Spain which was so formidable but in the last Century has been almost ever since Charles the Fifth's time in a declining condition First overpowred by the Hollanders then by the English and lately by the French Phil. I love to take notice of great Men. Pray what was that Magellan who first Sailed round about the World Sophr. He was a noble Portugueze well skilled in Navigation Who upon some Discontents received in the Court of Emanuel King of Portugal made offer of his Service to Charles the fifth King of Spain and undertook the finding out a shorter cut to the Molucca's than had been discovered Which he effected in the year 1520. by his Discovery of those narrow Seas from him called
the Streights of Magellan whereby he at last entred from the North into the South-Sea And to give you a Description of those Streights I shall tell you in the first place that they are in the 53. Degree of Southern Latitude about 100. Leagues in length with high Hills on both sides always covered with Snow The Passage as it is tedious and unpleasant so it is very dangerous For here the Sea ebbs and flows with a violent swiftness and the very first fall into it is extremely doubtful and hazardous And then it is a Place of that Nature that which way soever a man Steer his Course as I told you before speaking of the Winds he shall be sure to have the Wind against him Besides that the Course of the Water says John Davis is so full of Turnings and Changings and those so violent that when a Ship is entred there is no returning To which add that the Channel is so very deep in some places no less than 300. fadoms that there 's no hope of Anchorage In short it was a whole month viz. from the latter end of October to the end of November before Magellan could be clear of these Narrow Seas From whence he sailed at last to the East-Indies But there he was the year following unfortunately slain And of five Ships that he set out with there was but one by a happy Omen called Victoria that returned to Spain in safety The Commander of that Ship was Sebastian del Cano who after a very long and dangerous Voyage wherein it was thought he had Sailed at least 14000. Leagues had the happiness to bring home the welcome News of his good Success But to return to our Americans they are credibly supposed to descend from the Tartars of Asia For besides that the West side of America is disjoyned from Tartary but by a very small Streight so that there is thence into these Country's a very quick and ready Passage 't is certain the Americans are most like the Tartars of any in the whole course of their Life To which add that the West side of America is far more populous than the East towards Europe or Africk Which argues that those Western Parts were first Inhabited and that from hence the rest was Peopled What remain now is to give you Philalethes first the Division of the Northern America and then that of the Southern both of them according to the present State of those two great Peninsules The Northern America may be fitly divided into these principal Parts Viz. Mexico or New Spain New Mexico Florida Virginia Canada or New France Estotiland Mexico the most Southern the best and most populous Part of all this Peninsule has on the East the Gulf of Mexico and on the West the South Sea The same reaches from the Isthmus of Panama Southward to Rio del Norte in New Mexico Northwestward above 400. Leagues but the breadth of it is not proportionable It is called Mexico from the chief Province of that name as this is from the chief City the whole Kingdom is divided into three great Prefectures or Governments called by the Spaniards Audiencas viz. of Mexico of Guadalajara or New Gallicia and of Guatimala which comprehend several Provinces And as the Gulf borrows its name from hence so the whole Peninsule is sometimes called from it Mexicana This rich Kingdom belongs solely to Spain since the Conquest of it by Ferdinand Cortez Anno 1519. North of this Mexico you will find Nuevo Mexico or the New Mexico bounded Eastward with Florida and Westward with Mare Vermejo which parts it from California Florida ly's full North of the Gulf of Mexico and Carolina is counted part of it lying near the Sea and South of Virginia By Virginia as a general Name I mean all that Sea-Coast Country which reaches North-Eastward from Florida as far as the Gulf or Bay of S. Laurence And so it contains chiefly Virginia properly so called New Sweden the New Netherlands New-England and Acadia Canada or New France ly's on both sides of the River Canada And on the West side you will find the Saguenay a part of New France so called from a River of that name which runs into the Canada Estotiland comprehends those Regions that lie most towards the North and East Bounded Eastward with the main Ocean Northwards with Hudsons Streights Westward with Hudson's Bay and on the South with Canada or New France There is nothing but the Sea-Coast of it discovered The same is also called Terra Corterealis or Corterealis Ora from Corterealis a Portugueze who in the year 1500 left his name unto it It has likewise got the name of Terra de Labrador and now the French call it Nouvelle Bretagne that is New Brittany from a French Province of that name One Thing is Observable concerning this Peninsule that most of the Western Parts as being furthest from Europe are still undiscovered But Northwards you will find some Parts of it bearing the Name of New North-wales New South-Wales and West of these New Denmark The Southern America I divide into these chief Parts Viz. Terra firma Brasil Paraguay Magellanica Chili Peru Amazonia Terra Firma in Spanish Tierra Firme comprehends those Regions which lie most towards the North. As Terra firma properly and specially so called the Governments or Country's of Popayan Cartagena S. Martha Rio de la Hacha and Venezuela the new Realm of Granada Paria Caribana and Guiana All which belong for the most part to Spain Brasil which takes up the most Eastern Parts and does chiefly belong to Portugal is divided into several Capitanias as the Portugueze call them or Prefectures the Principal of which is Capitania de Siara The Rest are of a less compass and bear for the most part the names of their chief places or Principal Rivers As Capitania de Para de Maragnan de Rio grande Parayba Tamaraca Pernambuco Bahia Ilheos Porto Seguro Spiritu Santo Rio Janeiro and S. Vincente But all this is only by the Sea-side the Inland Parts being left I suppose for our Posterity to plant Paraguay ly's South and West of Brasil and doth chiefly belong to the Spaniards It is called Paraguay from the great River of that name otherwise named Rio de la Plata which runs through the midst of it The same is at present divided into Paraguay properly so called Guayra Parana Uraguay the Province of Rio de la Plata Chaco and Tucuman Magellanica ly's South of Paraguay and reaches to the very Streights of Magellan where this Peninsule like Africk draws towards a point not unlike that of a Pyramis This wild Country has the Prospect not only of the Streights aforesaid Southwards but also of the North-Sed Eastward and part of if of the South Sea Westward Chili is a Sea-Coast Country upon the South-Sea West of Magellanica Most part of which and that towards the North is subject to the Crown of Spain Peru a Country famous for
its Gold and Silver Mines lies Northward of Chili East of the South or Pacifick Sea and is parted from North to South almost in the midst by the huge Mountains called Andes The Country is about 600. Leagues in length from North to South but the breadth from East to West is not proportionable From hence it is that some can the whole Peninfule by the name of Peruana as they call the other from Mexico Mexicana This great and rich Kingdom was Conquered by the Spaniards ten years after that of Mexico viz. in the year 1522. Pizarro was the Man imployed in Chief in the Conquest of it a Man basely extracted and as sordidly brought up who was fain at last to steal for shelter into America Where being grown Rich and Bold by his Adventures and being well informed of the Wealth of Peru he undertook the Conquest of it and at last per fas nefas got it for the Crown of Spain Since which Time the Spaniards have divided it into three Audiencas or Prefectures Viz. Audienca de Quito which takes up the Northern Parts Audienca de los Reyes which contains the middle Parts where you will find Peru properly so called and Audienca de los Charcas which takes up the Southern Parts By Amazonia I mean all those Inland and Unknown Countrys which lye betwixt Peru on the West and Brasil on the East bounded North-wards with Terra-firma Southward with Paraguay and Part of Peru. Called Amazonia from the Amazone that great and prodigious River which runs through the North Parts of this Country from West to East into Mar del Nort or North Sea Thus you have Philalethes a general Account of the Known Parts of the World In Terra Polaris Arâ—ctica you will find Greenland first discovered in the year 982 by Ericus Rufus but little of it besides the Sea-Coast is known Famous most of all for the Fishing of Whales hereabouts East of Greenland lies Nova Zemla of which nothing is discovered as yet besides the Western Shore So that it is not known whether it be an Island or part of the Continent In Terra Australis or towards it you will find these Country 's as imperfectly discovered as those Viz. the Land of Papous East of the Molucca's and New Guinea East of that But some take the Land of Papous to be part of New Guinea South of these is New Holland not long since discovered by the Hollanders But whether it is an Island or Continent we are as yet to seek Phil. I think we have run pretty well over the World It is high time for us to rest our selves But I desire next time we meet to learn the Meaning of the Circles that so I may understand the use of Globes and Maps Sophr. With all my heart The Seventh Discourse Of the Vse of Globes and Maps with their several Circles SOphronius In our former Discourses you have had a general Account of the Real Parts of the Earth Now I come to the Imaginary ones I mean those Lines or Circles supposed to go about the World and accordingly drawn in Terrestrial Globes and Maps for the better teaching and learning of Geography Phil. Pray let me have their Definition Sophr. A Globe is a compendious Representation of the Earth in its round Figure with several Circles and an exact Situation with the Names of its several Country's Seas chief Lakes and Rivers Hills Towns or City's A Map is either general or particular By a general Map is meant a Planisphere or a Map of the whole Earth describing the Old and New World by themselves the first on the right hand and the other on the left A particular Map is a Representation of a particular Part of the World as of Europe Asia on Africa the Northern or Southern America Which are but particular Maps in respect of a Map of the whole World 'T is true there are Maps indeed more particular such as give an account of a particular Country or of one Province or more of that Country In which respect the Maps of Europe Asia Africk and America be said to be general And so I come to the Circles But first I begin with the Axel-tree of the World which is a right Line imagined to pass through the Center or midst of the World from one end of it to the other The upper end of which Axel-tree is called the Pole Arctick or North Pole and the nether end opposite to that the Pole Antarctick or South Pole Phil. How many Circles are there Sophr. There are eight principal Circles four greater and four lesser The greater Circles are The Equinoxial The great Meridian The Zodiack The Horeon The lesser Circles The Tropick of Cancer The Tropick of Capricorn The Arctick The Antarctick The Equinoctial otherwise called Aequator and by Mariners the Line is a great Circle going round the. Globe in the very midst betwixt the two Poles It is called Equinoctial because when the Sun is come to this Circle then is the Equinox that is the day and night are of an equal length And it hath the name of Aequator because it divides the World into two equal Parts the one Northwards the other Southwards From whence comes the Distinction of Northern and Southern Latitude that reaching from this Circle as far as the North Pole and this from the same Circle as far as the South-Pole Now this Circle is divided into 360. Parts called Degrees of Longitude as shewing the Length of the World Whereof the first 90. Degrees run from West to East then 180. Degrees by the back-side of the Globe from East to West and at last 90. Degrees more from West to East all which make up the number of 360. Degrees The great Meridian is a Circle that go's round the Poles and so divides the World likewise into two equal Parts In Globes it is made commonly of Brass The same has got the name of Meridian from the Latine Meridies that is Noon day because when the Sun is come to that Circle then 't is Noon in the Place whereof it is the Meridian And it is called great Meridian in opposition to those lesser Meridians which are to be seen in Globes and Maps This is the Circle wherein are set down the 360. Degrees of Latitude or Breadth of the World divided into four times 90. Now the Question is which is the most proper place for the great or first Meridian to pass through For our Modern Geographers differ much about it which causes a great Confusion Some follow still Ptolomy who placed it in the Canary Islands others have removed it more Westward to the Azores Neither do these agree amongst themselves For some will have it pass through S. Michael and S. Mary others through Corvo and Flores For my part I don't admire an Innovation that causes so much Distraction and whatever they pretend to the Remedy to be sure is worse than the Disease Therefore it were much to be wished
Negroponte are the chiefest 2. Moesia containing Servia Bulgaria and Bessarabia 3. the South parts of Podolia in Poland and Caffa in the Taurick Chersonese 4. Bosnia with the greatest part of Hungary Sclavonia Croatia and Dalmatia And lastly though the Grand-Signior be not fully possessed of Moldavia Valachia and Transylvania yet the respective Princes thereof are Tributary to Him And so is the Cham of Tartary the lesser As to the Kingdom of Norway it belongs to the Crown of Denmark and the greatest part of Livonia to Sweden The great Dukedom of Lithuania is united to the Crown of Poland Lapland is divided betwixt the Czar of Moscovy and the Kings of Sweden and Denmark Savoy within the Alps belongs to the Duke of that Name Adjoyning to which is Valesia and the Country of Grisons Now most of the Country's aforesaid are subdivided into several Provinces and some of these into lesser Parts But I shall forbear at present those Subdivisions and leave that till another time My Design is only to give you a general Account of the World till I have more time to come to Particulars Phil. Then let us proceed to Asia Sophr. Asia the greatest of the five Parts of the World is a Peninsule almost as big again as Europe and every way incompassed by the Ocean except on the West side Northwards the Ocean parts it as it doth Europe from Terra Borealis Eastwards from America and Southwards from Terra Australis Then on the West 't is bounded with the Red Sea which parts it from Africk Next to that with the narrow Isthmus of Sues where Asia joyns to Africk afterwards with the East end of the Mediterranean and lastly with those Seas and Streights c. that part it from Europe for which I refer you thither The same as I hinted before was first called Asia by the Europeans from the nearest part to Greece called by that name Which spread it self from that Lydian Asia to Asia properly so called whereof that was but a Part the proper Asia to the whole Body of Anatolia and this to the whole Continent Now this being known by the name of Asia occasioned the Distinction of Asia the greater and Asia the lesser by which last name Anatolia is still called amongst us Phil. Now Sophronius let me know upon what Grounds Asia should have as you think the Precedency Sophr. Not to insist upon the Largenest of its Extent or the Riches of its Soil I think Asia ought to be had in special honour for these Reasons following First for the Creation of Man who had his first making in this Part of the World For here stood the Garden of Eden the first place of his Habitation and from hence all Nations of the World had their first beginning Secondly because here flourished the two first great Monarchies of the Assyrians and Persians the first signified by the Image with the Golden Head in Daniel and the last by the Arms and Breast of Silver Thirdly because it was the Scene of almost all the memorable Actions recorded in the Scriptures And lastly because that here our Saviour Christ was born wrought his Divine Miracles and accomplished the great Work of our Redemption Phil. I am very well satisfied with your Reasons The next Thing I desire to know is the Division of Asia Sophr. Asia is chiefly divided Into Turky in Asia Arabia Persia India China Tartary Besides the Islands Turky in Asia comprehends 1. Asia the less or Anatolia now called by contraction Natolia which anciently was divided into these Provinces so noted in History Some Maritime ones as Pontus Bithynia Phrygia the lesser Mysia Aeolis and Ionia Caria and Doris Lycia Pamphylia Cilicia And these Inland Provinces Viz. Isauria Armenia the lesser Cappadocia Galatia Paphlagonia Phrygia the greater Lydia Pisidia Lycaonia 2. It contains Armenia the greater now called Turcomania 3. Chaldea Assyria and Mesopotamia which three Provinces together did properly and originally constitute the Assyrian Empire 4. Syria and Palestine the first containing Syria propria Coelo-Syria Phoenicia Palmyrene and Palestine being otherwise called the Land of Canaan or the Land of Promise Judaea and Israel The Northern part of which when possessed by the Tribes of Asser Nephthalim Zabulon and Issachar went properly by the name of Galilee 5. part of Arabia Now Arabia is divided into Petraea or Stony Deserta or Desart and Faelix or Happy this last of a vast extent Persia a large Continent was anciently divided into Persis Susiana Carmania Gedrosia Drangiana Aria Arachosia Paropamisus Parthia Hyrcania Margiana and Bactria To Persia may be also referred Media and Georgia Media contained Atropatia and Georgia comprehended Iberia Colchis and Albania India was divided from the River Ganges into India intra Gangem or India on this side Ganges and India extra Gangem or India beyond Ganges Here is amongst other Kingdoms the vast Empire of the great Mogol China and Tartary are also two vast Continents but this last especially which altogether takes up above one third part of Asia As for the chief Islands of Asia you have had an Account of them in the fourth Discourse So I shall proceed to a general Account of Africk Phil. I am ready to hear you Sophr. Africk a compleat Peninsule is bounded on the North with the Streights of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean which part it from Europe on the South with the Southern Ocean which separates it from Terra Australis Eastward with the Ocean likewise for the most part then with the Red-Sea which parts it from Asia and lastly with the foresaid Isthmus of Sues where it joyns to Asia and without which Africk would be a compleat Island It contains in chief Berbary Biledulgerid Zara The Negroes Land Guinea Congo Cafraria Monomotapa Monomugi Zanguebar Abissinia Nubia Egypt Barbary which runs as Far as Aegypt along the Mediterranean contains the Kingdom of Morocco Westward upon the Atlantick Ocean the Kingdom of Fesse partly upon that Ocean partly upon the Streights and the Mediterranean Then still going Eastward you will find the States of Algier Tunis Tripoli and the Kingdom of Barca Now Mauritania took up the Western Part of Barbary And as the Kingdom of Tunis was the Africa propria of the Ancients so you will find their Cyrehe and Marmarica in the Kingdom of Barca Biledulgerid anciently called Numidia being part of Lybia Interior ly's South of Barbary and runs also from West to East as far as Aegypt Zara or Libya Deserta anciently counted likewise as part of Libya Interior ly's South of Biledulgerid South of that you will find the Negroes Land which runs also a great way from the Atlantick Eastward and is divided into several Kingdoms And Southward is Guinea a Sea Coast Country The first of note amongst other Things for the Negroes that are commonly imployed in the New World to do the Europeans Drudgery This for the Gold that is brought from thence Congo Cafraria Monomotapa and Monomugi went all amongst
Rhodes lying Westward from it But in the Ocean you will find besides Ceylan a considerable Island in the East-Indies these following incomparably bigger viz. Borneo Sumatra Java Celebes Mindanao Lucon or Manille and East of China Japan Africk cannot boast of any great Island besides that of Madagascar which indeed is a vast Island lying South-East-ward In the New World or America you will find near the Month of the River Canada a great Island called New-found-Land and in the Gulf of Mexico Cuba and Hispaniola West of Mare Vermejo or the Vermilion Sea there 's an Island as big as those three which is called California and South of the Streights of Magellan is also a large Island called Terra del Fuego or the Land of Fire The Rest are not to be compared in bigness to any of those But towards Terra Borealis North of America you will find three great but wild Islands called Cumberlands Isles lying betwixt the Streights of Hudson and Davis and another near Furbisher's Streights Further towards the East is Iseland another great Island belonging to the King of Denmark which is but thinly Inhabited The Arctick Circle passes through the middle of it Phil. What do you think Sophronius of Europe Asia and Africk Are they not surrounded with the Sea Sophr. They are so But because of their vast Extent they are usually called by the name of Continents Phil. I have heard say of Sicily that it was credibly supposed to have been in former times joyned to Italy Pray what ground is there for it Sophr. The Narrowness of the Streights and the Shallowness of it besides that the Land on both sides is very brittle First the Streight is so narrow that where narrowest it is not above a mile and a half broad and 't is observed that at the taking of Messina by the Carthaginians many of the Inhabitants saved themselves by swimming over into Italy Secondly It is so Shallow that upon a diligent Sounding 'tis found not to be above eight Fathom deep Thirdly the Land on both sides is so very brittle and so full of hollow Caverns and Chinks that it is lookt upon as the effects of a working Sea on this separation To which add that on the Italian Coast there stands a City of old called Rhegium and now Regio from the Greek Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to break off or pull asunder supposed to be so called upon this occasion The Poets themselves give us to understand as much when they tell us that Neptune with his Trident broke this Island off from the Continent in savour of Jocastus the Son of Aeolus that so he might Inhabit there with the greater safety And indeed if by Neptune we understand the Sea and by Aeolus the Winds we may easily with some help from the Mythologists make a Story good enough of that Poetical Fiction Phil. By what you said the Thing seems very probable And who knows but that our Island here was once joyn'd to the Continent of France and broke off from it by the violence of the Sea and the fury of blustering Winds or perhaps by some Earthquake 'T is you know but twenty miles over Sophr. That 's a great way Philalethes and I look upon that distance as the greatest Argument against it though I know there be those who are apt to believe it But let there be a Demurr upon that Subject and if you will let us now take a Survey of the chief Peninsules First I begin with Africk the largest and truest Peninsule of all being every where surrounded with Seas except where it joyns to Asia by the narrow Isthmus of Sues As for Europe and Asia you may call them if you will Peninsules but not so properly as Africk For though they be almost surrounded with Seas yet there is more than an Isthmus in the case Europe being joyned to Asia a good way by Land and this last besides to Africk by the aforesaid Isthmus But the Northern and Southern America make of themselves two large and perfect Peninsules every where incompassed with Seas but where they joyn together in the middle by the Isthmus of Panama Besides those great Peninsules there are others of a less compass and yet much taken notice of As 1. Jutland in Denmark known amongst the Ancients by the name of Cimbrica Chersonesus Chersonesus being Originally a Greek Word for a Peninsule 2. The Taurick Chersonese from the Latin Taurica Chersonesus which is properly the European Tartary lying betwixt the Black Sea and Palus Maeotis 3. The Thracian Chersonese from the Latin Thracica Chersonesus a Peninsule which runs North from the Hellespont in Greece 4. Morea formerly called Peloponesus in the Southern parts of Greece this Peninsule being joyned but by a very little Isthmus called the Corinthian Isthmus to the Continent of Greece 5. The Golden Chersonese from the Latin Aurea Chersonesus a famous Peninsule in the East-Indies where now lies the Kingdom of Malacca and the South part of that of Siam 6. The Peninsule of Corea in the North-East parts of China 7. Those of Acadia Florida and Yucatan in the Northern America the first lying Southward of St. Laurence's Gulf the second in Florida North of the Island Cuba and the third being part of Mexico or New Spain Now among the Istmus's that joyn these Peninsules to their several Continents there are three of special note viz. the Isthmus of Sues the Corinthian Isthmus and that of Panama And it is observable first as to the Corinthian Isthmus that there was a Design of old to cut it through being but six miles in breadth and so make a perfect Island of Morea This was attempted but in vain first by Demetrius King of Macedon then by Julius Caesar afterwards by Caius Caligula and most of all by the Emperour Nero. Who to hearten his Soldiers took himself a Spade in hand and began the Work But at last they being frighted with the Blood which abundantly broke forth with the Groans and Roarings they continually heard and with the Hobgoblins and Furies which were always in their sight as if God had not been pleased with so proud an Enterprize perswaded the Emperour to give over this unprofitable Design as had done the former Princes on the like Discouragements As to that of Panama which is twenty Leagues in breadth a small Ligament for so great a Body as the Northern and Southern America there has been also some thoughts of cutting a Navigable Channel through that Isthmus whereby those two Peninsules should be turned into Islands and the long Voyages to China and the Molucca's might be very much shortned The Thing it self has been oftentimes moved to the Council of Spain But it was not thought convenient to attempt it In Aegypt Sesostris King of that Countrey attempted to cut a main Channel from the Red Sea to the River Nilus fit for Ships of great Burthen the marks of which proud Attempt are remaining still His Project was seconded
true that towards Euphrates and near the Mountains of Arabia foelix it has some few Towns resorted to by Merchants But this is only in those Parts North-West of China there 's a notable Desart a Sandy one called Xamo Desertum the Desart of Lop or Xamo through some part of which runs Hoang the great River of China As for Africk Desarts are as common there as Forrests in Europe And there is a good Part of it lying betwixt Biledulgerid Northward and the Negroes Land Southward that is but a continual Desart 'T is that we call in Latin Lybia Deserta or by the name of the Country Zara which signifies a Desart or Wilderness In America 't is said there are likewise vast Desarts but we have as yet no good Account of them So Philalethes I shall conclude with these Reflections upon the different Nature of Country's as Parts of the Earth For whereas some Country's are Flat and only set out with some pleasant little Hills here and there others are Mountainous full of huge Hills and dreadful Precipices Some are Fat and Marshy when others are Sand or Stony Some Country's are fruitful irrigated with fair and Navigable Rivers and in short bless'd with all Necessaries whilst others are barren unhappy and full of Desarts fit only to bring forth wild and venomous Beasts Some produce one Thing some another according to that of Ovid Nec eadem Tellus parit omnia Vitibus illa Convenit haec Oleis hîc bene Farra virent Some Country's injoy a Temperate Air as most Country's of Europe whilst some are e'en Scorched by an extream Heat of the Sun and others Frozen up almost all the Year round And here it is that they have almost a continual Day-light for six Months and as long a time of continual Darkness whilst most part of the World enjoys in the space of 24 hours the more convenient and daily Vicissitude of Day and Night more or less Again some Country's but Islands especially are extremely subject to Fogs Winds Rain and Change of Weather whilst Country's remote from the Sea do commonly enjoy a purer Air a more Serene Sky and such Weather as is suitable to the Season Those are commonly Unhealthful and subject to divers Diseases These nothing near so much In fine some Country's as in the East are much subject to Earth-quakes some as the Caribby Islands to Hurricanes and dreadful Tempests and others as Sicily and Iseland to Deluges of Fire The Fifth Discourse Of the Waters SOphr In our last Discourse I have given you Philalethes such an Account of the visible Earth as might fill your Expectation Now I shall make it my business to be as Accurate in the Description of the Waters which as I said before make up together with the Earth the Terr-Aqueous Globe In order to which I must tell you in the first place that as the Earth is chiefly divided into Continents Islands and Peninsules so are the Waters principally divided into Seas Lakes and Rivers By the Sea in general is meant that great Body of Waters which is thought to incompass the Earth on every side and is properly called by the Name of Ocean But there are particular Seas which flow out of the Ocean through a narrow Passage and stretch themselves a long way through several Country's therefore called Inland Seas as the Mediterranean the Baltick and Red-Sea of which more afterwards A Lake is a considerable Body of Waters having no visible Intercourse with the Sea or influx into it as the Lake of Geneva A River is a Water-course issuing from some Spring or Lake and continually running in its proper Channel till it emptys it self either into the Sea immediately or else into a greater River The Place where it begins is called Spring Head or Source where it runs into another Fall Influx or Confluence and where it loses it self in any Sea that is properly termed the Mouth of the River But next to Seas Lakes and Rivers I must explain unto you these Words Viz. Gulf. Bay Creek Streight Haven Pond Torrent Brook Spring A Gulf is properly a part of the Sea that makes a crooked or circling Shore of a large extent as the Gulf of Bengala in the East-Indies and that of Mexico in America A Bay is nothing else but a midling sort of Gulf Though I confess there are great Gulfs which bear the name of Bay as North of America Baffins Hudsons and Buttons Bay A Creek is a little Bay A Streight is an Arm or a narrow Passage of a Sea as the Streights of Magellan Gibraltar and the Hellespont A Haven or an Harbour is a safe Place for Ships to ride at Anchor A Pond or Pool is but a small Body of standing Waters apt to be dryed up in Summer if not fed with some Spring or other A Torrent is a rapid Water caused by some great Rain or Thaw and so rushing down the Hills with great swiftness A Brook or Rivulet is but a little running Stream of a small extent And by a Spring or Fountain is meant a little Stream immediately Springing out of the Ground Now to follow the same Method we used in the Description of the Earth I must give you Philalethes a particular Account of the Seas Lakes Rivers c. The Ocean which surrounds the World may be divided according to its four Quarters into Northern Eastern Southern Western The Northern Ocean is that which lies North of Europe Asia and the Northern America and so parts them from Terra Borealis But it is also called the Frozen Sea as being commonly clogged with Ice in Winter-time The Eastern lyes between Asia and America called Eastern in respect to Asia But about the Southern America it is best known by the name of Mar del zur or South Sea or by the name of Pacifick The Southern Ocean ly's South of Asia Africk and America and so parts them from Terra Australis The Western lies betwixt Europe and Africk of one side and America on the other side called Western because it ly's West of Europe and Africk But towards America it is named Mar del North or the North Sea Now the Ocean has several particular Names commonly taken from the adjacent Country's So about Brittain it is called the Brittish Sea about Ireland Irish Sea about the lower Germany the German Sea or the German Ocean and about Spain the Spanish Sea Towards the East-Indies it is named the Indian Sea On the West side of Africk from Atlas the great African Mountain it bears the name of Atlantick Sea or Atlantick Ocean and towards Aethiopia it is from hence called Aethiopick But besides the Ocean there are some Inland Seas into which the Ocean diffuses it self As the Mediterranean which runs Eastward from the Streights of Gibraltar above a thousand Leagues betwixt Europe Northwards and Africk Southwards as far as the Shore of Asia Therefore 't is called the Mediterranean that is the Midland Sea from the Latin Mare
to the general Rule Some Rivers run under Ground more or less in the midst of their Course and at last come up again as new Rivers Such are the Guadiana and the Rhone in Europe Tigris in Asia Niger and Nubia in Africk Some spread themselves into the form of a Lake as the Tanais and Oby And others cross a Lake with so swift a course that they preserve themselves distinct from the Waters of it as the. Rhone aforesaid which coming down the Alpes falls into the Lake Leman and having run through the whole length of it from East to West comes out at Geneva Some Rivers have great Cataracts or Falls as the Rhine betwixt Bilefelt and Shaffausen the Rhone betwixt Geneva and Lyon and la Somme betwixt Amiens and Abbeville So 't is said of the River Nilus in Africk that in two several places it falls amongst Rocks with so terrible a noise that the Neighbouring People grow deaf with it Phil. Pray let us hear something of their Fall into the Sea Sophr. Many of the greatest Rivers fall in through several Mouths as the Danube and Nilus which have no less than seven each of them And Olearius in his Travels through Tartary to Persia tells us of 70. Mouths through which the River Volga that I have been upon several times disburdeneth it self after a winding Course of a thousand leagues into the Caspian Sea But there are some Rivers and commonly small ones that neither fall into other Rivers nor yet into the Sea but either lose themselves in the Ground or turn into a Lake Phil. Are all Rivers of the same Colour as ours are Sophr. They are generally so But yet there be some of a blackish colour some whitish and others reddish Of this last sort was the Adonis a River of Phaenicia in Syria which rises out of Mount Libanus and falls into the Sea 6. miles South of Barut This River in Summer-time used to contract a kind of Redness occasioned by the Winds which then blowing most vehemently did thereby carry down the Stream a great quantity of minium or red Earth from the sides of the Hills wherewith the Water was discoloured Phil. Is not this the River which was reported as Lucian has it to stream blood when the obsequies of Adonis the Darling of Venus were yearly celebrated Sophr. The very same Thus a natural Accident was made use of to give the better colour to the Superstition as if Adonis's Wounds did bleed every year Phil. Now as to the Tast of River-Water are all Rivers sweet as ours are Sophr. 'T is to be observed first that all Rivers subject to the Tide have a Tast of the Sea-water especially near their Fall into the Sea and so far as the Tide go's they have a brackish kind of Tast But there are other Rivers that have a brackish and mineral Tast upon another Account that is from such Minerals as they meet in their Course Phil. You know that Rivers are apt to overflow after a great Rain or Thaw as it frequently happens either at the beginning or at the latter end of Winter But I have heard of a more general and constant Overflowing of some great Rivers beyond Sea which I much admire at Sophr. 'T is this overflowing upon which depends the Want or Plenty of those Countrys And the River Nilus amongst others is as famous for that as it is for its Crocodiles In May says Thevenot it begins to flow and so increases every day some Inches till die latter end of September or the beginning of October At which time it begins to fall and is as long ebbing as flowing In the Year 1658. it increased according to the same Author who was then in the great Caire to the height of almost 22 Pics each Pic at 24 Inches And then the River began to decrease the 23d of September Phil. What becomes in the mean time of the Inhabitants and their Cattle during this great Land-Flood For Egypt at that time must needs look like a Sea Sophr. They retire upon Hills and there abide till the decrease of the Waters holding still a Commerce by the Intercourse of Boats Now as it happens sometimes that we have some Years too wet and others too dry so if Nilus overflows too much or too little Aegypt do's suffer for 't Unless it rise to 16 Pics 't is a bad Year and when it do's rise to 24. 't is as bad But if it chance at any time not to overflow at all 't is worst of all For then it does not only presage a Famine in Egypt but as some will have it prognosticates a Change in the State And accordingly 't is said that in the tenth and eleventh Years of Cleopatra a little before her Fall with her Sweet-heart Antonius the River increased not at all Phil. This is indeed very Remarkable But when the Water of Nilus is withdrawn to its natural Channel I suppose the Ground is very Slimy having lain so long under Water Sophr. So very Slimy that whereas we are fain to dung our Grounds the Egyptians throw Sand upon theirs before they Sow or Plant any thing And of this Slime is ingendred many living Creatures and as some say such innumerable heaps of Frogs that if the Country were not furnished as it is with a proportionable number of Storks by whom they are greedily devoured the Plague of Frogs would come a second time upon the Inhabitants Phil. Is it true that it never rains in Egypt Sophr. T is a Vulgar Error strongly confuted by Monsieur Thevenot Who affirms that it rains much in Alexandria and Rosetta but not indeed so much in the City of Caire However he says that he has seen it rain there two days together very hard and with great Thunder-claps in the Month of December The Sixth Discourse Of the National Tarts of the Earth SOphr Besides the Natural Division of the World into Earth and Waters there is a National Division of it which is to be the Subject of our present Discourse And to make it clear to ye you must know first the World is divided into two Principal Parts the Known and the Unknown World The Unknown World or that Part of the World which is yet Unknown to us lies about the Poles but the greater Part towards the Southern Pole That Part which lies towards the North Pole is called in Latin Terra Borealis or Terra Polaris Arctica and the other Part that lies towards the South Pole Terra Australis or Terra Polaris Antarctica The Known World is usually divided into four Parts Europe Asia Africk and America But it is a most unequal Division and I think it more rational to divide it thus Viz. the Known World first into two Parts the Old and the New World then the Old World into three Europe Asia and Africa and the New into two the Northern and Southern America For as the Old World do's visibly consist of three distinct Peninsules so is