scarce The length of the Days and Nights in them is much the same throughout the whole Year the Latitude of the Northmost of 'em being inconsiderable The chief Commodities of these Islands are Cinamon Gold Silver most sort of Spices Rice Honey Precious Stones c. In Ceylon is that remarkable Mountain commonly call'd Adam's Pike which is of a great height and reported to send forth sometimes from its top both Smoke and Flame In many of the Maldive Islands grows that Tree bearing the Cacoa or India Nuts which is very remarkable for its various uses for out of it is yearly drain'd a large Quantity of Juice which being drawn at certain Seasons and prepared after different manners do taste exactly like excellent Oyl Butter Milk as also some sorts of Wine and Sugar Of the Fruit they usually make Bread and the Leaves serve as Paper to write upon And as for the Trunk of the Tree they imploy it either in building of Houses or Ships These Islands likeways abound with variety of pretty white Shells which are much admir'd and pass current as Money in many Parts of the Adjacent Continent Archbishopricks Bishopricks Universities None The Natives of these Islands being for the most part Tall and Strait of Body are esteem'd a Lazy Proud and Effeminate Sort of People yet some of 'em are reputed to be good Artificers in Metals Most of 'em go stark Naked except what Natural Instinct prompteth them to cover To wear long Hair is the only priviledge of the King and Soldiers The Inhabitants of the Maldives have a peculiar Jargon of their own Those who reside on the Sea-Coasts of Ceylon understand a little Dutch and something of the Portugueze Tongue The Maldives are mostly subject to one Sovereign who hath his ordinary Residence in Male the chief of all those Islands And Ceylon is govern'd by its own King residing at Candea to whom several little Princes are Tributary but much of the Sea-Coasts is possess'd by the Dutch The Maldive Sovereign is said to assume the Title of Sultan King of Thriteen Provinces and Twelve thousand Islands viz. those of the Maldives their number being generally accounted such The Natives of this mighty Cluster of Islands are partly Mahometans partly Idolaters especially the latter Paganism being the most predominant of the two And so much for Asia and the Asiatick Islands Now followeth AFRICA by R. Morden CHAP. III. Of AFRICA Divided page 44. into Egypt Capital City Cairo Barbary Fez. Bildulgerid Dara Zaara or the Desart Zuenziga The Land of the Negroes Tombute Guinea Arda Nubia 〈◊〉 Ethiopia Exterior or Inf. 〈◊〉 Interior or Sup. 〈◊〉 To these add the African Islands Of all which in Order Therefore SECT I. Concerning Egypt  d. m. Situated between 52 06 of Long. It s greatest Length from N. E. to S. W. is about 650 Miles 62 40 between 21 10 of Latit Breadth from E. to W. is about 310 Miles 30 00 It comprehenâ—◠〈◊〉 or the Lower Egypt Chief Town Alexandria Northward Bechria or Middle Egypt Cairo Sahid or Upper Egypt Sahid Southward The Coasts of the Red-Sea Cossir THIS Country much the same with Ancient Egypt and variously nam'd of old as Misraim by the Jews Augustanica by the Romans Oceana by Perosâ—s Ogâ—gâ—a by Xâ—uophon Potamia by Herodotus and Hefostia by Homer c. is term'd by the Italians Egitto by the Spaniards Egypto by the French Egypte by the Germans Egypten and by the English Egypt so call'd as many imagine from Egyptus Son of Belus and Brother to Danaus The Air of this Country is very hot and generally esteem'd extremely unwholesome being always infected with nauseous Vapours ascending from the fat and sâ—imy Soil of the Earth That it never Rains in Egypt as some have boldly affirm'd may deservedly claim a place among the Vulgar Errors of the World The opposite Place of the Globe to Egypt is part of Mare Pacificum lying between 232 and 242 Degrees of Longitude with 21 and 31 Degrees of South Latitude Egypt â— lying in the 4th and 5th North Climate was and is still accounted as fertil a Country as any in the World the Soil being wonderfully fatned by the yearly overflowing of the Nile It 's exceeding plentiful of all sorts of Grain and for its vast abundance of Corn in former times 't was commonly term'd Horreum Populi Romani The longest Day in the Northmost Parts is about 14 Hours ½ the shortest in the Southmost is 10 Hours ½ and the Nights proportionably The chief Commodities of this Country are Sugar Flax Rice all sorts of Grains and Fruits Linnen-Cloath Salt Balfam Senna Cassia Butargio c. In and near to Ancient Alexandria now term'd by the Turks Scanderick or Scanderie are many considerable Remains of Antiquity particularly the ruin'd Walls of that ancient famous City with a considerable number of Towers several of which are almost intire Here also are divers stately Porphyry Pillars and several curious Obelisks of pure Granet especially that which bears the Name of Pompey's Pillar some of 'em still standing others thrown down and all adorn'd with variety of Hieroglyphicks For a particular Account of such Pillars with a curious Draught of divers of 'em representing both their true Dimensions and Hieroglyphick Characters Vid. Philos Trans N. 161. and 178. To these Curiosities we may add the once proud Palace of Cleopatra now wholly in Ruins being so defac'd that 't is hardly discernible if ever such a stately Structure was in that place 2 In the Ancient Castle of Grand Caire are several Remarkables worthy of Observation which Strangers with some difficulty obtain leave to see The chief whereof are these Three First The Arcane which is a frightful dark Dungeon and that as they tell you into which the Patriarch Joseph was thrown down Secondly A very large Ancient Room with about thirty Pillars of Thebaick Stone as yet standing which still bears the Name of Joseph's Hall Lastly In this Castle is a prodigious deep Pit with a Spring of good Water in its bottom a Rarity in Egypt which the Natives term Joseph's Well From this Pit some Travellers are pleas'd to talk of an Artificial Communication under Ground between the Pyramids on one hand and the Town of Swez on the other For a farther account of these Particulars Vid. Thevenot 's Travels Part I. c. 9. 3. A few Miles West of Grand Caire are the Egyptian Pyramids call'd by the Turks Pharaon Doglary and by the Arabs Dgebel Pharaon i. e. Pharaoh's Hills those famous Monuments of Antiquity which 't would seem devouring Time could not consume The biggest of 'em hath these Dimensions viz. Five hundred and twenty Foot high upon a Base of six hundred and two Foot square two hundred and fifty Steps from top to bottom each Step being two Hands broad and almost four high and its Top being flat is able to contain thirty Men. 4. Adjacent to
and parallel to the Equator are term'd Parallels of Latitude But besides those actually inscrib'd we are to conceive the Globe as furnisht with a vast multitude of such Circles for every degree of Latitude yea and every sixtieth part of each degree is supposed to have an imaginary Parallel Circle passing through the same But since Latitude as aforesaid is the Distance from the Equator to either of the Poles it from hence follows that the greatest Latitude consisteth of 90 Degrees Now correspondent to each of those Degrees or the 1 360 of a great Circle in the Heavens is a certain Space of the Surface of the Earth which is every where of the same Extent in it self but different in its number of Parts according to the different reckoning of various Countries To know the said different number of Parts of what sort soever whether they be Miles Leagues or other Measures corresponding to one Degree in the Heavens is absolutely necessary for the right understanding of the true Distance of Places in different Countries we shall therefore illustrate the same and that by the following Table answerable to one Degree are Common Italian English and Turkish Miles 60 Ordinary French Leagues 20 Spanish Miles according to Vulgar reckoning 17½ German Dutch Danish and Great Poland Miles 15 Miles usual in Swedeland 12 Miles usual in Hungary 10 The Versts of Muscovy 80 Persian Arabtan and Egyptian Parasanga 20 The Indian Cos. 24 The Stades of China 250 The Inks of Japan 400 But here note That though these are the most remarkable Measures of Distance throughout the inhabited World with their respective Proportion to one Degree in the Heavens yet we are not to imagine that these Measures are of the same Extent in the various Provinces of the same Country as is evident from the different length of Leagues in different Parts of France as also the diversity of Miles in the South and North of England Def. 15. Longitude is the Distance from the first Meridian and measured upon the Equator In reckoning the various Degrees of Longitude which are 360 in all you are to begin at the first Meridian where-ever it is and to proceed upon the Equator quite round the Globe Correspondent to each of those Degrees in the Equator as to Degrees of Latitude on the Meridian are sixty Italian Miles or twenty French Leagues according to Vulgar Calculation But this is to be understood only of Places exactly under the Equator for the true Distance between two Places lying due East and West in any considerable Latitude is far less in Miles than between other two Places lying exactly under the Equator and likewise under the same Meridians The Reason of which is most evident namely the approaching of the Meridians nearer and nearer to one another till at last they unite all in the Pole But that you may readily find the true Distance in Miles from East to West between any two Places in any Parallel of Latitude we shall here subjoin the following Table in which is set down to every Degree of Latitude the exact number of Miles and sixtieth Part of a Mile that are answerable to one Degree in the Equator still allowing sixty Italian Miles to such a Degree Lat. m. s Lat. m s Lat m. s Lat. m. s 0 60 00 23 55 12 46 41 40 69 21 32 1 59 56 24 54 48 47 41 00 70 20 32 2 59 54 25 54 24 48 40 08 71 19 32 3 59 52 26 54 00 49 39 20 72 18 32 4 59 50 27 53 28 50 38 32 73 17 32 5 59 46 28 53 00 51 37 44 74 16 32 6 59 40 29 52 28 52 37 00 75 15 32 7 59 37 30 51 56 53 36 08 76 14 32 8 59 24 31 51 24 54 35 26 77 13 32 9 59 10 32 50 52 55 34 24 78 12 32 10 59 00 33 50 20 56 33 32 79 11 28 11 58 52 34 49 44 57 32 40 80 10 24 12 58 40 35 49 08 58 31 48 81 9 20 13 58 28 36 48 32 59 31 00 82 8 20 14 58 12 37 47 56 60 30 00 83 7 20 15 58 00 38 47 16 61 29 04 84 6 12 16 57 40 39 46 36 62 28 08 85 5 12 17 57 20 40 46 00 63 27 12 86 4 12 18 57 04 41 45 16 64 26 16 87 3 12 19 56 44 42 44 36 65 25 20 88 2 04 20 56 24 43 43 52 66 24 24 89 1 04 21 56 00 44 43 08 67 23 28 90 0 00 22 55 36 45 42 24 68 22 32 Def 16. Zones are large Tracts of the Surface of the Earth lying Parallel to the Equator and distinguish'd by the four lesser Circles of the Globe They 're term'd Zones from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zona vel Cingulum because they encompass the Globe of the Earth in some manner as a Girdle doth surround the Body of a Man and are in number Five Viz. Two Frigid comprehended between The Polar Circles and the Poles Two Temperate The Polar Circles and the Tropicks One Torrid The Two Tropicks and divided by the Equator Of these the Ancients imagin'd only the Two Temperate to be habitable esteeming the scorching Heat of the Torrid and pinching Cold of the two Frigid to be equally intollerable according to that of the Poet Quarum quae media est non est habitabilis aestu Nix tegit alta duas Ovid. Metam 1. Def. 17. Climates are those Tracts of the Surface of the Earth bounded by imaginary Circles running Parallel to the Equator and of such a breadth from South to North that the length of the Artificial Day in one surpasseth that in the other by half an Hour They 're term'd Climates from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Declino vel Inclino because in numbring of them they decline from the Equator and incline to either Pole Not to mention what the Ancients taught of Climates either as to their number or manner of reckoning them It 's sufficient for our present purpose to consider that Modern Geographers have advanc'd the Number of them to 60. From the Equator to each of the Polar Circles are 24 arising from the difference of ½ Hour in the longest Day and from the Polar Circles to the Poles themselves are Six arising from the difference of an intire Month the Sun being seen in the first of these a whole Month without setting in the second two and in the third three Months c. How all these Climates are fram'd viz. the true Parallel of Latitude in which they end that being likewise the beginning of the following with the respective breadth of each of them you may clearly see by the following Tables Climat Climates between the Equator and Polar Circles d. m. d. m Clim d. m. d. m. Par. of Lat. Breadth Par. of Lat. Breadth 1 08 25 8 25 13 59 58 1 29 2 16 25 8 00 14 61 18 1 20 3 23 50 7 25
15 62 25 1 07 4 30 20 6 30 16 63 22 0 57 5 36 28 6 08 17 64 6 0 44 6 41 22 4 54 18 64 49 0 43 7 45 29 4 07 19 65 2◠0 32 8 49 01 3 32 20 65 47 0 26 9 51 58 2 57 21 66 6 0 19 10 54 27 2 29 22 66 20 0 14 11 56 37 2 10 23 66 28 0 08 12 58 29 1 52 24 66 31 0 03 Climates between the Polar Circles and the Poles d. m. d. m. d. m. d. m d. m. d. m. Par. Lat. Par. Lat. Par. Lat. Par. Lat. Par. Lat. Par. Lat. 67 30 69 30 73 20 78 20 84 00 90 00 Breadth Breadth Breadth Breadth Breadth Breadth 01 00 02 00 03 50 05 00 05 40 06 00 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month Having thus taken a view of the chief Circles belonging to the Terrestrial Globe as also the manner how Latitude and Longitude with Zones and Climates are fram'd proceed we next to the various Positions of the Globe commonly term'd Spheres which are three in Number viz. Parallel Right and Oblique Def. 18. A Parallel Sphere is that Position of the Globe which hath these three Properties viz. 1. The Poles in the Zenith and Nadir 2. The Equator in the Horizon 3. The Parallel Circles parallel to the Horizon The Inhabitants of this Sphere are those if any who live under the two Poles Def. 19. A Right Sphere is that Position of the Globe which hath these three Properties viz. 1. Both the Poles in the Horizon 2. The Equator passing through the Zenith and Nadir 3. The Parallel Circles perpendicular to the Horizon The Inhabitants of this Sphere are they who live under the Equinoctial Line Def. 20. An Oblique Sphere is that Position of the Globe which hath these three Properties viz. 1. One of the Poles above and the other under the Horizon 2. The Equator partly above and partly under the Horizon 3. The Parallel Circles cutting the Horizon obliquely The Inhabitants of this Sphere are they who live on all Parts of the Globe of the Earth except those exactly under the Poles and Equinoctial Line But having no regard to these Positions of the Globe The various Inhabitants of the Earth are likewise considered with respect to the several Meridians and Parallels peculiar to their Habitations and that under these three Titles viz. Antaeci Periaci and Antipodes Def. 21. The Antaeci are those People of the Earth who live under the same Meridian but opposite Parallels Peculiar to such People are these following Particulars viz. 1. They have both the same Elevation of the Pole but not the same Pole 2. They are equally distant from the Equator but on different sides 3 They have both Noon and Midnight at the same time 4 The Days of one are equal to the Nights of the other vice versâ 5. Their Seasons of the Year are contrary it being Winter to one when Summer to the other c. Def. 22 The Perlaeci are those People of the Earth who live under the same Parallels but opposite Meridians Peculiar to such People are these following Particulars viz. 1. One of the Poles is equally elevated to both and the other equally depress'd 2. They are equally distant from the Equator and both on the same side 3. When it's Noon to one it 's Midnight to the other econtra 4 The length of the Day to one is the Compliment of the other's Night vice versâ 5. They both agree in the four Seasons of the Year c. Def. 23. The Antipodes are those People of the Earth who live under opposite Parallels and Meridians Peculiar to such People are these following Particulars viz. 1. They have both the same Elevation of the Pole 2 They are both equally distant from the Equator but on different sides and in opposite Haemispheres 3. When it's Noon to one it 's Midnight to the other vice versâ 4. The longest Day or Night to the one is the shortest to the other 5. Their Seasons of the Year are contrary c. The Inhabitants of the Earth were likewise considered by the Ancients with respect to the Diversity of their Shadows and accordingly reduc'd to three Classes viz. Amphiscii Periscii and Heteroscii Def. 24. Amphiscii were those People of the Earth who liv'd in the Torrid Zone or between the two Tropicks They 're so term'd from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utrinque and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Umbra because they cast their Shadows on both sides of them viz. North and South according to the Nature of the Sun's Declination Def. 25. Periscii were those People of the Earth who liv'd in the Frigid Zones or between the Polar Circles and the Poles They 're so call'd from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Circà and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Umbra because they cast their Shadows round about them towards all Points of the Compass Def. 26. Heteroscii were those People of the Earth who liv'd in the two Temperate Zones or between the Tropicks and the Polar Circles They 're so call'd from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alto and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Umbra because they cast their Shadows only one way viz. North if in the North temperate or South if in the South temperate Zone But leaving the various Inhabitants of the Earth and to come closer to our main Design let us return to the Globe of the Earth it self consider'd simply as a Spherical Body whose Surface we are to view as compos'd of Land and Water as its sole constituent Parts and those two Parts thus subdivided as followeth to wit Land into Continents Isthmus Islands Promontories Peninsula's Mountains Water into Oceans Straits Seas Lakes Gulfs Rivers Def. 27. A Continent Lat. Continens à Contineo is a large and spacious Space of dry Land comprehending divers Countries Kingdoms and States all join'd together without any intire Separation of its Parts by Water Def. 28. An Island Lat. Insula quasi in salo is a part of dry Land environed round with Water Def. 29. A Peninsula quasi penè Insula otherwise Chersonesus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terra and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insula is a part of the dry Land every where enclosed with Water save one narrow Neck adjoining the same to the Continent Def. 30. An Isthmus ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ingredior is that narrow Neck of Land annexing the Peninsula to the Continent by which People may enter into one from the other Def. 31. A Promontory quasi Mons in mare prominens is a high part of Land stretching it self out in the Sea the Extremity whereof is commonly term'd a Cape or Head-Land Def. 32. A Mountain à moneo vel emineo is a rising part of the dry Land over-topping the adjacent Country and appearing the first at a distance Def. 33. The Ocean Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
sorts of our English Grain and those Parts possess'd by the French produce some plenty of Vines This Island is sufficiently stockt with Deer Hares Otters Foxes c. Here also is abundance of Land and Water-Fowl but above all things its Coasts are surrounded with incredible multitudes of Cod-Fish The length of the days and Nights in New-found-Land is the same as in the Southmost parts of England and Northern of France they all lying under the same Parallels of Latitude The Commodities of this Island are principally Furs Whale-Oyl and Cod-Fish especially the latter whereof there is such plenty that the Fishing and bringing of them to Europe particularly the Streights is now grown to a settl'd and very advantageous Trade Nothing here deserves the Epithet of Rare unless we reckon that prodigious large Bank of Sand upon the South-East of the Island about 300 miles in length and upwards of 75 in breadth where broadest remarkable for those vast multitudes of Bacalaos or Cod-Fish and Peer John which are taken in great numbers by divers European Nations who yearly resort hither for that end So thick do those Fishes sometimes swarm upon this Bank that they retard the passage of Ships sailing over the same Archbishopricks Bishopricks Universities None The Natives of this Island are for the Plurality of 'em Persons of a middle Stature broad-face'd and those of the Masculine Sex are usually beardless They generally colour their Faces with Oker and for Cloathing use Skins of Wild Beasts They live by ten or twelve Families together in poor Cabbins made of Poles in form of our Arbours and cover'd with Skins They ordinarily imploy themselves in Hunting as most of the other Americans usually do The English and French here residing are much the same with those in Europe All that can be said of the Language here commonly us'd among the Natives is that 't is a certain Dialect of the Indian Tongue which prevails among all the Indian Inhabitants with little variation of Accent in the various Parts of the Island The Europeans here residing do still retain the maternal Language of the respective Countries from whence they came In the Year 1623. Sir George Calvert Principal Secretary of State having obtain'd a Patent for a Part of Newfoundland erected the same into a Province call'd Avalon and therein settl'd a Plantation which after him was enjoy'd by his Son Caecilius Lord Baltimore This Island was set upon and master'd by the French in the late tedious War but speedily retaken by the English who are now in full Possession of what they formerly enjoy'd The Natives of this Island upon its first discovery were found to acknowledge a Supreme Being whom they own'd as the Creator of all things but err'd extremely in their Apprehensions about the manner of the Creation alledging that Men and Women were at first made of a certain number of Arrows stuck fast in the Ground They generally believe the Immortality of the Soul and that the Dead go into a far Country there to make merry as they think with their Friends §. 3. Cuba THIS Island discovered by the Spaniards Anno 1494. is term'd by the Italians Spaniards French Germans and English Cuba Which Name is the same it had when first discover'd being so call'd by the Natives and neighbouring Islanders what may be the Etymology of that Indian Appellation we know not The Air of this Island considering its small Latitude is very temperate being mightily qualifi'd by Vapours that daily ascend from the Earth The opposite Place of the Globe to Cuba is that part of the East-Iudian Ocean lying between 110 and 120 Degrees of Longitude with 20 and 23 Degrees of South Latitude This Island lying in the same Climate with the Northern Part of New Spain is not so fertil in Grain as Wood being generally cover'd over with Trees some of which do drop the purest Rozin Here is great plenty of Fish and Flesh and in some Parts are divers kinds of excellent Fruits The length of the Days and Nights in Cuba is much the same as in the North of New Spain they both lying under the same Parallels of Latitude The chief Commodities of this Island are Gold Ginger Cassia Mastick Aloes Cinamon Sugar c. The most remarkable thing in this Island is a noted Bituminous Fountain out of which there flows a sort of Pitchy Substance commonly us'd for calking of Ships Here also is a Valley full of Flint-Stones of different sizes and those by nature so round that they may serve as Bullets for most sorts of Cannons Vid. Heylin's Cosmog page 1079. In this Island is one Bishoprick viz. that of St. Jago Suffragan to the Archbishop of St. Domingo in Hispaniola The Inhabitants of this Island being for the most part Spaniards are the same in Manners with those on the Continent The Spaniards here residing do still retain and commonly use the Spanish Tongue This Island was formerly govern'd by certain Caciques or Captains but is now wholly subject to the King of Spain who still keeps a particular Governor in it whose ordinary Residence is in that Great and Populous City Havana The Spaniards here residing are of the same Religion with that establish'd and universally profess'd in Spain §. 4. Jamaica THIS Island first discovered by Columbus in his Second Voyage to America and brought into Possession of the English by Penn and Venables in the time of Oliver Cremwell is term'd Jamaica by the Italians Spaniards French Germans and English It was at first call'd St. Jago by Columbus which Name was afterwards chang'd into that of Jamaica after King James then Duke of York when it had been subjected for some time to the Crown of England The Air of this Island is more temperate than in most of the neighbouring Islands the Heat thereof being much allay'd by fresh Easterly Breezes that blow in the Day-time and the frequent Showers that fall in the Night Hurricanes and Earthquakes so frequent in the Caribbees are seldom heard of here whereupon we may justly impute that terrible Earthquake Anno 1693. rather to a Moral than a Natural Cause viz. the many and horrid Abominations abounding among the Inhabitants whith without doubt did loudly call for Judgements from Heaven The opposite Place of the Globe to Jamaica is part of the East-Indian Ocean lying between 110 and 120 Degrees of Longitude with 17 and 20 Degrees of South Latitude The Soil of this Island is extraordinary rich and fertil producing great quantity of Corn Herbs and Fruits abounding also in Sugar Cotton Tobacco various kinds of Spices with divers sorts of Physical Drugs and Gums as Sumach Guiacum Aloes Benjamin Sarsaparilla c. The large and pleasant Fields appear constantly Green and Springing they being well stockt with variety of Trees and Plants which are never disrob'd of their Summer-Liveries Here likeways are