Precopensis Cambaja Long among which are The Chersonesus of Malacca adjoyning to India Cimbrica or Jutland adhering to Holsatia Borea adjoyning to Tartaria The North and South parts of America California Jucatan The Chersonesus of Thracia Nova Francia Ionia Cindensis Mindensis Of Affinity to Peninsulas Italy Greece Acaia Spain Norway Sweden Lapland Asia minor Arabia Beach a Region of Magellan and New Guiney Indostan Cochinchina New-England Monomotapa Camboia 3. Islands which may be considered in four sorts viz. Great as England Japan Island Canada Sumatra Madagascar Borneo Nova Zembla California Indifferent as Sicilia Ireland Hispaniola Cuba Java Major Celebes Creet Luconia Sardinia Friesland Terra Nova Mindanoa Ceilan Small as Gilolo Amboina Timor Corsica Majorca Cyprus Negropont Sealand Jamaica The very small ones in which we consider 1. The more famous Solitaria Rhodes Malta Lemnos Helena St. Thomas 2. A knot or heap of Isles together as The Canary Isles The Flandrian or Caribbe Isles The Hesperides Those of the Gulph of Mexico Of Maldives Of Japan About Madagascar The Moluccoes and Isles of Bauda The Philippine Isles The Isles of Theeves The Isles in the Aegean Sea The Isles about England The Isles of Solomon 4. The Isthmuses Between Egypt and Arabia or Africa and Asia That of Corinth between Peloponesus and Achaia The Isthmus of Panama or America the longest of all Between Jutland and Holsatia Between Malacca and India OF Absolute Geography SECT III. Wherein the constitution of the Land or the dry part of the Earth in four Chapters is declared CHAP. VIII Concerning the natural division of the parts of the Earth made from the Ocean flowing round about it THE things which in this Chapter we shall deliver concerning the division of the Earth and in the fifteenth Chapter we shall teach touching the division of the Sea will greatly facilitate the young Student in the understanding the distinction of the surface and parts of the Earth and to fix them the faster in the memory they are carefully and fully to be read and to be compared with the Terrestrial Artificial Globe and Maps Proposition I. A certain portion of Earth is covered with Water and a certain part stands out above the Surface of the Water Of parts of the Earth covered and of parts not covered with water but yet there are some parts which at some time are covered with Waters and some parts are free from them and conspicuous as many Islands by Norway Scotland and other Countries Add to these the beds or shelves of Sand and Seashores But seeing these parts are so small we take no account of them at present neither will we move that Question here Whether the Land takes up the greater part of the Superficies of the Earth or whether the Water We will treat of this briefly in the eighteenth Chapter Now we will confider the part standing up or extant above the Waters and we will call it Lands or Islands Proposition II. The Earth standing out above the waters not one but many Lands of which may be five sorts The Land or Earth standing out above the Waters is not one and continual but many Lands divided and disjoyned from one another by the Water flowing it between them We will make five differences of them to wit 1. The greatest Lands or Islands 2. The great ones 3. The mean ones 4. The little ones and 5. The least ones We will treat of the cause and original of these Lands extant or above the Waters or of the Islands in the eighteenth Chapter for there will be a more commodious place to treat of this Matter or Subject But all Lands extant above the Waters were to be called Islands seeing that an Island is no other thing then a Land begirt with Waters All Lands extant above the waters may be called Islands yet the common use of speaking hath taken away from the greatest Lands this name because that they are so great and of such a huge tract and continuance that the Circuit of the Water is thereby the less to be perceived Insomuch that they are usually called the firm Land and also great Continents And indeed by reason of their vast bulk and greatness unto which the magnitude of other Islands being compared is small they deserve this peculiar name therefore we will also call them firm Lands and great Continents Proposition III. The firm Lands four The greatest Lands Continents or Islands not contending with any about their name are four First the Old World Secondly the New World or America Thirdly the Polar Land Artick or Artick World and Fourthly the South-Land or Magellanick Land The old world most famous with its bounds c. The Old World the most famous of those four and only known of the Ancients which we inhabit is commonly divided by the Sea into two parts but joyned together by an Isthmus or narrow neck of Land one whereof is Africa and the other Asia and Europe It is invironed by the Ocean in this manner from the East by the Chinean Ocean and the Pacifick Sea from the South by the Indian Ocean and Aethiopick Sea from the West by the Atlantick Sea and from the North by the Frozen or North Sea the White Sea and Tartarian Ocean The division of this Continent of which we have spoken is made by the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabick Bay or Red-sea Africa divided from Asia and Europe For the distance of the Bays that is the Latitude or breadth of the intercedent Tract is not greater then about 30 miles if which were away Africa would make a peculiar firm Land and would increase the number The distance of the Old World towards the East is but a very little space from the New World or America The distance of the old world from the new about the Streight of Anian if only this be existent in the Universe of Nature And the distance of Europe from America is also very little between Norway and Newfoundland Also the Old World is but a very small distance from the Pole artick-Artick-land about the Streight of Waigats from the South Polar or Magellan about New Guiney The New World or America is thus begirt by the Ocean On the East by the Atlantick Sea The new world with its bounds c. On the South by the Magellanick Streight On the West by the Pacifick Sea and on the North by a Sea unknown or uncertain except Davis Streight This World also wants but little but that it may be cut into two Islands to wit at Panama and Nombre de Dios where the confluence of the Pacifick and Atlantick Ocean is by a small Tract of earth intercepted It is distant from the Old World a very little space as before noted The Polar Artick and South Land with its bounds c. The Polar Artick and the South or Austral Land are begirt round with the Sea the first with the North Sea whose parts are
a Fountain of so great force that it dissolveth stones Near unto Tours in France are Caves to be seen tearmed commonly Les Caves Gouttieres from the roof of which the water which falleth is formed into divers shapes as Nuts Almonds and the like The hot Fountain of Japan burneth all things and devoureth cloth iron flesh c. The studious may collect divers other examples from other Authors and reduce them to this Classis if that they seem not possible to be reduced to any of the former The Causes must be sought from the peculiar situation and property of each place Proposition XVIII To enumerate those Fountains which break forth at a set time not continually to explain the cause and those which ebb and flow Of Fountains which break forth at a set time not continually This Proposition belongeth not to this Chapter but to the preceding yet because it belongeth to the wonder of waters and was neglected in the former Chapter here it shall be explained In a Fountain situated on the top of an high Hill in the Province of Canaugh in Ireland the water ebbeth and floweth every day with the flux and reflux of the Sea yet the water is fresh The same is observed in the Fountain Louzara which is in the mountainous places of Galaecia called Cabreti 20 miles from the Sea Also in Aquitain in the Village Marsacus is a Fountain which imitateth the swelling of the Sea and swelleth with the increase of Garumnae in Burdeaux Elsewhere there are said to be Fountains which augment and decrease contrary to the swelling of the Sea In Wales near the mouth of the River Severn is a Pool called Linliguna which swalloweth in the Marine floods whilst that they arise but it is by no means filled with the same and the flood of the Sea ceasing then it riseth with a great force and vomiteth out the water with which it covereth the Banks In Biscay there are the four Springs Tamarici whereof three every day are so dried twelve times as if that no water were in them as Pliny reporteth But I question whether they be to be found at this day In Savoy is a Fountain of noted magnitude callen Wonderful which sinketh low twice in an hour and twice floweth and before that it floweth and doth break forth with a great noise it floweth into the Lake Burgites In the Mountains of Foix in Languedoc riseth the River Lers which in the Months June July and August ebbeth and floweth 24 times in a day See Bertius In a Region of Westphalia called Paderborn is a Fountain which ebbeth and floweth twice every day although it sendeth forth so much water that not far from the Fountain the water driveth four Water-mills and it breaketh forth with a mighty noise In the Province of Wallis in Germany is a Fountain called the Fountain of St. Mary it ceaseth to flow in the Autumn at the day dedicated to St. Mary and returneth in May. The Pool or Lake Maron in Palestine is so dry in the Summer and bringeth forth Herbs and Shrubs so high that Lions Wolves and other wild Beasts do abide there In Spain two miles from Valindolid is a Fountain which ariseth in May and falleth in November All Baths flow without any cessation or change except those that are in Rhaetia and are called the Pepper Baths for they flow only in the Summer from the third of May to the fourteenth of September then they cease CHAP. XVIII Of the Mutation of the places of the Water and Land or of the Mutation of the watery superficies into the earthy and the contrary Proposition I. To know the Superficies of the Earth which the water possesseth how great it is and that which the Earth occupieth Of the Superficies of the earth which the water possesseth WE cannot accurately know this because we are ignorant whether the Sea or Land doth possess the Superficies of the North or South Polaryland Moreover because the Superficies of the water as also of the land is terminated on the Globe by an irregular bending of the lines therefore it would be a very difficult task to compute the quantity of the Superficies of the water and land but as far as we are able to collect in gross from the inspection of the Terrestrial Globe the Superficies of the water and land seem almost equal so that the Superficies of the water is half to the Superficies of the land and so also is the Superficies of the land Proposition II. The Superficies of the Water as also of the Land is not at all times of the same magnitude but sometimes greater and sometimes lesser and when the Superficies of the Water is augmented the Superficies of the Land is diminished For the Sea overfloweth sometimes here sometimes there or taketh away and carrieth with it so therefore his Superficies is augmented more or less as it hath overflowed a great or less tract of Land as in times past it did in Thessaly Yet this variety as far as it is yet known hath a very little proportion unto the whole Superficies of the water it may be made great as we shall shew in the eighteenth Proposition Proposition III. To compute what quantity of Water the Earth containeth and what quantity of Land Of the quantity of Land and Water which the Earth containeth For the finding out the accurate and true quantity of water and land first we ought to know both the whole Superficies of the water as also its depth in divers parts of the Sea also the subterraneous heaps of water ought to be examined All which seeing that we cannot find out by any method therefore we cannot find out the accurate quantity of the water or land but only from certain Hypotheses viz. we laid down the Superficies of the water to be half the Superficies of the earth the profundity to be quarter or half a mile neither do we reckon the waters in subterraneous Channels The quantity of water may be thus found out Take a quarter or half a mile from the Semidiameter of the earth and the solidity of the Sphere may be found whose Semidiameter is equal to the residue let this solidity be taken from the solidity of the earth the half of the residue is the quantity of the water the same half substracted from the solidity of the whole earth leaveth the quantity of the earth unto which must be added a fourth or fifth part of the bulk of water or of the former half But these are uncertainties from supposed uncertainties or at least nigh unto truth Proposition IV. The Water may leave the shoar and place of the Earth which it doth occupy for divers causes so that the Land may appear dry where the Water or Sea was before and so a new Land may seem to be generated A Sevenfold Tract of Waters There are a sevenfold Tract of waters viz. 1. the Ocean 2. Gulphs or Bays of the Ocean 3.
Leagues broad between the Province of Chiapa and the Sea the Country is full of Pools and Marshes towards the Coast Wood and Forests towards the Mountains and the Rains being continual for 8 or 9 Months in the year the Air is very humid and its scituation being much under the Torrid Zone it engenders an infinite number of Vermin Gnats and Insects yet the Soil is excellent It s fertility and commodities It s chief Colony abundant in Mayz and Cocao which is their principal Riches There is observable here but one Colony of the Spaniards which they call Villa de Nuestra a Sennora de la Victoria so called because of the Victory Cortez gained in 1519 against those of the Country when he went to the Conquest of the Kingdom of Mexico It was called Potonchan when it was besieged taken and sacked by Cortez and it is observed this was the first City in America which defended it self and which suffered under the Spaniards Sword The Province of Jucatan with its chief places described JVCATAN is the last Province of the Audience of Mexico towards the East It is a Peninsula of about 400 Leagues circuit scituate between the Gulphs of Mexico and Honduras The Isthmus which joyns it to the Main Land is not above 25 or 30 Leagues over from whence the Country continues enlarging it self from 50 or 75 Leagues breadth and ends at Cape de Cotoche which regards towards the East Cape St. Anthony in the Isle of Cuba at the distance of 60 and odd Leagues The Coasts of JVCATAN are very much cumbred with little Isles which often prove dangerous for Ships but covered with abundance of Sea-Fowl which those of the Neighbouring and far distant Countries come to chase The Isle of Cozumel The Isle of Cozumel to the East hath formerly been famous for its Idol Cozumel which all the People of the Neighbouring Continent went to adore And it was in this Isle or the Continent near unto it that Baldivius unfortunately saved himself having been Shipwreckt near Jamaica he had taken a little Boat like to those used by Fisher-men The Misfortune that befel Baldivius here wherein going with about 20 of his Men he was brought hither by the Sea but no sooner had he set foot on Land but he and his Men were seized by the Natives who immediately led them to the Temple of their Idols where they presently offered up or sacrificed and ate him and four of his Men and the rest they reserved till another time Among these Aquilar who had seen the Ceremony escaping with some others fled to a Cacique who treated him courteously for many years during which time some died others married in the Country Aquilar in the end was fetched thence by Cortez who was of no small use unto him in his Conquest of Mexico because that he had learned their Tongue The Air of Jucatan The Air of Jucatan is hot the Country hath scarce any Rivers yet wants no Water being supplied every where with Wells within the middle of the Land are to be seen quantity of Scales and Shells of Sea-fish which hath made some believe the Country hath been overflowed What it yieldeth They have scarce any of the Corn or Fruits of Europe but some others of the Country and quantity of wild Beasts principally Stags and wild Bears and among their Fowls Peacocks They have yet found no Gold much less Latten which makes it appear that it is not true that the Spaniards found here Crosses of Latten there being none in all America The Cities of Jucatan are four Merida Valladolid Its Cities Campeche and Salamancha 1. Merida is the Metropolis being the Seat of the Bishop and Governour for Tavasco and Jucatan distant from the Sea on each side 12 Leagues The City is adorned with great and ancient Edifices of Stone with many Figures of Men cut in the Stones and because they were resembling those which are at Merida in Spain that name was given it 2. Valladolid beautified with a very fair Monastery of Franciscans and more than 40 thousand Barbarians under its Jurisdiction 3. Campeche scituate on the shoar of the Gulph a fair City of about Three thousand Houses and adorned with many stately and rich Structures which in 1596 was surprized and pillaged by the English under the Command of Captain Parker who carried away with him the Governour the Riches of the City and many Prisoners besides a great Ship laden with Hony Wax Campeche-Wood and other rich Commodities The Conquest of the Kingdom of Mexico was much easier to the Castilians than that of Peru the Kingdom of Peru being Hereditary and its Ynca's loved and almost adored by their Subjects the Kingdom of Mexico being Elective and its Kings hated if not by those of Mexico yet by all the neighbouring Estates and envied by those might aspire to the Royalty This diversity was the cause that Motezuma died and the City of Mexico taken there was nothing more to do or fear as to that Estate In Peru after the death of Guascar and Atabalipa and some other Ynca's the Spaniards could not believe themselves safe so long as there was any remainder of the Race of these Ynca's which made them under divers pretexts persecute banish and put them to death And so much for Mexico or New Spain The Audience of GUADALAJARA or NEW GALLICIA THE Audience of GVADALAJARA or Kingdom of NEW GALLICIA makes the most Occidental part of New-Spain and contains the Provinces of Guadalajara Xalisco Los Zacatecas Chiametlan Culiacan Its Provinces and New-Biscany some others add Cibola and others likewise California Quivira Anian c. that is the Castilians pretend to extend their Power to the farthest part of this New World The Province of Guadalajara and its Cities described The Province of Guadalajara hath only two Cities or Colonies of Spaniards viz. Guadalajara and Sancta Maria de los Lagos of which the first is the chief of the Province built in 1531 by Nonnez de Guzman after he had finished his Conquest It is the residence of the Kings Treasurers dignified with the Courts of Judicature the See of a Bishop beautified with a fair Cathedral Church a Convent of Augustine Friers and another of Franciscans It is scituate in a pleasant and fruitful Plain and watered with divers Fountains and little Torrents not far from the River Baranja the neighbouring Mountains having furnished them with Materials for their Buildings Santa Maria de los Lagos was built by the same Guzman and made a place of great strength only to hinder the Incursions of the Chichimeques who are a barbarous and untamed sort of People who border upon them towards the North-East who live upon the Spoils of other people harbouring in thick Woods and private Caves for the better obtaining their Prey which said Town keeps them in such awe that they dare not molest them The Air of this Province The Inhabitants
the Streights of Davis Waigats and Anian This south-South-land with the pacifick-Pacifick-Sea Indian Ocean and Magellanick Streight The Polar Artick Land hath a very little distance at the Streight of Waigats from the Old World from America at the Streight of Davis But it is removed from the south-South-land by a huge space The Polar Austral or rather the South-land is very nigh to the Old World at the running out Tract of New Guiney as also to America at the Streight of Magellan But concerning the South-land only we have assuredly discovered that it is round about environed with the Sea and is separated from the rest Concerning the rest of the Lands to wit the Old World America and the Pole Artick World the matter and discovery is not yet certain whether they be round about begirt by the Sea and separated from one another but yet it is very likely they are so by reason of divers Bays and Entrances of starts running within the Earth The South-land only as yet is fully sailed about this could not be hitherto performed in the rest For the Old World as yet hath not been sailed round beyond Waigats Streight although the whole Western Southern Eastern shore hath been viewed and that but a little part of the North shore remaineth to be discovered America hath been sailed round only part of her Septentrional shore being excepted by reason of the uncertainty of the Streights or narrow Seas Thus have we declared the placing of the greatest Islands or Continents Proposition IV. Ten great Ilandâ— We reckon up ten great Islands on the Surface of the Land which are these following 1. Britain comprehending England and Scotland it is esteemed the greatest of all Islands which are commonly so called those being excluded which in The foregoing Proposition we have related at large 2. Japan which in Maps and Globes hath a lesser magnitude than it ought to have for they which have been there affirm that it is as great if not greater than Britain 3. Luconia one of the Philippine Isles which also from its Metropolitan Town is called Manilha 4. Madagascar or St. Laurence seated on the Eastern shore of Africa 5. Sumatra one of the Indian Isles 6. Borneo not far from Sumatra 7. Island not far from Norway 8. Newfoundland nigh unto Canada 9. Between Davis Streight and Hudsons Streight in the Northern Ocean lyeth a great Island about the Polar Land which according to Visher's Vniversal Tables is in form round 10. Nova Zembla nigh unto Russia To these is California to be also numbred if that be an Island which it is esteemed to be and not a part of America Proposition V. We number up ten mean Islands on the Surface of the Earth viz. 1. Java one of the Indian Isles 2. Cuba nigh unto Hispaniola 3. Hispaniola 4. Ireland nigh unto England 5. Crete or Candia not far from Greece 6. Sicily nigh unto Italy 7. Ceylan one of the Indian Isles 8. Mindanao one of the Philippine Isles 9. Sardinia seated in the Mediterranean Sea 10. Celebes in the Indian Ocean To these may be numbred Friezland an Isle not far from Island Proposition VI. Ten little Isles We will also number ten little Islands on the Surface of the Earth to wit 1. Gilolo one of the Indian Isles 2. Amboina not far from Gilolo 3. Timor one of the Indian Isles 4. Jamaica in the Bay of Mexico 5. Sealand in Denmark 6. Corsica seated in the Mediterranean Sea 7. Eubaea now Negropont seated in the Mediterranean Sea 8. Majorca nigh unto Spain 9. Cyprus 10. Isabella in the Pacifick Ocean There are more Islands which may be reduced to this rank but we shall refer them to the last order of them as more commodious Proposition VII The least Isles Of the least Islands there is almost an innumerable multitude on the Surface of the Earth among which these following deserve a peculiar consideration First the famous Solitary Islands Secondly those which are found in great numbers in some Tract of the Ocean and for their Neighbourhood are comprehended under one name We shall term them in general a body or fry of Islands because we are left destitute of a more fitting name The Tract of Sea wherein these Isles lye is called the Archipelago The notable Solitary Islands are in the Mediterranean Sea Rhodes Malta Ivisa Minorca Chios Cephalonia c. In the Atlantick Ocean between Africa and Brazile lieth the Island of St. Helen where also the Island of the Ascension the Isle of St. Thomas is placed in the very Equator The Island Madera over against the Gaditane Streight Zocotora seated before the mouth of the Arabian Bay Gothland in the Baltick Sea Among the notable Solitary Isles those are also worthy of remembrance which swim on the waters of which see Chapter eighteenth Proposition VIII There are fifteen fries or files of the least Islands numbred on the Surface of the Earth The lesser Isles to wit 1. The Canary Islands in the Atlantick Sea 2. The Isles of Azores in the Northern Sea 3. The Islands of Hesperides or the Green Islands over against Cape Verd. 4. The Islands of Maldives in Indian Ocean 5. The Lucar Islands between Florida and Cuba nigh unto America 6. The Princes Islands between Hispaniola and America to which I refer and reduce all the least Islands seated in the Bay of Mexico 7. The Camercan Isles lying before Hispaniola 8. The Mascarenian Islands between Madagascar and Africa 9. The Molucco Islands seated in the Indian Ocean 10. The Philippine Islands in the Pacifick Ocean 11. The Aegean Islands 12. The Japonian Isles 13. The Islands of Solomon in the Pacifick Sea 14. The Isles of Theeves in the Archipelago of St. Lazarus 15. The Isles of Banda nigh unto Java 16. The Islands scituate near England and Scotland as the Hebrides Orcades Sourlings Sporades c. 17. The Islands between the Magellanick Streight and the Streight Le Maire Other Isles may be reckoned Here I do not reckon to these those Islands which lye close on the shore of some Continents in great numbers as on the Coast of China Norway Brazile Davises Streight c. Unto this rank also the Islands in great Rivers are to be referred and marshalled as such as are found in the River Nile in the River of St. Laurence of Canada in the River Wolga and in some other Rivers as also those which are in certain Lakes as in the Lake Zembre a Lake in Africa in South America where the Islands of Lead are scituate in a Lake c. But all or most of these Isles especially these aforegoing together with several others I have largely treated of in the Geographical Description of the four Parts of the World in their fit places to which I refer the Reader Proposition IX The Parts of all Lands or Islands are not of the same shape or figure but are unlike The more famous differences of these are a Peninsula and an Isthmus
the Winds 4. From the ruin or subsidency of the Channels or Shoars also if that the bottom of the Channel be made higher in progress of time by the fall of the Sand or Mud. Proposition VII The Ocean hath no Fountains but is contained within the Cavities of the Earth yet it doth not remain always the same The Ocean hath no Fountains Experience testifieth that waters of Rivers proceed from Fountains or Springs and because that this hath been for so many Centuries of years it thence necessarily followeth that that water which continually floweth from the Springs to the Sea returneth through subterranean passages or some other ways to the same Fountain After the same manner there were Philosophers in Old time said that the Sea sprang from certain Fountains Neither could the magnitude and perpetuity of the Ocean withdraw them from this Opinion for they said that it returned unto the same Fountains by some hollowness of the Earth or by some other mode that so they might render a cause of the perpetual flux This Opinion may be answered after this manner If that the Ocean have Fountains they must either be in the extant part of the Earth or in that part which is covered by the Ocean that is in the very Channel or bosom of the Ocean but they are not in the extant part of the Earth for Men have no where found them Neither may you object That peradventure they are in the unknown Lands of the North or South for this would be a part of high confidence to require that to be granted which carrieth no weight of reason with it especially seeing that at not a few of the Northern lands the Sea is found frozen up with Ice and in most of those Regions hitherto discovered no Springs are found Therefore the Fountains of the Ocean are not in the extant part of the Earth It remaineth that we prove that they 〈◊〉 neither in the part of the Earth covered with waters that is in the bosome of the Sea If that they were in this there would be no more distance from the Center of the Earth than the waters of the Ocean it self and therefore there would be no flux from them but the water would rest in them whose nature it is not to be moved from places depressed to places more high For the Fountains of all Rivers are more elevated than the waters that they send forth But some may object That this is a violent motion because that the Channel of the Ocean and the Land is perforated within with many hollownesses and pits call them what you please which proceed for a long Tract under the Earth until they are let into some other place of the Channel of the Ocean So that there are two Orifices of these Channels which may have a sufficient great Latitude and Extension within the Earth going forth into the Channel of the Ocean therefore it may be that the water from the Ocean may flow into one of these two Orifices and some forth of the other as from a Fountain which may be illustrated by an easie Diagram And by that reason that nothing hindreth but that there may be many of these subterraneous passages and no absurdity thence followeth therefore it may seem probable to some that there are many of these Fountains in the very Channel of the Sea But this imagination is vain and not agreable to the properties of water for water having fallen into either of these Channels would not go forth by the other Orifice but would rest filled in it except moved by some violent cause For although water should be pressed and stirred by water forcing in on the Orifice yet it could not exonerate it self by the other Orifice because that water incumbeth on this Orifice also no less than the incumbing water at the former Orifice which may thus be proved by experience See Scheme Let there be in any Vessel water ABCD AB is the superficies of the water lying equally and spherically but let in a stick RPEF into the middle of the vessel which may perforate it by an oblique passage so that the part of the vessel A shall be higher than the whole of the part of the vessel B therefore the water as well on the part A as on the part B should for example flow through g h into this passage and fill it up and should not be effused through either of the Orifices not through g because this is higher nor through h because though it be more depressed than g yet the water flowing from the part B and perpendicularly tending to the bottom of the vessel would prohibit the influx From these it is manifest that the Ocean hath no Fountain but is perpetually contained within its own Channel But somewhat may be objected against this Objections which is worthy of consideration First That at some part or other of the Ocean there is always a violent external moving cause as Winds Fluxes Refluxes mutations of the Earth and the like Therefore these cause that sometimes in some one part of the Ocean and sometimes in another there is a greater Altitude and abundancy of water than in the other parts and therefore that higher water falling into the subterraneous passages is again poured forth into another part of the Channel of the Ocean where there is a lesser Altitude of water by reason of that external cause and where the incumbent water then less resisteth the eruption or efflux because it is moved another way by an external cause for although this may be yet it cannot be proved by experience neither can the contrary that is this be demonstrated to be so therefore at least the truth is uncertain and we must doubt concerning this Problem Now that there are such subterraneous pits or passages in the Channel of the Ocean cannot be denied and those places of the Ocean seem to shew them to wit where there is an immense profundity seeing there is no such in the vicine parts To this I answer although we should admit of those subterraneous passages yet therefore it doth not follow that we should grant that they proceed to another part of the Channel of the Ocean or go forth into it and if that this should be granted yet seeing that there are no such passages in all places and that these external causes sometimes are predominate in one part of the Ocean and sometimes in another there is no consequence from the objection that the Fountains of the Ocean are in any certain place but that it floweth sometimes from one part of the Channel and sometimes from another so that that flux continueth no longer than the external cause continueth 2. Some one may thus seem to argue The flux of the Ocean is perpetually discerned from the Northern Land or quarter toward the South between Europe and the Northern America also between Asia and the Northern America Yet notwithstanding no part of the Ocean or
by reason that the Sea water containeth a fixed salt which is a far more weighty body than fresh water And we have shewed that in divers parts of the Sea there is a divers quantity of salt Yet doth it not follow that water is more heavy by how much it is the more salt which doth not augment the gravity but lesseneth it and yet rendreth the water very salt Proposition XIII Salt water doth not so easily freez as fresh or a greater dègree of cold is required to the congelation of Sea water than of fresh Salt water doth not so soon freez as fresh Experience sufficiently sheweth this against the Aristotelians who defend that water is so much the lesser obnoxious to congelation by how much it is the more pure and therefore should more easily congeal as receding more from the elementary water which is false Now the cause is that in the salt it self their is a certain spirit which resisteth congelation and being seperated from the salt admitteth of no congelation from the hardest frost as those that are skilful in Chymistry know For the spirit of salt is a medicament sufficiently known and of frequent use Proposition XIV Why the Ocean is not bigger seeing that it receiveth so many Rivers The cause is 1. That the water returneth to the Sea through subterraneous passages unto the fountains of the Rivers as shall be explicated in the following Chapter 2. Because that many vapours are elevated from the Ocean whereof many being resolved into rain fall into the Ocean and part on the land Proposition XV. Certain parts of the Ocean differ in colour The water in the Ocean in all places not of one and the same colour Experience testifieth that in the Northern places the Sea seemeth of a more black colour in the Torrid Zone of a duskish colour in other places of a blew About certain shoars of new Guinee the Ocean is found of a white colour in some other place of a yellow In Streights the water appeareth to incline to white at the Shoars of Congi not far from Bay a D'Alvaro Gonzales a Rivulet or an Arm is disburthened into the Sea of somewhat a Redish colour taken from a mine of red earth through which it floweth But the Arabian Gulph called therefore the Red Sea by reason of the property of the colour some will have the denomination taken from King Erythreus others from the splendour which the Raies of the Sun repercussed doth effect But the more probable opinion and that which is confirmed from experience is that the redness doth arise from the sand of a red colour which is found in the bottom of this Sea and on the Shoars and is frequently admixed with the water The water in the Red Sea only red by reason of the red sâ—â—â—â— in it The cause of this admixture which seemeth contrary to the ponderousness of sand is the vehemency of the flux and reflux of the water or its swiftness and agitation in this Sea by which it cometh to pass that the sand or gravel is agitated and moved up and down and so hindred by the continual motion of the Sea that it cannot rest Mariners affirm that the water of this Sea sometimes appeareth as red as blood but if taken up in a vessel the sand will sink down and then the water appeareth otherwise It often happens that storms from the Red Sea rushing into Arabia or Africa carry with them so great an abundance of sand and cast it on the earth that it covereth whole troops of men and beasts whence proceedeth the true Mummie Whether from the same or another cause the Sea between California and America be termed red Vermejo I have not as yet found it observed by Writers Proposition XVI Certain peculiar things are found in certain parts of the Ocean Of things in the Ocean peculiar to certain places The Sea termed Di Sargasso by the Portugals which beginneth not far from Cape Verd in Africa about the Isles of Salt and extendeth it self from the 20th degree of Northern Latitude unto the 34th of South Latitude The colour of this Sea seemeth to be green which is not the colour of the Sea it self but of a certain small leaved herb in the bottom of it called by the Portugals Sargasso The leaves of this weed mutually complicated one into another swim on the face of this Ocean in so continued a tract that the water can hardly be seen so that the Seamen afar off discovering this Ocean take it for an Island and green Land neither can they pass through this knot of weeds except that they be helped by a moderate wind at least the herb beareth a small berry whence it ariseth is not yet known Seeing that this Sea is not so near any land that it should have its original from them neither is it probable that it should come from the bottom of the Sea by reason that the profundity of this Sea is such that in many places it exceedeth the length of any line or cord In the Ocean not far from the Promontory of Good Hope are many floating red-like shrubs of a great thickness discovered unto which the herb Sargasso is implicated Seamen take it for a certain that if they see them thereabouts that they are near to the Promontory of Good Hope or else have just past it Corral found on the Shoar of Madagascar On the Shoar of the Isle of Madagascar the Ocean casteth up red and white Coral which augment like shrubs under the water and although that they be soft in some places yet between Madagascar and Africa there are reported to be Rocks of hard Coral In the Baltick Ocean nigh to the Shoar of Borussia the Shoar casteth forth most excellent succinum which the Inhabitants are taught when certain winds do blow to draw up with certain Iron hooks Amber only in the Ocean in the Torrid Zone The Ocean casteth up Amber only in the Torrid Zone viz. at the Shoar of Brazile where a peece of 500 l. weight was taken up by a Dutch Soldier and presented unto Count Nassaw at the Isle of Madagascar at Cape Verd at the Isle of Maurice at the Isle of Sumatra and other Indian Isles Garcias relateth that a piece of 200 l. weight was found yea that some Islands consist wholly of Amber but he doth not name them In the Aethiopick Ocean at Guinea Congo and Angola this is peculiarly observed that at the sides of the Keil of the Ship whilst that they remain there green Cockles like unto grass do stick which hindreth the sailing of the Ships and eateth the wood On the Coast of Languedock in France Birds unshaped first of all then by degrees they receive form and fixing of their bill in the wood when they begin to move by degrees they are pulled off and swim on the water like Geese The excrement of the Ocean termed the Scum of the Sea is found floating in
the Chinois have repulsed them and have established their former estate receiving likewife Christianity with hopes of great fruits and progress but of late they have broke into China again and have committed great Spoils The Isles about China Besides the Isles already spoken of here are about the Coast of China several others as the Isle of Corey in the Gulph of Nanquin of good account and well frequented affording many of the China Commodities It is of a large extent being 100 Leagues in length and about 50 in breadth It s chief places are Tauxem seated on the Northern part of the Isle regarding the Province of Leaoton from which it is parted by a Streight or Gulph not above two Leagues broad 2. Corey seated on the Gulph of Nanquin Southernly 3. Tasoran also seated on the Sea Eastwards and on the South of this Isle are seated a Body of several Isles called the Isles of Larrons Likewise the Isles of Fuego Lequeio Grande Les Roys Mages the Isles of Pescheurs or Fishers of Paâ—an or Formosa of Tabaco Miguel and Tabaco Ximâ— TARTARIA may be considered as it is divided into the Parts of TARTARIA DESERTA Cumbalich Glustins Jerom Risan Frutach Centaz Risan Divasi Caracus USBECK or ZAGATHAY with its Provinces or Parts of Usbeck particularly so called Jarchan Samarcand Nesaph Mogalachfu Horne Xibuar Reven Targama Teras Sachi Tanchit Tersis Sachania Sacae Sachi Istigias Busdaschaâ— Rigul Coman Termend Escalcand Sermegan Asareft Kax Etaican Nesaph Sogdlans Bachars Pogansa Madrandâ—n Carassat Zahaipa Corui Chiargan Corfim Bechet Siminan Cant Chesolitis Caracol TURQUESTAN with its Kingdoms or Proviaces of Chialis Chialis Turfan Cuchia Uga. Chinchintalas Camul Aramul Cascar Emil Sark Cassia Taskent Thibet Andegen Raofa Tamafi Cotam Cotam Pinegle Cogricamri Peim Ciartiam Ciartiam Lop Sazechiam Carazan Vociam CATHAY with its Kingdoms or Provinces of Tainfu Cambalu Achbaluch Tinzu Xandu Caidu Gouza Tenduc Tenduc Zambir Ciandu Egrigaja Ciangli Tudinfu Serrâ— Suidio Mulon Tanguth Sachion Quiqui Hoyam Gauta Ergimul Campion Ergimul Serguth Erzina Belgian Belgian True TARTARIA with its Provinces or Hords of Mongul Mongul Molair Caracoran Tartar Tartar Bargu Catacoran Carli Taingin Naiman Naiman Cavona Cavona Colmack Colmack To the Right Worshipfull Sr Iames Shaen of Shyne in Surrey Knight and Baronet This Mapp is humbly D. D. by R. Blome A MAPP of the Kingdome of TARTARY By Monsieur Sanson TARTARY Tartary its extent TARTARY or TARTARIA is seated in the most Northern part of all Asia and extends it self from East to West from the River Volga and Oby which separates it from Europe unto the Streight of Jesso which separates it from America and from South to North from the Caspian Sea the River Gehon and the Mountains of Courasus and Vssonte c. which divides it from the more Southernly part of Asia unto the Northern Frozen or Scythian Ocean It s length and breadth It reaches in length from the 19th unto the 180th degree of Longitude which is the half of our Hemisphere and in breadth from the 35th or 40th unto the 70th or 72th degree of Latitude which is half the breadth of all Asia So that it may contain 1500 Leagues from West to East and 7 or 800 from North to South It s position is almost entirely in the Temperate Zone It s Position nevertheless it s more Southern parts being in the midst of this Temperate Zone and the rest advancing to the Cold or Frozen and its Southern parts being almost all bounded with very high Mountains which keeps off the heat of the mid-day Sun and renders it more cold towards the North We may say that Tartary in general hath its temperature much more cold than temperate Its Neighbours are the Moscovites on the West the Persians Its Neighbours the Indians or the Mogolls and the Chinois on the South the rest is washed by that Sea of which we have little knowledge some place towards the East the Streight of Anian which should separate it from America others the Streight of Jesso which divides it from the Land or Isle of Jesso which is between Asia and America as we shall declare after Japan Some esteeming the Northern Ocean in one manner and some in another It s Name why so called The name of Tartaria is apparently taken from the River Quarter or Hord of Tartar from whence these People being issued have over-run and made themselves known in all parts of Asia Others take it from the word Tatar or Totar which in the Syriack signifies Remnant or Forsaken because they esteem them the Remnant of the Jews of which Ten Tribes were transported into Media by Salmanzer They must then add that these Ten Tribes passed from Media into Scythia which is not observed by the Ancients However it be the Persians yet call this Country Tartar and its People Tatarons the Chinois Tagun The People which possess this Country differ something from one another Its Inhabitants as well in Personage as in Religion and Manners but of the most part they are of an indifferent Stature ugly countenances thick Lips hollow Eyed flat Noses broad Fated very strong stout valiant and good Warriers very active vigilant and exceeding quick of Foot patient in all Afflictions they are very rude barbarous and revengeful not sparing their Enemies whom in revenge they eat first letting out their Blood which they keep using it as Winâ— at their Feasts Their Habit is very mean which is for the most part made of course stuff Their Habitâ— which reaches but to their Knees yet are they very proud despising all other Nations and thinking their Cham to be the greatest Prince in the World whom they greatly fear and reverence being no better than his Slaves They are very nasty and sluttish much given to drink of a treacherous and thievish nature Religion In matters of Religion they are generally Pagans and Mahumetans which about the year 1246. crept in amongst them which since hath spread it self over their Country and intermixing with Paganism yet hath it not so much prevailed as to extinguish Christianity which was first planted amongst the Scythians which were the Ancient people of Tartary by the preaching of two of the Apostles St. Philip and St. Andrew which of latter years hath much lost it self and not only by the prevailing of the Nestorian Sect but chiefly for want of instructing the People in the true Orthodoxal points of Christian Religion Dyet Their Food is mean and very sluttishly drest yet use they entertainments and refuse nothing but Swines flesh and eat all without Salt They are much given to Hawking and other Sports but not much to Arts or Literature The Women are much of the nature with the Men. Their from of Government The Government as Heylin observeth is Tyrannical their great Cham or King being Lord of all in whose breast lieth their Laws taking the Estates and Lives away of whom he pleaseth
on the side of a lofty Mountain which regards the Sea now the chief City of this Province Its Streets and Houses are in good order it is adorned with many sumptuous Mosques some Monasteries and Colledges for Students in the Law of Mahomet and many fair Hospitals for the relief of the Poor Its Castle is good and strong seated on the River Guad al Quibir that is Great River 2. Ghegel formerly famous is now only a Borough of 500 ill-built Houses It s Castle is very good its Land hath little Corn store of Hemp Figs and Nuts They hold this place to have been the beginning of the fortune of Barbarossa 3. Labez makes a separate Estate above Bugia and consists only in Mountains of so difficult access that the Kings of Algier and the Turks can scarce force them to pay Tribute The chief Fortress of these Mountains and the residence of their King or Xeque is Calaa The others are 4. Coco de Teleta 5. Tezli at the foot of the Mountain These Mountains have little Corn or Fruit they can raise 5000 Horse 5000 Harquebusiers and 20000 Men armed after their mode all valiant and better defenders of their liberty than those of Couco 6. Necaus 7. Mesila are beyond the Abez but near the same River Necaus is the most pleasant place of all Barbary It hath something of particular in its publick Buildings every House hath its Garden so embellished with Flowers Vines Fruits and Fountains that it seems a Terrestrial Paradise 8. Chollum 9. Gergelum c. Province of Constantina its parts and chief places The Province of CONSTANTINA hath sometime had its Kings This is the New Numidia of the Ancients the most Occidental part of the True Africa and which touches on Mauritania to the West the River Sugefmar making the separation This Province comprehends three quarters of which that of Constantina extends to the Sea and a good way in the Land that of Bona likewise on the Sea but little on land that of Tebessa is farther in the Land touching on Billedulgerid 1. Tebessa formerly Thebeste The City of Tebessa surpasses as they say all other Cities of Barbary in three things In the force of its Walls beauty of its Fountains and great number of its Wall-nut Trees In counter-change its Inhabitants are brutish its Houses ill built and its Air unwholsom 2. Bona of old Hippo Regnis ill inhabited at present The City of Bona. part of its Inhabitants being retired into the Mountains hath been famous to Antiquity for its greatness but much more for its Bishop St. Augustine so famed among the Doctors of the Church It hath suffered great changes under the Romans Vandals Moors and afterwards under Barbarossa 3. Tabarca a City and Isle is of this Government likewise the Hills and Mountains of Bona where are gathered much Fruits of Jujubes Grains and store of Cattle and the Coast hath red white and black Corral which the French near to Bona and the Genouese near to Tabarca go to fish for The Family of the Lomolins in Genoua having a Fortress in the Isle of Tabarca the French a Bastion between Tabarca and the Point of Mascara the one and the other for the security of their Fishing and Commerce 4. Constantina The City of Constantina which the Moors called Cusuntina the Ancients Cirta Julia is a great City not having less than 8000 Houses It s scituation on a Mountain which hath but two Advenues the rest being Precipice makes it strong The River Sufegmar washes the foot of the Mountain its Castle stands to the North Collo and Sucaicada on the Coast are under the Government of Constantina likewise the Mountains which extend themselves to the Mediterranean Sea and to the confines of Bona. The Country about Constantina is fertil its Mountains tilled Collo hath its Inhabitants more civil than those of Constantina those having no trade but with those of Billedulgerid the others with those of Europe The Inhabitants of the Mountains can raise about 40000 Men and maintain themselves almost in liberty both against the Kings of Algier and the Arabs 5. Cirta in the Roman History was the residence of many Kings of Numidia The City of Cirta among others of Massinissa afterward of Syphax who drove Massinissa from his Estates and settled himself at Cirta with his Wife Sophonisba who had been promised to Massinissa This Woman a little after having perswaded Syphax to favour Carthage of which she was against the Romans drew their Arms into his Estate where Scipio defeated and took Syphax Prisoner Massinissa besieged and took Cirta where Sophonisba was who had so many attractions and so much cunning that in the same day she beheld her self Captive and Wife to Massinissa But she killed her self soon after that she might not fall into the Romans hands and be led in Triumph through Rome 6. Stora and 7. Mabra both Maritim Towns The Kingdom of TUNIS The Kingdom of Tunis and its division Into Governments THE Kingdom of TVNIS besides its particular Province hath sometimes extended it self over Constantina and Bugia on one side and over Tripoli and Ezzab on the other At present it hath only its own Province and something in Billedulgerid This Kingdom of Tunis is divided into 4 Maritim Governments and 3 or 4 Inland ones The Maritim are Biserta Goletta Sousa and Africa Begge Vrbs Cayroan and part of Billedulgerid are the third or fourth within Land Altogether extend themselves from the River Guad il Barbar unto that of Capes this separating them from the Kingdom of Tripoli the other from the Province of Constantina The chief Rivers of Tunis The River Guad il Barbar or Hued il Barbar takes its source near Vrbs which it waters with a Channel made on purpose and discharges it self into the Sea near Tabarca In its course it makes so many turnings and windings that it must be passed 25 times in the Road between Bona and Tunis and that with much difficulty and danger there being no Bridges and scarce any Boats to Ferry over The River Capes of old Triton descends from Billedulgerid and waters at first a very Sandy Country leaves Capes on the Right and on the Coast of Tripoli and disburthens it self into the Little Syrtes now the Gulph of Capes Magrada another River hath its Spring likewise in Billedulgerid on the Confines of Zeb which it waters in part washes Tebessa of the Province of Constantina cuts the Kingdom of Tunis into two almost equal parts and disburthens it self in the Sea near Garilmesse between Tunis and Hammamet Its increases are sometimes extraordinary and all of a sudden so that Travellers are often forced to wait some days for a passage The Government or City of Benserta BENSERTA of old Vtica is a City but of an indifferent greatness but strong and peopled with about 6000 Families It looks Eastward on a Gulph so called which is about 16000 Paces long and 8000
little favourable encounters thereabout In the end he happily defeated both Scipio and Juba near to Thapsus now Elmedia and after that defeat Cato despairing slew himself at Vtica now Benserta Scipio saved himself in some Ships but being met by Caesars Fleet passing his Sword through his Body he precipitated himself into the Sea Juba would have retired to Zama where he had left his Wives Children and Treasures but Zama having refused to open him the Gates He and Petrejus retired into a House in the Fields where they killed themselves During this War and almost upon the landing of Caesar hapned near Hammametha a thing incredible which was that 30 Gaul-Horsmen assaulted a Post of 2000 Moorish Horse put them to rout and pursued them into the City For Zama or Zama Regia it is far distant from the position which Ptolomy gives it and from that of Ortelius which we at other times and which all others have since followed This Author places it 500000 Paces from Carthage and 600000 from Adrumetum but it appears both by the Roman History and by the Itinerary Table not to be distant from Carthage above 100 or 120000 Paces and from Adrumetum 100000 Paces or little more The Governments or Cities of Bigge and urbs BEGGE or Beija and VRBS this in the Road from Tebessa to Tunu that in the way from Constantina to Tunis are both seated in fair Plains so fertil in Grains particularly Begge that those of Tunis say that if they had two Begges they would yield as many Corns as there is Sand in the Sea and nigh to Vrbs is Camud Arbes Musti and Marmagen all fair Cities The Government or City of Cayroan CAYROAN of old Thesdrus ought as it seems to be among the Maritim Governments since it holds on the Coast Tobulha Asfachusa and some other places but its principal place being on the main Land its Government is likewise esteemed to be within the Land This City is seated in a Sandy-plain which affords neither Grain Fruit nor scarce any Water but what is preserved in Cisterns it is about 100 miles from Tunis and about 36 from any part of the Sea It was first built by Hucha who was the first that conquered Africk for the Saracens who adorned it with a stately Mosque supported on Pillars of Marble of which two or three are very fair ones and of a prodigious greatness who also placed in it a Colledge of Priests and now in much esteem being the residence of a High Priest of the Law of Mahomet and to this place from all parts of the Country the Corps of their chief Men are brought to be interred who believe that by the Prayers of those Priests they shall find a shorter way to Heaven than if interred at any other place Its Inhabitants are now reduced to about 4 or 500 Families Not far from Cayroan Mountains of Zaghoan and Gueslet are the Mountains of Zaghoan and Gueslet the last not above 12000 Paces distant both the one and the other have divers foot-steps of Roman Buildings But I believe it was from the last that Scipio considered the Battel between Massinissa King of Numidia and Asdrubal chief of the Carthaginians and of this encounter Scipio would sometimes say to his Friends That he was the third who had had the pleasure to see a famous Battel without having run any resigoe to wit Jupiter from the top of Mount Ida and Neptune from some eminence in the Isle of Samothrace who beheld the Battels between the Trojans and Greeks and himself this between Massinissâ— and the Carthaginians The other Cities of this Kingdom of Tunis and towards Billedulgerid are Caffa Hama Techios Neifa and Nafta The Kingdom of TRIPOLI Kingdom of Tripoli THE Kingdom of TRIPOLI takes up the just moiety of the Coast of Barbary from Capes unto Egypt and divides it self into two principal parts or Provinces which bear likewise the Title of Kingdoms to wit Tripoli and Barca Tripoli is between the two Syrtes now the Sands or Banks of Barbary These are Gulphs of different greatness but of the same nature infamous for the Shipwreck of Vessels lost on their Flats or Rocks among which the depth of the Water is very unequal and changes often there being sometimes much sometimes a little and sometimes none at all The Little Syrtes now the Gulph of Capes separates Tripoli from Tunis The Great Syrtes now the Gulph of Sydra divides it from Barca this towards the East the other towards the West and on the South it is bounded with Billidulgerid and on the North with the Mediterranean Sea It s principal Cities are El-Hamma Capes Zoara the two Tripolies Old and New Sarmana Lepeda c. 1. El-Hamma is in the Land It s chief places and people Capes and the rest on the Sea between El-Hamma and Capes is a Lake excellent against Leprosie 2. Capes of Old Tacapa hath good Walls and a good Castle but its Port dangerous and incapable to receive either many or great Vessels it is scituate at the fall of the River Triton into the Lesser Syrtes 3. Zoara of old Pisida between Capes and Tripoli hath its Land so dry that the Inhabitants are forced to water it and yet will scarce produce any thing save Barley and some Fruits among which Lotos with which they make an excellent Metheglin but it lasts good not above 9 or 10 days Flesh is here very scarce they not having wherewith to feed Beasts The Arabs frequent their Markets and serve them with Wools wherewith they make Cloaths and other Manufactures 4. Tripoli the Old of old Sabrata and which the Arab of Nubia calls the Tower of Sabrat hath only some Hamlets and Remnants of fair and stately Edifices 5. The New Tripoli of Old Oea is better maintained Tripoli and the Trade thereof though it hath many Ruins by reason of the divers changes it hath had The disposition of its places Streets and the order of its Buildings is agreeable being adorned with many fair Mosques Colledges Hospitals c. The Inhabitants subsisted only on their Commerce which is of what they got from their Palm-Trees Lotos and Linnen-Cloth which they uttered in Africa Sicily and Malta besides their black and Ethiopian Slaves which they sold till of late they have much enriched themselves by Piracy it being the usual retreat for Pirates who infest these Seas and do much mischief to Christian Merchants on the Coasts of Italy Sicily and elsewhere 6. Lepeda is in some repute as it was in the time of the Arab of Nubia and more under the Romans Farther is the Great Syrtes at the bottom of which is the Isle Sydra which communicates its name to the Gulph and on the Firm Land are the Tombs of Philenes or Arae Philenarum which set the Limits between Africa and Libya and afterwards between the Estates of the Carthaginians and the Cyrenians and in fine of the Eastern Empire against that of the West
that the people pass to and fro as it were in throngs near to this City are Josephs 7 Granaries now brought to ruines yet 4 of them are so repaired as they are made use of to keep the publick Corn. On the South end of this City he saith there yet remaineth a round Tower wherein Pharaohs daughter lived when she found Moses in the River which runs hard by it South West of Grand Cairo on the other side of the Nile about four Leagues distance stands the three oldest and greatest Pyramides the Jews affirming them to be built by Pharaoh who was drowned in the Red Sea the fairest for himself the next for his Wife and the least for his only Daughter The greatest of the three and chief of the Worlds Seven Wonders is made in form Quardangular lessening by equal degrees the Basis of every Square is 300 paces in length and so lessening by degrees ascending by 250 steps each being about 3 feet high the Stones are all of a bigness and hewed four square And in this as also in the others there are several Rooms There are also about 16 or 18 other Pyramides but of less note and not so ancient as these 3 aforesaid are which I shall pass by Nigh to this City in the Plain is the place where they did inter their dead in which they used such art that the bodies of their dead remain to this day perfect sound and these we call Mummies The places where these bodies ly are about ten fathom under ground in Vaults either in the Sand or upon an open stone The Earth is full of dry Sand wherein moisture never comes which together with their art of Embalming them doth thus preserve the bodies for some thousand years past In the brest of these Mummies is set a small Idol some of one shape some of another with Hieroglyphicks on the back side of them This City of Grand Cairo was formerly of a very great Trade but that which hath now ruined it as likewise that of Alexandria is the discovery of the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope by which the English Portugals and Hollanders at present go to these Indies and bring into the West all those Drugs Spices Precious Stones Pearls and a thousand other Commodities which came before by Aleppo or by Egypt but passing by Cairo let us come to the other Cassilifs The Cassilifs in the lower Egypt In the lower Egypt are those of Garbia Menufia and Callioubech within the Delta and between the Branches of the Nile That of Mansaura without and Eastward towards the Holy Land and Arabia Likewise without and Westward of the Nile is the Cassilif of Bonhera or Baera which stretches it self from the Nile unto the Cape of Bonandrea This last Cassilif is almost quite out of Egypt though within its Government and the length of its Sea Coast not less then that of all Egypt along the Nile But that which is distant from the Nile is subject to the Arabs and very Desart that which is near it is better worth It s Governor is obliged to Mannel a Callech or Channel of 100000 paces in length to carry water from the Nile to Alexandria and when a new Bassa arrives in Egypt this Governor hath likewise to furnish him with Horses and Camels for himself his Train and Baggage and to defray his charges from Alexandria unto Cairo But since the Wars with the Venetians the Bassa's have generally come round by Land and not adventured by Sea to Alexandria Among the Desarts of this Cassilif those of St. Macaire have had 360 and odd Monasteries And here is likewise to be seen a Lake of Mineral Water which converts into Nitre the Wood Bones or Stones that are thrown into it The Cassilifs of Callioubech Menousia and Garbia being between the Branches of the Nile and out of the course of the Arabs ought to be esteemed the best in Egypt and particularly the last which yields more abundantly Sugar Rice Milk Grains Oyl Flax Herbs Honey Fruits c. And Maala one of its principal Cities which they call the Little Medina is a place of great devotion with them where they hold yearly a famous Fair which the Governor opens with great pomp observing many Ceremonies The Cassilif of Mansoura doth produce the same Commodities but not in so great a quantity though of a greater extent then Garbia but more over it yields Cassia These four or five Cassilifs take up the whole Coast of Egypt and of its Government and on this Coast are the Cities of Alexandria Rosetto Damiata and some others The City of Alexandria Alexandria among the Turks Scanderia was built by the command of Alexander the Great and by him peopled with Greeks immediately after the conquest of Egypt and the Moddel traced by the Architect Dinocrates who for want of other matter made use of Wheat-flower to mark out the circuit which was taken for a good Augury It was afterwards beautified by many but especially by Pompey It is scituated Westward of the Delta over against the Isle of Pharos and built upon a Promontory thrusting it self into the Sea with which on the one side and on the other the Lake Mareotis It is a place of good defence its circuit is about 12000 paces adorned with many stately Edifices among which the most famous was the Serapium or the Temple of their god Serapis Which for curious workmanship and the stateliness of the Building was inferior to none but the Roman Capitol then the Library erected by Ptolomy Philadelphus in which there were 200000 Volums which Demetrius promised to augment with 300000 more And this in the War against Julius Caesar was unfortunately burnt And this is that Philadelphus who caused the Bible to be translated into Greek by the 72 Interpreters which were sent him by the High Priest Eleazar In this City in Anno 180 Gantenus read Divinity and Philosophy who as it is thought was the first institutor of Vniversities This City hath been enriched with 400 high and strong Forts and Towers and the Ptolomies or Kings of Egypt having made here their residence after the death of Alexander the Great and caused many stately and magnificent Palaces to be built Under the Houses are Gisterns sustained with Pillars of Marble as also Pavements for their refreshment being their Summer habitation their ancient custom by reason of the heat being to build their Houses as much under ground as above the upper part serving for their Winter habitation It was their custom also to erect great Pillars of Marble or Porphyry among others that of Pompey which stands upon a four square Rocky Foundation without the Walls on the South side of the City It is round and of one intire piece of Marble and of an incredible bigness being above One hundred foot high not far from the place where he was slain in a Boat at Sea and where his ashes were laid In this City are also two
West and advancing a little towards the South So that St. Anthony and Brava make the two Ends or Points towards the West Bona Vista makes the middle of the half Circle towards the East SANCTA LVCIA St. Nicholas St. NICHOLAS and St. JAGO are the greatest having each 100 or 120000 paces of length 15 20 or 30000 of breadth and 200 or 250000 paces of circuit St. Anthonio and St. Vincent are less by more then half and not of above 100000 paces in circuit the rest which are the least have not above 30 40 or 50000 paces I make no account of seven or eight others whose names have not been given us and which are rather Rocks than Isles St. JAGO is the greatest and the chief of all having a Bishops seat in the City of the same name St. Jago besides which are Ribera Grande with a good Port towards the West Praya towards the East St. Mary towards the North all with their Ports Some place likewise St. Thomas whose Port is dangerous others St. Domingo others St. Michael possibly these fall under some of the others Ribera Grande hath 500 Houses the Air is unhealthful the Land hilly but the Valleys fruitful in Grains Vines Fruits Sugar Canes Millons c. Feeding much Fowl and Cattle and particularly Goats in abundance These Beasts bringing forth young every four Moneths and three of four at a time and the Kids are very fat and delicate Sancta Lucia St. Vincent St. Anthony SANCTA LVCIA is the best peopled after that of St. Jago St. Nicholas St. Vincent and St. Anthony have been esteemed Desert yet they appear to have many Inhabitants though not so many as they could feed The Ships of the Vnited Provinces passing here in 1622. found in that of St Anthony 500 persons Men Women and Children all Aethiopians St. Vincent and St. Nicholas had no less At Mayo these Aethiopians are strong and of good stature but it is to be believed that every where are some Portugals to keep the rest in aw Salt Bona Vista The Isles of SALT of BONA VISTA of MAYO and of St. JAGO yield so great quantity of Salt which is made naturally of the Water which the Sea from time to time leaves that besides what they consume in the Countrey they laded every year more then 100 Ships which is transported into other Countreys and yet there remains six times as much which becomes useless It is reported that the Isle of Mayo could make alone lading for two thousand Sail of Ships yearly and the others not much less The other riches of the Countrey lies in the Skins of their Goats which are in so great quantity through all these Isles that many flocks are seen of 1000 Head The Skins are sent to Brasil Portugal and other places and make excellent Cordovants The Flesh is salted in the Countrey and sold to Ships going and returning from Brasil to the Indies Besides the Salt and Woats which are the principal riches of the Countrey they have many Wild Horses Oxen Apes c. also Cotton whereof they make several Manufactures Also Rice and many sorts of Grains Among their Fowl they have one kind particular to them which they call Flamencos the Feathers of their Bodies are all White and those of their Wings Red as Blood Their Tortoises are not above two or three foot long they come out of the Sea and lay their Eggs in the night covering them with Sand and the heat of the Sun hatches them Fuego Brava In Fuego and Brava they gather Wines which yield little to those of the Canaries The Sargasso Sea Between the Islands of Cape Verde and the main Land inclining towards the Canaries the Sea is called Sargasso because from the 20 to the 24 degree and for the length of 30 40 or 50 Leagues the Sea is covered with an herb like to that which is found in the bottom of Wells and which the Portugals call Sargasso This Herb except that it is more Yellow resembles Sea-Parsley bearing certain Grains or Fruit at the end but of neither taste nor substance Many have been much troubled to know from whence these Weeds come which are distant from the Isles and from the firm Land more then 60 Leagues and in a part of the Sea where there is no bottom found Nevertheless they are so close and in so great quantity that the Water seems rather a Meadow or Green Field then a Sea Ships which fall among these Weeds had need of a good Wind to disingage themselves and I believe it was these which hindred Sataspes from finishing his course about Africa and were the cause of his misfortune This Sataspes Son of Teaspes one of the Achemenides A story of Sataspes having ravished the Daughter of Zopyrus the Son of Magabises was condemned by Xerxes to be crucified His Mother the Sister of Darius caused this punishment to be changed into another to wit he was caused to make the Circumnavigation of Africa which could not be done without great difficulty and hazard He embarked in Egypt passed the Pillars of Hercules entred into the Occidental Ocean and passed far to the South along Africa but knowing that it would yet require much time and pains to end this course he returned into Egypt and thence to the Court where he said he had met with somewhat that hindred his Ship from passing farther Xerxes took him for a liar and made him suffer the death he was before condemned to But to continue The Isles of Cape Verde The Position wherein the Isles of Cape Verde are now found answers much better to the Position of the Fortunate Isles of Ptolomy then that of the Canaries Ptolomy places his Fortunate Isles between the 10 and 16 degree of Latitude the Isles of Cape Verde are between the 13 and 19 the Canaries beyond the 26. The Meridian of the Fortunate Isles of Ptolomy is at 8 degrees of Longitude from the Coast of Africa and towards the West The least Meridian of the Isles of Cape Verde is at 8 degrees of Longitude from the same Coast and towards the same side The least Meridian of the Canaries touches the Coast of Africa Ptolomy confines his Fortunate Isles under one Meridian and extends them from South to North between the tenth to the sixteenth parallel or degrees of Latitude which are five degrees of Latitude The Isles of Cape Verde are not justly under one Meridian but under two or three and extend themselves from the 13 ½ to the 19 which are five degrees of Latitude The Canaries on the contrary are all couched from West to East and almost under the same parallel or degree of Latitude which is the 27 lengthning themselves from the first to the 6 of Longitude These four Reasons are very strong to prove that the Isles of Cape Verde do rather answer to the Fortunate Isles of Ptolomy then the Canaries Their distance in regard of the Aequator is
The Countrey between Rotana and Realejo is so fruitful and pleasant that its like can scarce be found in the World such quantity it produces of Grains Wines Fruits Honey Wax Sugar Flax It s Fertility Silk c. And from hence they have their Vines which they carry to the West Indies the best of which grow on the Coast of Ramble There are certain Shrubs which yield a liquor like to Milk which after it is thickned makes an excellent Gum called Taybayba From the Dragon Tree cut towards the Root they draw a red liquor which they call Dragons Blood well known to Apothecaries It s chief places It s principal City Laguna so called because of the Lake near to it is 4 or 5 Leagues from the Sea contains two parishes and is the residence of the Governor of the Island The other Cities are Sancta Crux Rotana Rajalesa Carachico and Adeca When it was discovered its Kings to the number of seven dwelt in Caverns and the bodies of their dead were set up about Caves where they became as dry as Parchment among which the most honorable had a stick put in their hand and a vessel of Milk before them The Isle of Gomer described GOMER is 8 or 9 Leagues from Teneriff is 10 or 12 Leagues long It s chief City of the same name often receives the Indian Fleet and furnishes them with Corn Fruits Sugar and Wines as well as those of Teneriff and Canaria The Countrey is high plain bears many Dragon-trees feeds small Cattle Its Roads are deep and large The People of this Isle were formerly more barbarous than those of the other Canary Isles using many strange Customs not known elsewhere among which they held it for a great sign of Hospitality to let their Friends lie with their Wives and receive theirs in testimony or return of kindness Isle of Ferr described The Isle of FERR is the most West of all the Canaries distant from Palma 15 or 16 Leagues from Gomer only 5 or 6. This Isle in reason should be well known many persons having been there and many Authors treated very amply of it yet I will a little shew the diversity found touching the greatness and quality of the soyl as also the Water with which the Isle is served It s chief place is called Hierro seated on the Sea shore Here is found plenty of Hogs Goats and Sheep also of Beasts Fowl Fruits and quantity of Grains and Sugar Canes and hath much Cattle which yield abundance of Milk and Cheese A Tree whose Leaves destilâ—â— Water which serves the Isle there being no Rain or Rivers Here is said to be no fresh Water only in the middle of the Isle there grows a Tree whose Leaves are much like those of the Olive which being alwaies covered with Clouds drops from its Leaves into a Cistern which is underneath it very good Water and in such great abundance that it suffices all the Inhabitants as also all the Cattle and living Creatures in the Island One Jackson an Englishman who reports to have seen considered and measured this Tree in 1618 saith That the water falls into a Pond containing 20000 Tuns which in one night is filled and that from this Pond the water is by divers Channels conveyed into other Ponds or Cisterns through the whole Isle which is very well peopled some say it hath in it about 8000 people and above 100000 head of Cattle which for an Island but of six Leagues Circuit is very well for if the Tree be in the middle of the Isle it cannot be above a League distant from any extremity and moreover more than 20000 Tuns of water for 100000 months will be a Tun a day for every five months which is too much drink if they drink nothing but water These particulars are contradicted by others The Conquest of all these Isles saies many Trees not one alone otherwise it would be immortal Sanutus saith that the Cloud begins to rise about noon and in the evening quite covereth the Tree which at the same time destills water drop by drop along the trunk branches and leaves and that it continues so till day Others say that this water falls from Noon all night until a little after the Sun be risen But most will have the Cloud perpetually about the Tree and that it destills continually Suarez makes the Pond or Cistern of not above 20 Tuns The relations of 1602. say two reservers each 20 foot square but neither Suarez nor others makes any mention of other reservers in the Isle but will have this water in one place alone whither all go to fetch it But let us pass from the Ocean into the Mediterranean Sea and come to Malta which is one of the best but none of the least considerable pieces of Africa Nigh unto these 7 Islands called the Canary Isles are the Isles of Roco Sancta Clara Gratiosa Alegria and the two Savage Isles PALMA is distant from Gomer 12 or 15 Leagues to the North West It is round or oval and its Circuit about 25 Leagues Abounds in Corn Wine Sugars and all sorts of Fruits It is well stored with Cattle and therefore made the victualling place of the Spanish Fleet that pass to Peru and Brasil The City of the same name hath great confluence by reason of its Wines loaden for the West-Indies and other places It s best and like to Malvoisie is made about Brenia whence are taken more than 12000 Pipes yearly also St. Andre and Tassa Corde are on the Sea It hath little Corn which is brought from Teneriff Four Sugar Engines the Church of Palma and the Governors House are esteemed fair The Island of MALTA The Isle of Malta THe Isle of MALTA is in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and almost at an equal distance from the main Land of Asia and Europe It is about 600 Leagues from the Coast of Souria and 500 from the Streight of Gibralter This Streight beginning the Mediterranean Sea towards the West and that Coast ending it towards the East Likewise from Malta to the nearest firm Land of Europe It s scituation which is Italy and to the nearest Coasts of the firm Land in Africa which are the Coasts of Tunis and Tripoly these bounding the Mediterranean Sea on the South that on the North is 80 90 and near 100 Leagues The Antients have esteemed it rather in Africa then in Europe and the opinion hath been followed by almost all modern Authors though it be nearest the Isle and Kingdom of Sicily which is in Europe and from which it likewise holds then to Africa and though it be in the hands of the Knights of Malta who are all Europeans the native tongue of the Country and most of their Customs have alwaies more resembled those of Africa than Europe This Isle at present is very famous The Isle famous for being the seat of the Knights of Malta not for its
of Ships in like manner are they found in the Gulph or Bay of St. Laurence Besides the Cod-fish here are other sorts of Fish in great plenty as Thornback Ling Salmons Oysters c. The greatest of these Isles and which commonly takes the name of New-found-land is 4 or 5 Leagues circuit It is scituate betwixt the degrees of 46 and 53 of Northern Latitude and is severed from the Continent of America by an Arm of the Sea and is distant from England about 600 Leagues A Country ill-inhabited towards the East and South the Inhabitants being retired farther within Land but the English have of late settled some Colonies to maintain their Fishing-Trade Its Inhabitants The Natives are of a reasonable good Stature and well proportioned but full-ey'd broad-faced beardless and of an Oker complexion not over ingenious their Houses are very mean and their Apparel and Furniture worse The Country being for the generality reputed fertil if well cultivated and would yield good Grains is enriched by Nature with plenty of Fish Fowl and wild Beasts and is blest with a wholsom Air though the rigour of the Winter season and the excess of Heats in Summer do something detract from its due praise East of New-found-land is a great Bank a thing as remarkable as any in all Canada This Bank is much different from those which are covered with Water when the Sea is high uncovered and dry on an Ebb Saylors must shun such Banks like death This which we now speak of is like a Country overflown always covered with the Sea and having at least 20 30 or 40 Fathom water for the depth is unequal Off from this Bank on all sides the Sea is no less than 200 Fathom deep and yet this Bank is 200 Leagues long 20 25 and sometimes 50 broad It is on this Bank that the New-found-landers that is those Ships that go to fish for Cods of New-found-land do for the most part stop and make their freight About this great Bank and more towards the Main Land than the Ocean there are some others much less but of the same nature It is almost incredible how many Nations and of each how many Sail of Ships go yearly to fish for these Cods with the prodigious quantity they take a Man being able to take 100 of them in the space of an hour The manner of Fishing They fish with Hooks which are no sooner thrown into the Sea but the greedy Fish snapping the Bait is taken by the Hook and drawn on Ship-board they lay him presently on a Plank one cuts off his head another guts it and takes out its biggest bones another salts and barrels it c. Which being thus ordered is hence transported by the English and other European Nations into all parts of Europe as also into the other three parts of the World They Fish only in the day time the Cod as they say not biting in the night nor doth this Fishing last all Seasons but begins a little before Summer and ends with September In Winter the Fish retires to the bottom of the deep Sea where Storms and Tempests have no power Another kind of Fishing Near New-found-land there is another kind of fishing for the same Fish which they call dried Fish as the other green Fish The Ships retire into some Port and every Morning send forth their Shallops one two or three Leagues into the Sea which fail not to have their load by Noon or a little after They bring them to Land lay them on Tables or Planks and order it as the other but after the Fish hath been some days in salt they take it forth exposing it to the Air and Wind lay it again in heaps and return it from time to time to the open Air till it be dry That this Fish may be good it must be dried in a good and temperate Air Mists moisten it and make it rot the Sun hardens it and makes it yellow At the same time they fish for Cods green or dry the Fishers have the pleasure of taking Fowl without going forth of their Vessels They take them with a Line as they do fish baiting the Hook with the Cods Liver these Fowl being so greedy that they come by flocks and fight who shall get the Bait first which soon proves its death and one taken the Hook is no sooner thrown out again but another is catch'd in the like nature But enough of these and of Cod-fishing In the year 1623 Sir George Calvert Knight the Principal Secretary of State and afterwards Lord Baltimore obtained a Patent of part of New-found-land which was erected into the Province of Avalon where he settled a Plantation and erected a stately House and Fort at Ferry-land where he dwelt some time And after his death it fell to his Son the Right Honourable Caecilius late Lord Baltimore also Proprietor of Mary-land CANADA taken particularly is on the Right hand and towards the lower part of the great River The River Canada and its name is communicated both to the River and Neighbouring Country This River is the largest of America Septentrionalis and one of the fairest in the World It is about 200 Fathom deep and at its Mouth 30 Leagues broad It s course according to the report of those of the Country is already known for 4 or 500 Leagues and there is some likelyhood that we may in the end discover that the Lake which seems to be its head-Spring disburthens it self into the Sea by two or three different courses one towards us which is that of Canada another towards the West and above California the third towards the North and into the Christian Sea and that the Mouth of this may shew us the way we have so long sought to go to the East-Indies by the West People with whom the French Trade Their Colonies The People with whom the French trade here are the Canadans the Hurons the Algonquins the Attiquameques Nipisiriniens Montagnets those of Saguenay Acadia c. And to this purpose they have divers Colonies on the great River at Tadousac at Quebeck at Three-Rivers at Sillery at Richelieu at Montreal and without the Bay of Chaleur at Miscou at Port-Royal c. This Trade is only managed by Exchange they give the Skins of Bevers Otters Martles Sea-Wolfes c. for Bread Pease Beans Plumbs Kettles Cauldrons Hatchets Arrow-heads Pinchers Coverlids c. But to instruct them in Christianity many Ecclesiasticks of Religious Orders have had divers disbursements and residences likewise an Hospital and Seminary of Vrsilines The Jesuits have the chief care of these Houses North of Canada is ESTOTTILAND Estottiland or TERRADE LABRADOR near Hudsons Streight it is called sometimes the Land of Cortereal and sometimes new Britany however I esteem it a part of new France the Country is Mountainous Woody full of wild Beasts well furnished with Rivers rich in Metals of a fertil Soil in most places and would produce
ill peopled they fish for Pearls in Mer Vermejo and on the East of the Coasts of California and likewise along and on the Coasts of New Granada or New Mexico Mark de Niza a Franciscan his Relations of this place Mark de Niza a Franciscan made a Voyage into these parts in 1529 and at his return recounted Marvels of what he had seen and understood of People that wore about their Heads pieces of Mother of Pearl of divers Provinces rich in Gold of Cities and Houses well built whose Gates were adorned with Turquoises and other Stones That the chief City of Cibola was greater than Mexico That the Kingdoms of Marata Acu and Tonteac were likewise very rich and powerful Also the description of these parts by Vasque de Cornada The Relation of this Fryar caused Mendoza Vice-Roy of Mexico to send Vasque de Cornada Governour of New Gallicia to search out the truth Who far from finding the Riches he hoped for found only people naked very poor rude and barbarous some Cities he found indifferently well built but sadly furnished assuring us that the Kingdoms of which the Fryar had made so much account of were almost all Imaginary Tonteac being only a Lake about which there were some few Habitations Marata a thing invisible and Acu a beggerly Town in esteem amongst them only gathered some Cotton Possibly the Fryar said more than he had seen that he might incite the Spaniards to send some Colonies hither and have the Means to convert those People And Cornada less because he found not that present profit which he did in his Government however it be this contrariety with those we have observed touching the City of Granada and the Provinces of Quivira and Anian may make us see how dangerous it is to trust those that come from parts so remote and unknown whatever specious or fair Habit they wear or whatever good Tongue they have or whatever protestations they make of Truth The Audience of GUATEMALA THE Audience of GVATEMALA is between the Seas Del Nort and Sud and between divers Isthmus's and Tongues of Land which are found in the most Southernly part of America Septentrionalis Its Provinces are Guatemala Its Provinces Soconusco Chiapa Vera-Pax Honduras Nicaragua Costarica and Veragua The Province of Guatemala with its Cities described GVATEMALA and SOCONVSCO are on the Mer del Sud Chiapa within Land Vera-Pax and Honduras on the Mer del Nort Castaria Nicaragua and Veragua on both Seas Guatemala hath 150 Leagues along the Coast and advanceth within Land 30 or 40 Leagues Here were built the Cities of St. Jago of Guatemala St. Salvador or Curcatlan La Trinidad or Conzonate St. Michael and Xeres de la Frontera or Chuluteca they are all upon or little distant from the Sea Guatemala is more advanced within Land and yet the principal being the Seat of the Bishop and Court of Audience In 1541 this City was almost overwhelmed by a deluge of boyling Water which descending from that Vulcan which is above and near the City threw down and tumbled over all that it met with as Stones Trees and Buildings where it stifled many People and among the rest the Widow of him who had conquered and so ill treated that Province The City was rebuilt farther to the East and may have near 100 Houses about 1000 Inhabitants and its Country about 25000 Indians Tributaries A certain private Person had once a strange phancy came in his head A strange phancy of a private Person in these parts and the event thereof that there was a very rich Mine of Gold in this Vulcan of Guatemala and that he needed but to find some way to put down a Cauldron and draw out what he could wish for as one doth Water out of a Well he undertook the enterprize and caused to be made great Chains of Iron and a great Cauldron so strong that he believed the fire could not damage it he caused a way to be made to carry to the top of the Mountain his Chains Caularon and Machins which were to serve to let down and draw up his Caulâ—ron full of Gold which he believed to coyn at the bottom of the Mountain but he found the Fire so violent that in less than a moment of time he had neither Chains nor Cauldron Which so perplexed him with grief and shame to see his own folly having not only spent all his own Estate but the best part of his Friends so that he would have precipitated himself into the Mountain had he not been hindred but in a short time he died for anger and grief The sertility of this Province withits Commodities and Trade The Country is colder than the scituation may bear and subject to Earthquakes hath excellent Balms liquid Amber Bezoar Salt Grains is full of rich Pastures which are well stooked with Cattle plenty of Cotton Wool excellent Sulphur store of Medâ—â—inal Drugs and abundance of Fruits among others Caâ—ao in such great plenty that it yearly lades many Vessels which are transported to other places The Country is more inclining to Mountains than Plains but well watered with Rivers The People are pusillanimous and fearful Its Inhabitants the Men are expert at the Bow and the Women at the Distaff they are more civil and embrace Christianity more than their neighbouring Countries do and are willing to receive Advice from the Spaniards who are their Masters The Province of Soconusco described SOCONVSCO hath only the little City of Guevetlan on the Coast and nothing of particular or worthy to be noted in it only it hath some Grains feeds some Cattle its Rivers have Fish and its People more barbarous and rude The Province of Chiapa described CHIAPA is not over fertil in Grains nor Fruits but the Country well cloathed with lofty Trees and some of which yield Rozin others precious Gums and others bear Leaves that when they are dried into powder make a Sovereign Plaister for Sores The Country is full of Snakes and other venemous Creatures Places of most note in this Province are 1. Crudad-Real built by the Spaniards scituate in a round Plain at the Foot of a Hill It s chief places and begirt with Mountains resembling an Amphitheater now the residence of a Bishop and governed by City-Magistrates by them called Alcaides 2. Chiapa seated in the fruitfullest Valley of the whole Country 3. St. Bartholomews remarkable for having near it a great Pit or opening of the Earth into which if any one casts a Stone though never so small it makes a noise so great and terrible as a clap of Thunder 4. Casapualca a small Town but famous also for a Well it hath whose Waters are observed to rise and fall according to the flowing and ebbing of the Sea Among the Bishops of Chiapa one was Bartholomew de las Casas of the Order of St. Dominique Some memorable actions of Bartholomew de las Casas Bishop
place of a Ship in a Voyage p. 361 Lib. 1. c. 2. A Half English foot A Half Dutch and also an old Roman half foot A Half foot of Paris in French And also a half Greek foot A Half foot of Antwerp in Handers A Half Aegyptian foot from Alexandria A Half Babylonian foot mentioned by Historians A Half foot of Venice A Half foot of Toledo in Spaine A Half foot of Vienna in Austria The Proportion of diverse Miles according to theire compaired Length Lib. 1. c. 2. An Indian Mile A Russian Mile A Mile of Cambaja An English Mile A French Mile And allmost an old Arabian League A Holland Mile A Spanish League A German Mile A Swedish Mile THE ABSOLUTE OR COMPLEAT PART OF General Geography BOOK I. SECT I. CHAP. I. Concerning the Precognita's or things known before the handling of the Art it self as the Definition Division Object Properties Principles Order Method Original Excellency and other affections of GEOGRAPHY to be spoken of by way of Preface A Preface to an Art very necessary THE Custom or fashion hath for a long time prevailed that they who compleatly treat of and handle any Art or Science do in the first place declare some things touching the Conditions Method Constitution and other properties of their Doctrine Neither do I think that this is done by them without reason so that it be performed without any Sophistical encroachment seeing that by such like fore-had Instruction the Readers Understanding may before-hand conceive a certain Idea or Platform of the whole Art or Science to be afterwards handled or at least may understand the Argument or Contents thereof and withal may gather thereby how he ought to order himself in the studying the same I therefore shall in this Chapter deliver some few passages concerning the same The Definition of Geography GEOGRAPHY is called a mixt Mathematical Science which teacheth the affections or qualities of the Earth and the parts thereof depending of quantity that is to say the figure place magnitude and other like properties Geography by some but too strictly is taken for the only description and plâ—cing the Countrys of the Earth And on the contrary by others it is extended but too largely to the political description of every Country But these Men are easily excused seeing they do it to retain and stir up the Readers affections who otherwise by a bare account and naked description of those Countrys would be made drowsie and heedless The Division of Geography We will divide Geography into General and Special or Universal and Particular General or Vniversal Geography is that which doth generally consider the Earth and declare its properties without any respect of particular Countrys Special or Particular Geography is that which teacheth the constitution and placing of all single Countrys or every Country by it self And this particular Geography is twofold Particular Geography twofold Chorographical and Topographical General Geography and its parts to wit Chorography and Topography Chorography proposeth the description of any Country having at least a mean magnitude Topography describeth any little tract of Land or place In this Book we will present you with a General Geography which we have distributed into Three parts to wit the Absolute part the Respective part and the Comparative part In the Absolute part we will consider the very Body of the Earth with its parts and proper affections and qualities as figure magnitude motion Lands Seas Rivers c. In the Respective part we will contemplate those properties and accidents which from Celestial causes happen to the Earth And lastly the Comparative part shall contain an explication of those properties which arise from the comparing of divers places of the Earth The Object of Geography The Object of Geography or Subject about which it is employed is the Earth but principally its Superficies and parts The Properties of Geography Those things which deserve to be considered in every Country seem to be of a triple kind to wit Celestial Terrestrial and Human and therefore may be declared in the particular Geography for every Country with the profit of Learners and Readers The Celestial properties of Geography I call those Celestial properties which depend on the apparent motion of the Sun Stars and other Planets and seem to be Eight 1. The elevation of the Pole the distance of the place from the Equator and from the Pole 2. The obliquity or wriness of the daily motion of the Stars above the Horizon of that place 3. The Quantity of the longest and shortest day 4. The Climate and Zone 5. Heat and Cold and the Seasons of the year also Rain Snow Winds and other Meteors for although these things may be referred to Terrestrial properties yet because they have a great affinity with the four Seasons of the Year and motions of the Sun therefore we have marshalled them in the order and rank of Celestials 6. The rising of the Stars their appearance and continuance above the Horizon 7. The Stars passing through the Vertical point of the place 8. The quantity or swiftness of the Motion wherewith according to Copernicus his Hypothesis each one is very hour wheeled about According to Astrologers a Ninth property may be added because they do appoint one of the Twelve Signs of the Zodiack and the peculiar Planet of that Sign to rule and govern every Country But this Doctrine hath ever seemed to me frivolous neither can I perceive any ground for it nevertheless at the end of our Special or Particular Geography we will reckon up this their distribution These may suffice for the Celestial affections or properties I call those Terrestrial properties which are considered in the place of every Country it self of which I shall note Ten. 1. The bounds and circumference of the Country 2 It s Figure 3 It s Magnitude 4 Its Mountains 5 Its Waters as Rivers Springs Bays of the Sea 6 The Woods and Deserts 7 The Fruitfulness and Barrenness as also the kinds of Fruits 8 The Minerals or things dig'd out of the Earth 9 The living Creatures 10 The Longitude of the Place which ought to be added to the first Terrestrial property to wit the Circumference The Humane properties of Geography I make the third kind of Properties which are to be considered in every Country to be Humane which do depend of the Men or Natives and Inhabitants of the Countries of which Humane properties about Ten also may be made 1. The stature of the Natives as to their shape colour length of life Original Meat Drink c. 2 Their Trafficks and Arts in which the Inhabitants are employed 3 Their vertues Vices Learning Wit c. 4 Their Customs in Marriages Christnings Burials c. 5 Their Speech and Language 6 Their State-Government 7 Their Religion and Church-Government 8 Their Cities and most renowned Places 9 Their memorable Histories And10 Their famous Men Artifices and Inventions of the Natives of all Countries
then followeth the Coast of Arabia here the Coasts of the Persian Gulph and towards the East the Coast of Persia Cambaja Indostan India Malacca Bengala Camboja China Tartary at Corea or the Streight of Anian whence by or through the Northern Coast of Tartary and Samojedia you return to Waigats Streights The Circumscription or Periplus of America is thus The Periplus of America We begin from the Shore of Davies Streights whence in a Gulph being made the Sea named from Hudson is received Here by a reflexion are the Coasts of Estotiland New-England New-France Virginia Florida Mexico the American Isthmus Castelle del Oro Guiana Caribana Brazilia Here the Coasts of the Streights of Magellan looking towards the South but extended from the East to the West hence from the South to the North runneth the Shore of Chili Peru the American Isthmus Mexico where at California the Sea of Vermejo is received in a Gulph hence the Coast of California New-England Quivira Anian where are the Coasts of the Streights of Anian which now they deny and follow unknown Shores which are extended to the Streights of Davies The Circumscription of the North Polary Land is thus From Davies Streights the Coasts of Groenland do begin which run a little towards the South and then return to the North and are termed the Coasts of Spitzbergh Then the Shore runneth from the Region of Nova Zembla and is opposite to the Tartarian Ocean where the other Coasts even to Davies Streights are unknown The Periplus of the Land of Magellan The Periplus of the Land of Magellan is thus The Coast beginneth from the Streights of Magellan or Le Maire and making divers wâ—ndings to the Region Beach where the Lantchilonium Sea is received in a Streight hence the Coasts of New-Guiney run forward to the North and then return to the South then they go strait on to the Streights of Magellan Thus the Periplus of the Land is finished Now let us take a prospect of the Circumscription of the Ocean We will make entrance between Davies Streights and Nova Zembla and here is the Hyperborean Sea the Frozen Sea the Caledonian or Sea of Groenland then it runneth between the Coast of Europe and America and is called the British Sea the Danish Sea where it maketh a Gulph the German French Spanish where it maketh the Mediterranean and Sea of Mexico the Atlantick in part here viz. where it runneth between the Coasts of Brasil and Africa by and by it is called Aethiopia and the Streights of Magellan on one side enter in from the other Eastern quarter is the Indian and South-sea where it is extended between Africa and the Land of Magellan then between Asia and the same Land of Magellan and cometh into the Pacifick Sea which is extended to the Streights of Waigats and Anian and to the South Streight of Magellan by the middle of which it is joyned to the Atlantick it directly tendeth to the Oriental Coast of America Chili Peru Mexico California New-England To these I should subjoyn two Tables whereof one containeth the division of the Parts of the Earth the other the division of the Parts of the Ocean but having made use of the former in the eighth Chapter I omit it here and only make use of the latter viz. the Parts of the Ocean The Earth is divided into Land and Waters The Water is divided into Rivers Lakes Marshes and the continued Ocean or Sea is distinguish'd through the Lands by these differences 1. The OCEAN whose chief parts are four 1. The Atlantick Mer del Nort following with the Ethiopick Sea between Europe and Africa on the one part and America on the other obtaineth divers Names according to the parts as the Ethiopick British French Ocean 2. The Pacifick Ocean Mer del Zur between the extream parts of Asia the Indian Isles and the Occidental Coast of America 3. The North Ocean about the North Continent the Tartarian Hyperborean Frozen Ocean 4. The South Ocean about the Land of Magellan part of which is the Indian Sea 2. BAYS or GULPHS Long whereof there are six to wit 1. The Mediterranean running between Africa and the Regions of Europe whose parts are The Iberian Sicilian Cretan Sea c. The secondary Gulphs which are many The Adriatick Gulph of Venice Euxine Sea The Bay of Corinth c. 2. The Baltick Ocean ' whence are these secondary Gulphs as that of Livonia Botnia Finmarke 3. The Gulph of Arabia between Africa and Arabia 4. The Persian Gulph between Arabia and Persia 5. The Gulph of California between California and New Granada 6. The Gulph of Corea between Corea and the utmost bounds of Tartaria and China Broad or Wide as 1. The Gulph of Mexico between the North and South America 2. The Gulph of Bengala between the Coasts of Indostan and Malacca 3. The Gulph between Malacca and Camboja 4. The White Sea from the North Ocean between Lapland and the utmost Coasts of Moscovia 5. The Lantchidol Sea between the Beach and New Guiny of the Land of Magellan 6. Hudsons Sea between New France and Canada arising from the Northern Ocean These want Streights 3. Streights as the Streights of 1. Magellan by which you come from the Atlantick or Ethiopick into the Pacifick and this is the longest Streight of all others 2. Le Maire near to that of Magellan and of the same use 3. Waigats by which you sail from the North Ocean into the Tartarian 4. Anian by which you sail from the Tartarian into the Pacifick Ocean which is now denied 5. Davis and Forbischers by which you sail from the Atlantick into the Tartarian or Pacifick 6. Nova Zembla by which a way might be granted from the Hyperborean and Frozen-Sea into the Tartarian but that the Ice doth hinder 7. Gibraltar by which a passage is from the Atlantick into the Mediterranean 8. Denmarke or the Sound by which you pass out of the Atlantick into the Baltick Sea 9. The Mouth of the Arabian Sea by which you arrive in the Arabian Gulph 10. The Mouth of the Persian Sea by which you come into the Persian Gulph 11. The Hellespont and Bosphorus by which you come from the Aegean Sea into the Sea of Pontus As concerning the Caspian Sea whether that it be peculiar or whether that it belongeth to the broad Gulphs of the Ocean of which it is a subterranean passage is yet doubted CHAP. XIII Of some Properties of the Ocean and its Parts Proposition I. The Superficies of the Ocean and all Liquid Bodies is Rotund Spherical or else is part of a Spherical Superficies whose Center is the same with that of the whole Earth or Land The verity of this Theorem is manifest from those Arguments by which we proved in the third Chapter that the Superficies of the Earth is Spherical which is true concerning the Water as the Earth as I have there proved But because those probations only conclude à posteriori I here
hindred doth flow from more high places to places more low If therefore the place about the Shore was not so high as in the middle of the Ocean part of the Sea would flow from the middle of the Ocean to the Shore and would neither consist or be calm which yet is not found in the tranquillity of the Air. 2. If that the Ocean far remote from the Shores were more high than the Sea at the Shore that Altitude would be discovered a far longer interval than a Spherical Superficies doth admit of yea it would be seen from the same distance from which the parts of the Ocean intercepted between that Altitude and the Shore are seen And experience testifieth that it cannot be beheld from a greater distance but that by degrees the more remote part is detected after the more near when we come to Mediterranean places to the Shore And by how much any part is more vicine to the shore by so much it is first or by a larger interval beheld from the shore Therefore the part of the Ocean removed from the shore is not higher than that part that is nigh unto it Wherefore the Ocean is of the same Altitude every where both in the middle and at the shore and not higher than the Earth 3. Mariners in the midst of the Ocean and deep Sea although they apply their Mathematical Instruments yet find it no higher there than in the parts near the shore which certainly could not be if that the Sea had any Altitude elevated as a Tower or Mountain For as by Instruments we find the Altitude of Towers or Mountains above the subjected parts of the Earth so also if that there were any Altitude of the middle Ocean above the vicine parts it could not be obstructed and avoid the subtilty of Instruments 4. Also here and there in the middle of the Ocean are found Islands and that in great number in some parts which are near to the Continents or great Islands Therefore the middle of the Ocean is not higher than the Earth because it is not higher than the Shores of those Islands 5. No cause can be shew'd why Water in the middle of the Ocean should be higher and not flow into the Chanels of Rivers if that their Waters be more depresâ—ed For by experience we find that Water any where scituated moveth to the vicine parts and these are less high which have been the cause of so many inundations From these I think we sufficiently collect that the Waters of the Ocean are not higher than the shoars of the Land Seeing therefore the Altitude of very few shoars is elevated little more than the vicine Mediterranean Land and in most lesser seeing that the Altitude of the Lands from the shoars to the Mediterranean places increaseth and riseth into Hills thence we conclude that the superficies of the Ocean is not higher than the superficies of the Land Now that the Altitude of the Land from the shoars to the Mediterranean places augmenteth or that the Mediterranean places are higher than the shoars is proved from the flux of Rivers most of which arise in Mediterranean places and flow to the Ocean So then at least the Mediterranean parts are somewhat more elevated than the shoars because the flux is from these unto them for Water floweth from the more high parts to places more inferiour Now that some are somewhat depressed lower than the Water we shall not go about to deny but they are either defended by the height of their shoars or by banks or other interposed earth Now these Banks are raised for the most part not because of the great Altitude of the Ocean being tranquillous and in its natural state but by reason of its impetuous motion caused by the Winds or from some other cause Corollary Corollary Therefore they are deceived who will have the Waters of the Ocean to be higher than the Earth and flie to a miraculous providence by which the inundation of the Ocean on the Land and drowning of the World is hindred and restrained For we have shewed that the superficies of the Water and Earth are one and almost the same to wit spherical and that many parts of the Earth at least the shoars have a greater Altitude than the middle of the Ocean and that this is the cause that the Ocean cannot overflow the Lands Which greater Altitude if it be elevated in some shoars the Banks being broken or the Water being augmented or forced to them in great abundance cause inundations Neither is it altogether impossible or contrary to nature that the whole Earth should be covered with Water as we shall shew in the end of the Chapter Proposition III. Why the Sea being beheld from the shoar seemeth to arise in a greater Altitude and tumor by how much it is more remote The middle of the Ocean by some said to be many miles higher than the Shoars It is a fallacy of the sight or of the estimating faculty which hath brought many into this errour so that they have endeavoured to defend that the middle of the Ocean is many miles higher than the Shoars But it is a wonder that none of them have taken notice of daily Experiments in the ordinary course of our life in which this fallacy is sufficiently manifest For if that we look on any Pavement or floor stretched at length or any row of Pillars the more remote parts of the Pavement will appear more high than the vicine parts so that from thence from our place to the most remote the Floor will seem by degrees more and more to elevate which yet notwithstanding it is every where of the same Altitude After the same mode it is with the Waters of the Ocean for if on the Shoar you use a Geodetical Instrument commodious to measure places withal you shall find no elevation of the remote part of the Ocean above the Shoar but rather a little depression so that the Waters sink beneath the Horizon of the Shoars Those that are versed in the Opticks declare the cause of the fallacy Let A be the Eye See Scheme and let it survey the pavement or superficies of the Water extended at length unto the long space a e. Let the Angle a A e be divided into equal parts or four Angles which are e A d d A c c A b b A a from the right drawn A b A c A d to wit the more remote shall be far more great as appeareth from the Diagram viz. e d is greater than d e and d e greater than b c and b c than a h. Although these parts are very unequal yet they will appear equal because they appear under the equal Angles a A b b A c c A d d A c and the Estimative faculty will judge them to be removed an equal distance from the Eye A in which there is a great deception and therefore will judge the lines A b A c A d
Salt but this is a deceitful sign The 4th Cause 4. The fourth Cause of the unequal saltness is the frequency or scarcity of Rains unto which we may add Snow and in the Northern places Snow and Rain is frequent in the places of the Torrid Zone they are less frequent in some parts of the year and in othersome they are almost continual And therefore in these places in the pluvial Months the water of the Ocean is not so salt on the shoar and hath less Salt in it than in the dry Months Yea in many Regions of the Coast of Malabar the Ocean is fresh in the pluvial Months by reason of the abundance of water that floweth from the top of the Mountain Gatis and falleth into the Sea for this very reason in divers Seasons of the year the same Ocean is of a various saltness yet because in the Northern places the Rains and Snows are continual throughout the whole year therefore this Sea is less salt than in the Torrid Zone The 5th Cause 5. The fifth Cause is the dissimilary solution or unequal faculty of the Water to dissolve this Salt and unite it to its self for hot water sooner uniteth Salt unto it self than cold Water although therefore in the Northern places of the Ocean the shoars and Channels of the same contain more or the like quantity of Salt that those places of the Torrid Zone do yet because the water is there more cold it is not so able to dissolve and unite the Salt to it self so subtily us the water in the Torrid Zone which is more hot The 6th Cause 6. The sixth cause is the exoneration of many and great Rivers into the Sea but this cause only taketh place in the parts of the Ocean that are vicine to the shoars but is not discovered in the remote parts So Mariners affirm that the Ocean on the Coast of Brasilia where the Silver-River disburtheneth it self loseth it saltness and affordeth fresh waters fifteen miles distant from the shoar The same is observed of the African Ocean on the Coasts of Congi where the River Zaire exonerateth it self and of many more Rivers Unto these add runing Fountains in some parts of the bottom of the Ocean These are the Causes which seem to concur to the variety and diversity of saltness in divers parts of the Ocean from which the saltness of every one of the Seas may be explained From whence also it is easy to give an account why the water of the German and Northern Ocean is less apt to separate Salt from it self by coction than the water of the Spanish Ocean the Canary Isles and that of Cape Verd whence the Dutch fetch Salt in great abundance and transport it into the Northern Regions viz. this Ocean is more near the Torrid Zone and receiveth water from the Ocean of the Torrid Zone the other is more remote from the Frigid Zone yet I cannot deny the constitution of the Channels themselves to be more or less saline The Sea-water at Guinee in the Ethiopick Ocean affordeth Salt at one coction as white as snow such as neither the Spanish Ocean nor any other in Europe do produce at one coction or boyling Proposition XI Why Rain-water in the middle of the Ocean is found sweet but the water which we separate from the Marine or Salt-water either by decoction or distillation is yet notwithstanding found salt when yet the Rain-water proceedeth from the Vapours exhaled from the Sea Fresh-water abstracted from Salt-water The Learned Chymists or true Naturalists have hitherto laboured in vain that they might find out an Art by which they might distill and abstract fresh water from the water of the Ocean which would be of great advantage but as yet their Labours have proved fruitless for although as well in the decoction as distillation Salt may be left in the bottom of the Vessel yet the water separated by decoction as well as distillation is yet found salt and not fit for men to drink which seemeth wonderful unto those that are ignorant of the cause Yet Chymistry that is true Philosophy hath taught the reason for by the benefit of this we know that there is a twofold salt in Bodies or two kinds of salt which although they agree in tast yet they much differ in other qualities one of these Artists term fixed the other volatile salt The fixed salt by reason of its gravity is not elevated in distillation but remaineth in the bottom of the Vessel but the volatile salt is full of spirit and indeed is nothing else but a most subtile spirit that is elevated by a very light fire and therefore in the distillation ascendeth with the fresh water and is more firmly united by reason of the subtilty of the Attoms neither is this volatile salt found only with fixed salt in Sea-water but almost in all bodies as Chymistry proveth by experience but in some in a greater and in othersome in a lesser quantity in a greater quantity in sharp tasted Herbs in a lesser in oily Herbs Therefore difficulty consisteth in the separation of this salt spirit or volatile salt from the water But why the pluvial water in the midst of the Sea is no less fresh than on the Land seeing that yet it is generated by abstraction of the exhalations of the Ocean caused by the fervour of the Sun or from some subterraneous fire which evaporation doth little differ from distillation The cause seemeth to be Fourfold 1. A slow operation by which the tenuous part is only elevated from the Ocean which although it containeth a saline volatile spirit yet it hath it in less quantity than if that this exhalation were caused by a more forcible heat 2. The long way that this vapour passeth through before that it arriveth unto that Region of the Air where it is condensated into rain in passage it is possible that the saline spirit is by degrees separated from the watery particles 3. The admixture of other watery particles existing in the air 4. A Refrigeration Coition and condensation of the vapour for these exhalations exhaled from the Ocean by degrees are more and more refrigerated and being conjoyned with other obvious and admixed vapours they condense into a more thick vapour or cloud in this Refrigeration and condensation or coition of the saline spirit with the fiery particles they fly into the more exalted part of the Air. Now why the same is not performed in distillation where the vapours exalted are also condensed the cause is 1. That by reason of the small passage the saline spirit is as yet over straitly conjoyned to the watery particles 2. That the vapour restrained in the vessel admitteth not a free passage to the evolant spirit Proposition XII Sea-water is more ponderous than fresh water and the water of one Sea is more heavy than another Sea water more heavy than fresh water The cause is manifest from what hath been said
the great Mogul in whatsoever place he is causeth this water to be brought him of which he only drinketh Some will have the water of the Nile to be the most fruitful and the most wholsome Most heavy waters are impregnated with Iron or Mercury In great Rivers we must have respect to the Riverets of which they are compounded For the Rhine receiveth many Mineral Riverets so also doth the Danube of Gold Iron and Vitriol and hence have they their quality although many Fountains have little of them Proposition XX. Some Rivers every year at a set time are so augmented that they overflow their Channel and inundate the adjacent Lands Of the increase and overflowing of Rivers The most famous of those is the Nile that so encreaseth that it overspreadeth all Egypt except the Hills In Congo Angola Monomotapa Soffala Mosambique from those it is known that the Fountains of the Nile are the great Lake Zaire River Nile or in the Lake Zaire which is situate in the procurrent of Africa in a middle place between the Eastern and Western shoar under the tenth degree from the Equator towards the South as we have said in the former Chapter Near unto this Lake are many ridges of Mountains which are called the Mountains of the Moon so that the Lake lieth as in a Valley between Mountains Now because that these places lye from the Equator towards the South therefore the reason of the Solary motion requireth that they should have Winter when that we have Summer but by reason of their small distance from the Equator they feel no cold but instead of Snow they have almost continual Rains two hour before and after Noon in the Kingdom of Congo the Clouds hardly permitting the sight of the Sun with the same Clouds the tops of the Mountains appear as covered and in these Mountainous places rains and showers are almost continually which run down like Torrents and all flow together into the Lake Zaire and from thence into the Channel of the Nile Zaire Cuama and others that arise from the same Lake but yet do not abound with so great a quantity yet the Zaire doth overflow every year as the Nile because the Channel of them is more deep and after a short Tract they exonerate themselves into the Sea yet all of them encrease at the same time and disgorge themselves of a great quantity of water into the Sea River Niger The second River among those that overflow the adjacent Lands at a certain time is the Niger of no less Tract than the Nile though not so famous It overfloweth at the same time that the Nile doth The third River of the overflowing Rivers is the Zaire a River in Congo of which we have spoken River Zaire Add to this the lesser Rivers of Congo The fourth is Rio de la Plate a River in Brasil which overfloweth the adjacent Fields at the same time with the Nile Rio de la Plate as Maffaeus writeth Rivers Ganges and Indus The fifth of the overflowing Rivers is the Ganges The sixth is the River Indus these two Rivers in the Pluvial months of those Regions pour themselves forth upon the Lands without their Channels where then the Natives do gather the water into standing Pools that in the other months of the year when there is almost no Rain they may thence fetch water and this inundation causeth great fertility in the Fields The seventh comprehendeth many viz. four or five which flow from the Lake Chiamy in a moderate Channel and exonerate themselves into the Gulph of Bengala passing through the Kingdoms of Peru Sian and others That which passeth through the Country of Sian is called Menan And at the time of the inundation the Fields and Streets of the Cities are covered with water so that they are forced to make use of Boats to sail from one house to another And this inundation also causeth exceeding fertility River Macou The eighth is Macou a River in Camboja which overflows in the Summer months River Parana The ninth is the River Parana which overfloweth after the same manner as the Nile doth The tenth in Choromandel a part of India the Rivers overflow by reason of the plenty of waters that flow from the top of the Mountain Gatis in the Pluvial months River Euphrates The Eleventh is the Euphrates which at set-times of the year overfloweth Mesopotamia The Twelfth of these overflowing Rivers is Sus a River in Numidia River Sus. which overfloweth in the Winter I have not read of any other Rivers that I can remember that do overflow in an Anniversary time of the year although some may do it in most years to wit the River Obius and Flavius a River of China There are many Rivers that overflow without any order or in a set-time yea there is scarcely any River of noted magnitude which overfloweth not its Banks sometimes So it is evident concerning the Albis the Rhine and the like And but that the capacity of the Channel and the height of the Banks obstructed all great Rivers in an Anniversary time would inundate because that most of them are much augmented in the Spring season And it may so happen that a River that did use to overflow may begin to do it in an Anniversary time viz. if that any part of it by reason of ridges or sands or any other way become higher and the Coasts or shoars become more high but then men are accustomed to raise Banks The only cause of these Inundations is the abundancy of Water which in some Examples alledged may proceed peradventure from dissolved Snow but in most from frequent Rains Yet that is a wonder that the Indus and Ganges should overflow in other Months than the adjacent Rivers from the Lake Chiama but the cause of this diversity which is observed here in this Season must partly be taken from the Anniversary rains in the adjacent places partly from the Mountains and Rains about the places of the Fountains But we to avoid prolixity shall supersede to discuss every Example The River Bibara in France near to Paris sometimes without any Rains or at least with those that are usual so swelleth that it causeth desolation unto the Suburbs of St. Marcellus Now the reason why almost all these Inundations make the Lands fruitful is because that water that inundateth is either Rain or Snow-water which waters both by reason of their Spirituous lévity and also because of their Sulphureous substance which they have admixt in the Air. Above all other Minerals are very prevalent to fructifie and are also wholsom Now that there is such a Spirit and Sulphur in Rain-water is proved 1. From the Worms that are generated in it 2. From its easie putrefaction 3. From the very Chymical distillation Yet some Rivers by their Inundation do not make the Earth fertile but rather cause sterility as Ligeris in France when that Sequana maketh them
Earthquakes By which it is manifest that sometimes Mountains are sent forth of the Earth and sometimes swallowed up the same is manifest from Warlike Mines where the Wind breaketh up great Towers and Walls and carrieth them into the Air. If that therefore such an Island of a sudden springing in the Sea adhere to the bottom of the Sea we must necessarily say that it was forced upwards by the violence of some subterraneous Wind As some write that Mountains sometimes are thrust forth of the Earth but if that it no longer adhere to the bottom as well the Wind as the violence of the water may separate it from the bottom so that at length by its own levity it is carried upwards to the superficies Proposition XIV Whence another doubt doth arise viz. whether that there be certain Islands that swim on the Sea as Thales supposed the whole Earth to swim on the Ocean For the Opinion of Thales it is sufficiently refuted seeing that the Channel of the Sea is found continuous to the Land but reason perswades us that there may be swiming Islands if that the Land be light and sulphureous Seneca addeth Experience for he saith that he saw the Isle Catylias swiming which had Trees and brought forth Grass and Herbs that the water sustained it and that it was not only driven hither and thither by the wind but also by the Air and that it continued not in one station either by Day or by Night Moreover there was another Island in the Lake Vadimon another in the Lake Station So the Ancients relate that Delos and all the Cyclades formerly swam in the Sea Neither may you object why do not those Islands swim at this day For unto this the Answer is easie That such a swiming cannot continue long for seeing that those Islands almost touch at the bottom of the Sea whilst that they are moved hither and thither they are carried more or less elevated to the Sands or Channels especially if that they come in the midst between two Sands that motion is stopped and other collected Earths are united with this Sand-bank or Channel and so of swiming Islands they become firm In Fondura a Country in America at this day is a Lake in which are many Hills which are moved to and fro with the wind In the great Lake of Scotland called Loumond is an Isle that swimeth and is moved about although that it be apt for Pasturage as Boetius writeth Hitherto we have treated of the generation of the Lands or of the Acid part of the Earth that is extant on the superficies we shall now consider how the Ocean and Waters may change their places and possess new Proposition XV. Rivers possess certain tracts of Land which they possessed not before and that for divers reasons Certain tracts of Land which Rivers possess which they possessed not before 1. When that they first arise from their Fountains and receive a Channel either from Nature or by Art of which we have spoken in the fifteenth Chapter 2. If that a River maketh another Channel for it self or sendeth forth a branch from it self which is most commonly done by men viz. that they may bring part of the Rivers unto Cities or into another River Examples of which we have alledged in the forecited Chapter 3. If that Rivers more and more possess the banks in progress of time which hapneth 1. If that the Channel become higher from the sinking down of the Earth or Sand. 2. If that it eateth off the sides of the Bank by its swift course 3. If that it be augmented by another River and by an abundance of Rain or an Exhydria or impetuous wind accompanied with a mighty fall of water 4. If that they overflow the Earth which if not going back again but do more and more augment they become Lakes or if they return to their Ancient Channel the water being effused into the Fields becometh a Marsh if that there be great abundance of it Corollary It is probable therefore then that there was a time in which those tracts of Land which now the Rhine Elbe and the Nile possess as also other Rivers were dry and possessed by the Earth Proposition XVI Lakes Marishes and standing-Pools occupy parts of the Earth that before they possessed not Lakes Marishes and Pools possess parts of the Earth which formerly they did not 1. When that they first spring up and are augmented in progress of time of which we have spoken in the fifteenth Chapter 2. If that abundance of Rain fall 3. If that Rivers bring store of water with force into the Lakes 4. If that the Channel become more high 5. If that the Lakes being agitated by often and more vehement floods by degrees do more eat the banks and cover the land with water So the Lake of Harlem within thirty or forty years hath extended beyond its former Bank about the space of the twentieth part of a mile Corollary Therefore it is probable that there was a time when those tracts of land which now the Lake Zaire Lemanus Parina Harlem Maeotis or the Marishes of Westphalia and all others formerly possessed were dry Lands Proposition XVII The Ocean possesseth part of the Land which formerly it did not possess Land possessed by the Ocean which formerâ—y it did not possess This hapneth after various manners 1. When that breaking through the middle of the land it maketh Streights and Gulphs as the Mediterranean the Arabian that of Bengala Camboja and such like So the Streight between Sicily and Italy between Geilan and India between Greece and Euboeja between Manilla and Magellan and also the Danish c. Neither is it improbable but that the Atlantick Ocean was so generated and that America was so divided from the Old World or at least from Europe which some do the more easily embrace that they may thence only deduct the Original of the American Nations from Adam Indeed the Aegyptian Priests related unto Solon about six hundred years before Christ as you may see in the Dialogue of Plato termed Timons that there was formerly opposite to the Herculean Streight of Gibralter an Isle bigger than Asia and Europe together called Atlantis and that part of it afterwards by a great Earthquake and a great deluge of one day and one night was swallowed up in the Ocean From which Narration we may collect that in former times amongst the Aegyptians there was a fame especially amongst those that were Learned of the separation of America from our World made many Ages before But it is far more likely that the North part of America in which is New France New England Canada and the like did in former Ages adhere to Ireland The Ancients write that the Streights of Gibralter were dug through by Hercules 2. When with a violent Wind the Ocean is forced and overfloweth the land by breaking through or over the banks that are made by Nature and Art There are
enjoy many Immunities and 4. Pisaro a Maritim Town enjoying a good Haven Province of Marca Ancona The Province of MARCA ANCONA bounded with the Adriatick Naples the Appennine and Romagne it takes its name from Ancona its chief City seated on the Hill Cimmerius which likes a Promontory shoots it self into the Sea having the best Haven in Italy towards the Adriatick Sea the entrance into which is shut up by two Chains the better to secure the Port. It is a City of good strength being encompassed with Walls and Bulwarks its Houses are fair and its Inhabitants rich 2. Loretto famous for the Church of the Virgin Mary which as 't is said was brought from Palestine in the Air by Angels for the Sins of the People and is now a stately Structure and richly adorned with the Presents dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is much resorted unto by Pilgrims 3. Marcerata the Seat of the Governours of this Province and here is a Colledge of Lawyers for the hearing and determining of causes 4. Adria which gave name to the adjoyning Sea 5. Ascoli the Fair and 6. Fermo the Strong Province of Perusin The Province or part of PERVSIN is Westwards of Ombriae its chief place is Perugia where Augustus besieged L. Antonius the Brother and Fulvia the wife of Anthony the Triumvir which said place at the Siege became also obedient unto him and nigh to this City is Lago de Perugia of about thirty miles in circuit near whose Banks Hannibal slew Flaminius 15000 of his Romans here is also Lacus Vademonius where Dolabella vanquished such of the Gauls as had escaped the Sword of Camillus Dutchy of Spoleto The Dutchy of SPOLETO anciently called Ombria as scituate under the Appennine Hills hath for its chief places 1. Spoleto of great antiquity where are yet remaining stately Aqueducts the Temple of Concord c. 2. Assisto famous for little but being the Birth-place of St. Francis 3. Fuligne 4. Todi 5. Amelia and 6. Rieti Land of Sabine The Land of SABINE Southwards of Spoleto hath for its chief place Narvy which is of some Account Province of Orietin The Province of ORIETIN Westwards of Spoleto hath for its chief places 1. Orvieto seated on so high a Rock that it amazes those that look into the adjacent Valleys and 2. Aquapendente St. Peters Patrimony The part or Province called St. PETERS Patrimony contains also all Latium or Campagna di Roma and part of Ituria it is washed with the Tyrrhenian Sea and in this part are the Mountains called Gallicanum in which Hannibal frighted that noble Captain Fab. Maximus with a Stratagem which was by having 2000 Oxen which carried fire on their Hoâ—ns by which means he passed over the Mountains It s chief places are 1. Ostria seated at the Mouth of the Tiber but its Haven is stopped up it is honoured with the See of a Bishop whose place is to consecrate the Popes 2. Adrea to which the Romans fled after the Gauls had taken Rome 3. Veij a City of good antiquity wealth and largeness 4. Alba once the Seat of the Silvian Kings and of good fame and beauty but suffered much in the Wars by the hand of Tullus Hostilius 5. Antium a place of great delight to which the Roman Emperours used to retire for recreation 6. Civita Vechia a Maritim Town abounding in great plenty of Alom 7. Viterbo 8. Porto 9. Corneto 10. Veroli 11. Palestrina and 12. Trivoli all places of some account but above all Rome The City of Rome seated in the Territory of Campagna di Roma once the Mistress of the World famous for her noble Warriers who were so exact in their Martial Discipline for their Triumphs and Antiquities and for being the place where the Spoyls and Trophies of all Europe and a great part of Asia were laid up in brief it was a place sufficiently memorized by the ancient and renowned Historians This City when in its pristine splendor was said to be 50 miles in compass whose Walls were beautified with about 750 Towrs and said to contain about 463000 fighting men that is free Citizens such as were inrolled besides Servants Women and Children but this City hath several times felt the jostlings of ill fortune so that as to its present state it hath not the moiety of its pristine beauty and splendour scarce containing 11 miles in circuit being almost Orbicular in which space there is about one third part wast ground yet it is a place of great splendor beautified with many Princely Palaces and sufficiently famous for being the Seat of the Pope which makes it to be exceeding populous being thought to contain about 200000 Inhabitants besides an exceeding great confluence of Strangers which hither come some for devotion and others to please their fancies with its Antiquities and Curiosities and of the Inhabitants two thirds may be reckoned for Clergy-men and Curtesans the later of which is esteemed to amount to about 40000 who pay 30000 Duccats yearly Tribute to the Pope for which two Gallies are maintained and furnished for the service in Civita Vechia This City is seated on the Banks of the Tiber upon Campus Marâ—â—us it is Built upon ten Hills on which are fair Structures as on the top of the Vatican Hill is seated the proud Palace of the Popes large enough to give entertainment to three Princes at one time It is beautified and enriched with excellent payntings and curiosities and here are the Gardens called Belvidere famous for its rare Plants delightful Walks curious Statues c. and on this Hill is the Church of St. Peter being the most splendid and famous in all Rome being adorned with rich Payntings Tombs c. with divers choice Curiosities as the Spear that pierced our Saviours side and the head of St. Andrew In this City are about 300 Churches Monasteries for Nuns Religious Houses and Convents here are many Hospitals for the relief of the Distressed likewise several gallant Libraries as the Vatican the Jesuits Colledge c. And here the Pope liveth in more grandure than any Prince in Christendom and the Cardinals have their Palaces richly adorned and dwell in good state TOSCANY Dukedom of Toscany The Dukedom of FLORENCE containeth the greatest part of Toscany to which doth belong those of Sanese and Pisan and which I shall include under the Dukedom of Florence It is separated from Genoa by the River Magra and the strong Town of Sarazana belonging to the Genouese It s People even the Duke himself are generally addicted to Traffick by reason of which it is a Country very rich Florence Amongst the Cities in this Territory is Florence seated in a no less fruitful than pleasant Plain near the confluence of the Rivers Arne and Chiane about six miles in compass and by reason of being the residence of the Duke is very populous and rich where he hath a stately and magnificent Palace richly aâ—â—rned and
Dukedom of Holstein HOLSTEIN or HOLSATIA a woody low and Marshy Country is severed into the Parts of Holsatia especially so called Wagrie Stormarch and Dilmarch HOLSTEIN or HOLSATIA hath for its chief places 1. Kiel seated on a navigable Arm of the Baltick where it hath a large Haven being a Town of a good Trade 2. Rendesborg said to be the strongest Town in all the Province 3. Wilsted and 4. Nienmunster WAGRIE hath for its chief places 1. Lubeck an Imperial and free City enjoying the priviledges of a Hans-Town it is pleasantly seated on the confluence of the Billew and on the North-banks of the Trane severing it from Germany and empty themselves into the Baltick being capable to receive Ships of a great burthen which they lade and unlade at Tremuren the Maritim Port at about a miles distance it is built on all sides upon a rising Hill on the Summit whereof is placed a fair and beautiful Church called St. Maries being the Cathedral from whence on an easie descent there are Streets which lead to all the Gates of the City which afford a fair prospect to the Eye besides which it is adorned with 9 other Churches one of which being a decayed Monastery is converted to an Armory to keep their Ammunition for War It is about 6 miles in compass encircling within its Walls divers fair and uniform Streets beautified with good Brick-buildings is very populous and well inhabited by Citizens and Merchants who drive a considerable Trade on the Baltick Seas But this City as also Hamburgh is esteemed rather part of Lower Saxony in Germany where I have also treated of them 2. Segeberg 3. Odesloe 4. Niestad and 5. Oldenborg STORMARCH hath for its chief places 1. Hambourg an ancient City built by the Saxons since made an Imperial City enjoying the Priviledges of a Hans-Town seated on the North-banks of the Albis which divides it from Germany of which it is reckoned a part or member and there treated of in the description of the Lower Saxony to which I refer the Reader 2. Krempe seated on a River of the same name which emptieth it self into the Store a strong and well fortified Town being reckoned for one of the Keys of the Kingdom 3. Bredenberg a Town of great strength belonging to the Rantzoves 4. Gluckstade seated on a Bay or Creek of the German Ocean and therefore well fortified to command the passage up the Elbe and 5. Tychenberg seated on the Elbe being so well fortified that it is now held the strongest Town in this Kingdom DILMARCH or DITMARCH hath for its chief places 1. Meldrop seated on the Sea a place of some account and the chief of the Province 2. Heide and 3. Lunden a Haven Town seated on the Eider which rising in this Peninsula here emptieth it self into the Ocean The BALTICK ISLES THese Islands which are between Juitland and the Coast and farther in the Baltick Sea are in number 35 and are so called as being dispersed in these Seas The Baltick Sea begins at the narrow passage called the Sound and interlacing the Countries of Denmark Poland Germany and Sweden extendeth to Livonia and Lithuania The reason according to the Opinion of many why this Sea which is so large doth neither ebb nor flow may be as well from its Northern scituation whereby the Celestial influences have the less predominancy as also from the narrowness of the Streight which receiveth the Ocean The chief of these Isles I have set down in the Geographical Table of this Kingdom of which a word or two and first with Zeland ZELAND anciently Codanonia from the Codani its Inhabitants Zeland the Isle is very fertil the greatest and of most importance of any in the Baltick to the King of Denmark as lying not above three miles from the main Land of Scandia which narrow Streight is called the Sound through which all Ships must pass that have any Trade into the Baltick all paying to the said King a certain Toll according to the bigness or Bills of Lading by which ariseth a great Revenue unto him and for the security of this passage there are built two exceeding strong Castles the one in this Isle called Cronenberg and the other in Scandia called Hilsemberg of which more anon In this Isle are 7 strong Castles and 13 Cities or walled Towns the chief of which are 1. Copenhagen or Haffen the chief of the Isle seated near the Sea having a commodious Port it is built orbicular of a good strength being defended by a powerful Castle its Houses are but meanly built yet it hath a spacious Market-place and is dignified with the residence of the King for the Winter season whose Palace is built of Freestone quadrangular but of no great splendor as also with the only Vniversity in the Kingdom 2. Elsenour seated on the Sea side of it self but a poor Village were it not for the great resort of Sea-men in their passage through the Sound into the Baltick this being the place where they pay their Toll and in this Village is the stately and well fortified Castle of Cronenburg built in the very Ocean and bravely resisting the fury of its Waves now the ordinary residence of the King being a pleasant prospect into the Sea on the South-side of this Castle is a large and commodious Road for Shipping 3. Roschilt once a rich City now only famous for being the Sepulchre of the Danish Kings where in the Cathedral Church they have their Tombs it is also dignified with the See of a Bishop 4. Fredericksbourg a Fortress built in a pleasant Plain often visited by the King in his retirement where he hath a delightful House seated in a Park 5. Warborg 6. Ringstede 7. Holbeck 8. Slages c. FVINEN or FIONIE seated betwixt Zeland and Juitland Fuinen and almost joyning to the main-Main-land it is of a fextil Soil and pleasant scituation being in length about 12 Dutch miles and 4 in breadth It s chief places are 1. Osel or Ottonium so called from Otho the Great who founded here an Episcopal See seated in the midst of the Isle from which the other Towns are of an equal distance which renders it very commodious for Traffick it is not large having but two Churches and its Buildings are neat and ornamental enough 2. Niborg 3. Swinborg 4. Kartemunde 5. Woborg and 6. Ascens all or most of them seated on some convenient Creek or Haven FIMERA a very fertil and well peopled Isle Fimera and here it was that Tycho Brache the famous Mathematician built an Artificial Tower in which are or were many rare Mathematical Instruments its chief place is Petersborne of some importance to the King of Denmark ALSEN a small Isle appertaining to the Dukedom of Sleswick Alsen is very populous contains 13 Parishes and 4 Towns viz. Osterholme Gammelgard Norbarch and Sunderburg dignified with the residence of the Duke of Sleswick TVSINGE a very small Isle Tusinge and of
of 8 Market Towns Cardiff the fairest Town in all South Wales well seated on the River Tave Cardiff or Taff over which it hath a fair Bridge to which Vessels of small burthen do come to lade or unlade their goods and in a rich and fertil Soil both for Tillage and Pasturage It is a large and well built Town with good ordered and clean Streets containing within its Walls two Parishes but hath but one Church without the East-Gate is a large Suburb called Crockerton without the North-Gate stands the White-Friers and without the West-Gate a small Suburb adjoyning to the Black-Friers and in this part is seated the Castle which is a strong spacious and stately Building It is a Town Corporate governed by a Constable 12 Aldermen as many Capital Burgeffes a Steward Town-Clerk with sub-Officers enjoyeth several Immunities electeth a Parliament man is the place where the Assizes are kept is well frequented and traded unto its Inhabitants having a great intercourse of Traffick with Bristol and its Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays are very good especially that on Saturdays which is the best in the County and very considerable for Gattle Corn Swine Sheep and all sorts of Provisions in great plenty and at easie rates Llandaff a City seated on the Taff but of a small extent Llandaff scarce comparable to an indifferent Town having not so much as a Market kept which is occasioned by its vicinity to Cardiff It s Cathedral is a spacious and superb Structure and near adjoyning are the Ruins of an Old Castle which was the ancient Palace of the Bishops Neath seated on a River so called over which it hath a Bridge Neath to which small Vessels come for the lading of Coals here had in great plenty to the profit of its Inhabitants It is a Town of great antiquity and of a good extent yet is it indifferent large is governed by a Port-Reve and hath a good Market for Provisions Swansey commodiously seated on the Sea-shoar Swansey an ancient Port-Reve Town which is large and well built which for Riches and Trade is esteemed the chief in the County and that by reason of their Coal-Pits and the great industry of its Inhabitants It hath weekly two Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays which are very well frequented and traded unto affording great plenty of Commodities and Provisions County of Pembroke described PEMBROKE-SHIRE is of fertil Soil both for Tillage and Pasturage is well stored with Cattle and replenished with Rivers which with the Sea plentifully serveth the Inhabitants with Fish and Fowl and in the bowels of the Earth are plenty of Pit-Coal It is well inhabited and garnished with Towns numbring 145 Parish Churches and is traded unto by 8 Market Towns Pembrook Pembrook the chief Shire-Town seated on the Eastern and innermost Creek of Milford-Haven over which it hath two fair Bridges for the conveniency of passage It is a place of good account well frequented and inhabited by Gentlemen and Tradesmen is much resorted unto by Shipping by reason of which they have a Custom-house It is a place of good strength being fortified with a Wall on which are several Towers having three Gates for entrance and also with a strong Castle seated on a Rock It is a large Town Corporate containing two Parish Churches is graced with well built Houses is governed by a Major with other sub-Officers enjoyeth several Immunities sendeth a Burgess to Parliament and its Market which is on Saturdays is very good and well served with Provisions c. This Milford-Haven is esteemed the best in all England Milford-Haven not only for its largeness being capacious enough to give entertainment to about 1000 Sail of Ships at one time and to ride secure at a good distance one from the other but also for its variety of deep and safe Creeks and nooked Bays for Ships to harbour in having within it 13 Roads 16 Creeks and 5 Bays all which are known by their several names St. Davids St. Davids seated within a mile of the Sea in a barren Soil and very destitute of Wood. It was once a City of good account but at present is very small but thinly inhabited and its Market disused yet is it the See of a Bishop and its Cathedral kept in good order but the Bishops Palace is much ruinated Near unto St. Davids is a Promontory called St. Davids Land or Head from whence in a clear day Ireland may be seen and on the Rocks in these parts the Falcons have their Airies and breed Also here is Whitesand-Bay and at the extream point of the Promontory Ramsey Isle sheweth it self nigh to which are several small ones which together bear the name of the Bishop and his Clerks Haverford-West Haverford-West a Town and County of it self commodiously seated on the side of a Hill and on a Creek of Milford-Haven over which it hath a good Stone-Bridge which leadeth to Prendergast where there is a Church It is a very large and fair Town Corporate containing three Parish Churches is beautified with good Houses is well inhabited enjoyeth a good Trade having several Vessels belonging to the Town is the place where the Assizes are held and the County Gaol kept and hath weekly two Markets on Tuesdays and Saturdays which are very great for Cattle and Provisions It is governed by a Major a Sheriff and Common Council with Justices of the Peace it enjoyeth several Immunities keeping Courts and sending a Burgess to Parliament and near to this Town divers Gentlemen have their Seats Tenby Tenby seated on the Sea-shoar where it hath a commodious Haven or Road for Ships being formerly much frequented especially by Fishermen having a good Key enjoyeth a considerable Trade and its Inhabitants were wealthy but the Spoils it suffered in the late Wars hath much impoverished it notwithstanding it keeps its two Markets weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays which are very well resorted unto for Corn Provisions and Fish Newport Newport seated near the Sea-shoar and on the foot of a high Hill a large but ill built and inhabited Town governed by a Port-Reeve and a Bailiff and hath a good Market for Corn Cattle and Provisions and here is a Wear for Fishing County of Radnor described RADNOR-SHIRE This County is of a sharp and piercing Air and very ungraceful to the Husbandman as being so Mountainous and Rocky yet is it well watered with Rivers It hath but 52 Parish Churches and is traded unto with three Market Towns New Radnor New Radnor well seated near the Spring-head of the Somergil and in a pleasant Valley at the foot of a profitable Hill for the feeding of Sheep and Cattle called the Forrest of Radnor It is a very ancient Town Corporate whose Jurisdiction reacheth 10 or 12 miles in compass is governed by a Bailiff and 25 Burgesses enjoyeth large Immunities and hath the election of a Parliament man It had formerly a Market
Cochin In the Mountains are those of Mangatt of Paru of Pimienta of Changanara of Trivilar of Panapelli of Angamale where there was an Archbishop of Christians of St. Thomas reduced to a Bishoprick and transferred to Cranganor two of the Ticantutes of Punhali of Caranaretto and others The people called Maledus and those of the Mountains Pande live in the form of a Republick Cotate near Cape de Comori is of the Kingdom of Travanco and hath good trading Calicut is esteemed able to bring more than 100000 men into the Field Cananor few less Cochin and Coulan each 50000. They use little Cavalry because the Country is low moist and divided by many streams Calicut pretends to have some authority over all the Kings of Malabar for which those of Cananor Cochin and Coulan to which Travancor is sometime past united seem to care little at present a good part of the rest still hold for him Cananor besides what it possesses in the firm Land holds likewise some Islands among the Maldives for having assisted one of their Kings against his Rebells he possesses for the same reason the Isle of Malicut 35 or 40 Leagues to the Northward of the Maldives and the five Isles of Diavandorou likewise 30 Leagues North from Malicut All these Isles are small Malicut of only 4 Leagues circumference the others each 6 or 7 they are more healthful than the Maldives their Inhabitants rich and trade to the Continent to Malabar and to the Maldives and elsewhere Cochin hath gained some reputation since it allied it self with the Portugals by whose means it is freed from the tribute it ought to the King of Calicut and hath drawn to its Estates the greatest trade of all Malabar and the City is so increased that it is not now inferior to Calicut The chief Cities And in all these Kingdoms aforementioned contained in and along the Coasts of Malabar there are several good large and well built Cities being well inhabited rich and of a considerable trade but those of most note in the said Kingdoms are called by the same names as that in Calicut Calicut that in Cananor Cananor c. The Natives and Inhabitants of Malabar The Original Inhabitants of Malabar are divided into Bramenis Nayres and People The Bramenis are the priests Sacrificers to Idols some addict themselves to Arms with the Nayres others to trade but to whatsoever vocation they apply themselves they have a particular manner of living The Nayres addicted themselves wholly to Arms. The People meddle only with labour Manufactures Fishing c. and are like Slaves Besides the Natives there are many Strangers who live only on the Coast and these are called Malabares whence the name is communicated to the Country These Malabares are Mahumetans whereas the others are Pagans and very Superstitious worshipping an Idol seated on a Brazen Throne and Crowned but of a horrid form enough to fright one and unto this Idol besides their Religious Ceremonies they offer up the Virginity of all their Daughters before they are married or else to their Priests This Idol having in the place of his Privy parts a sharp bodkin of Gold or Silver fastned on which the Bride is forcibly set which by reason of the sharpness forceth great store of blood to come and if though by her Husband she proves with Child the first year they believe this Idol got it which they highly esteem but by reason of the pain the Priests by enjoying them first doth quit them from the other out of which two all are served they commonly marry at 10 or 12 years of age they are very black and well limbed they wear their Hair long and curl'd about their shoulders they go naked having only a cloth about their middle to hide their nakedness which hangs down to their knees they are treacherous cruel and bloody-minded there are likewise some Jews and since the Portugals have set footing many Christians besides those which they call of St. Thomas these being of the Mountains and those of the Coast The Peninsula of INDIA within the GANGES THE Peninsula of India its bounds which is beyond or within the Ganges is our third and last part of the Asiatique or East-Indies We will give unto it all that rests of India unto China and bound it on the East by China and by the Sea of the Philippine Islands on the South with that Sea which flows amongst the Islands of Sonde On the West by the Sea or Gulf of Bengala and by the Estates of the Mogoll and on the North we will stretch it as far as the Tartars so that it will take up all India beyond the Ganges what is possessed by the Mogoll excepted It Kingdoms and parts We have in this Peninsula a great number of Kingdoms which we will consider under the three Principal ones viz. Pegu Sian and Cochinchina Under the name of Pegu we will range all those Estates and Kingdoms which lie upon the River which descend from the Lake of Chiamay unto Pegu under the name of Sian all the Estates and Kingdoms which are about Sian and under that of Cochinchina all that is nearest to and on the West West of China This last part is most Easterly of the three the second most Southerly and the first more to the West and this hath almost all been subject to the King of Pegu the other to the King of Sian and the last was part of China PEGV The Kingdom of Pegu and its parts THE Kingdom of PEGV when in its splendor was so rich and powerful that some would equal it to China Vincent Blanc saith that it contained two Empires and 26 Kingdoms or Crowned Estates I believe that the two Empires were Pegu and Siami or possibly Sian this having been subject or tributary to Pegu and the Kingdoms are Martavan Manar Tangu Marsin Jangoma and Brama whose chief Cities are Pegu Brema Canarane Pandior Cassubi Ava Boldia Mandranelle Tinco Prom Dunbacaon Tolema Maon Arracon Largaray Cassubi Ledoa Tipoura Xara and Chacomas The greatest part of these Estates taken apart are rich and powerful being able to set forth to War some 2 some 3 some 400000 men They have in many places Mines of Gold Silver and Precious Stones besides Grains Fruits Herbs Fowl and Beasts which are here found excellent The Kingdoms of Tangu and of Brama are the most powerful since this hath sometime seized and the other with that of Arracan ruined the Estates of Pegu. Brama and its fertility and chief places Brama besides its Mines of precious Stones hath Benjamin India-Lake and certain Herbs from which they take Silk they make divers Manufactures particularly Caps much esteemed Ava abounds in all sorts of Victuals hath divers Metals Musk and Rubies Canelan hath the finest Rubies Saphires and other Stones Prom hath Lacque and Lead Tinco fetches many Merchandizes from China Vincent Blanc esteems the City of Canarana as rich and magnificent as any in
are fruitful in all Provisions especially Rice they yield Gold Ivory Saunders and Cotton feed much Cattle and their Sea affords plenty of Fish and Pearls The Air is healthful though almost in the same scituation with Gilolo except that they advance to the 6th degree of Latitude towards the South They are well peopled and its People are tall and comly They are Idolaters and much addicted to Piracy Here is esteemed to be six principal Kingdoms of which that of Macasar which gives sometimes a name to all these Isles is the most powerful that of Cion the second then those of Sanguin Cauripana Getigan and Supar the greatest Cities are Macasar and Bantachia 30 or 40 Leagues one from the other as also Celebes seated on the Sea The Land of Papous The Land of PAPOVS that is of Blucks is little known yet is no other than New Guiney and other than the Isle of Ceyram though some would confound it with them This last is to the Westward of it and the other to the Eastward both the one and the other more towards the South There are some Whites among its Inhabitants but few all lean deformed and Traytors They have Gold Ambergreece and Birds of Paradise with which they pay Tribute to their Kings and to the King of Ternate The Isles of Ceyram Flores c. CETRAM hath the same qualities and its Inhabitants like to Papous and well peopled Flores Solar Malva Susu Timor Ombo Terralta c. are divers Isles under the 8th 9th and 10th degrees of South Latitude and which advance from the 160th unto the 175th degree of Longitude Timor an other than that Timor of the Moluccoes is the most esteemed It produces store of Grains and Fruits feeds many Cattle and Fowl amongst its Drugs and Spices it hath Ginger Cinnamon and whole Forrests of white and yellow Saunders Its Inhabitants are Idolaters half Savages and had the use of Fire but lately Malva on the West of Timor hath quantity of Pepper Solar is other than Soloe or Solayo This last is 10 Leagues from Celebes and between the 6th and 7th degree of Latitude that 15 or 16 Leagues from Timor and between the 8th and 9th degree of Latitude The City Adonare is the residence of the King of Solor and there is a great trade for Saunders between this Isle and Cabanazza in Timor Solor hath likewise Gold and Pearl Almost in the midst of these Isles which we call in general the Moluccoes are those of Amboyna and Banda which are but small yet are in great esteem Those of Amboyna are Amboyna Veranula Hittou Noesan and some others The Isle of Amboyna its fertility and commodities The Isle of AMBOYNA hath its chief City of the same name which is of some considerable note besides several other small Towns and Villages This Island was first discovered by the Portugals who had here the command of a Castle and other Forts which the Hollanders took in 1605 and have possessed likewise the Fortress of Coubella Lovio and the Redout of Hittou in the Isle of Hottou The Spaniards dispossessed them a little after 1620 and the Hollanders have regained them since where they drive a great and profitable Trade The Land at first was barren but by their industry it is now become very fertil producing Rice Sugar quantity of Fruits especially Lemmons and Oranges Coco-Nuts Bonanas several Spices but principally Cloves of which alone they receive great profit Here it was that the Hollanders did once with a never to be forgotten cruelty and barbarousness murther the English that resided and traded thither on purpose to gain the whole Trade to themselves Its Inhabitants The Inhabitants were heretofore Brutish Cannibals insomuch as they would eat one another though their nearest Relations when age or sickness seised them and all Pagans but since by reason of the Commerce they had with the Persians and Arabians Mahometism is somewhat received amongst them as also Christianity by reason of the Portugals and Dutch which in time may come to some perfection though at present it is but very small But notwithstanding they make use of their Paganish Superstitions adoring the Devil who appears to them when they invoke him in which they are very superstitious and ceremonious They are much given to Sorcery and Conjurations very prophane barbarous not given to Arts or Literature They are naturally unsaithful thievish covetous stupid and very timerous In their Marriages they make no great Ceremonies taking one anothers words which as slightly they evade leaving one another upon the least occasion of offence and are free for another The Isles of Banda Nera and Gumanapi described The Isles of BANDA are three principal ones Banda which communicates its name to the rest Nera and Gumanapi and 3 or 4 lesser ones Wayer Poloway and Pulorin some add Poelsetton the most Western of all Banda hath the Cities or Towns of Londor Ortatan and Combor Nera hath that of Nera and Labetach Gumanapi hath only one of its name underneath a Mountain which vomits Fire Nera is the chiefest of all The Hollanders hold in the Isle of Nera the Forts of Nassau and Belgica and in the Isle of Poloway the Fort of Revenge These Isles are unhealthful the Nutmegs and Mace which these Isles produce make them frequented by Strangers These Fruits they gather thrice a year in April August and December Besides these Isles already spoken of there are these following which are ranged and numbred with those of the Moluccoes and are found as they lie either on the Coast or Shoar of the Isles Celebes Gilolo or Land of Papous to participate of their nature temperature soil or the like which I have taken notice of in the Geographical Table It s People The Inhabitants are Mahometans in which they are very zealous and superstitious not entring into their Mosques without washing their Feet and when they are there very fervent in their Prayers which they use often They are very obstinate and the Men are much given to idleness minding their Recreations and leaving their affairs to their Wives The People are here observed to live to a great Age. The People of all these Isles which have passed under the names of Moluccoes are of different humors those which are on the Coasts most frequented by Strangers are the most civil yet others more barbarous And on the Coast they are either Mahometans or Christians the rest Idolaters but the Spaniards and Portugals on one side and the Hollanders on the other do much trouble these Islands making themselves Masters now of one and then of another for the most part making War betwixt themselves or with the Islanders among which there are divers Kings some subject to the Portugals and others to the Hollanders Amongst all these Kings the most powerful is he of Ternate Their Kings to whom belong Ternate Mothir and Bachian likewise Cayoa and Gazea amongst the True
places which are here had at easie rates viz. Spices precious Stones Ammunition Sandal-wood Silk both raw and wrought into several Fabricks as Velvets Sattins Damask Cabinets Lacque Porcelain Callicoes Frankinsence Camphora Benjamine c. It is governed by a Supream or Sovereign Prince whom they entitle the Mattaran and hath four Deputies or Tetrarchs his Subordinates It is very well peopled the Houses of persons of quality are better built then the rest having square Courts at their entrance and commonly there is a Mosque belonging to every one of them as also a Cistern to wash themselves in The Palace is indifferently well built shewing some kind of State here the Chinesses who are great traders to this City bring in most of the Commodities except Pepper Cotton Wool and Rice have a place of meeting for their worship The Cities of Jacatra Fifteen or twenty Leagues from Bantam is Jacatra now Batavia since the Hollanders have builded this on the ruins of the other where they had a fair Magazine The King of Jacatra assisted by some English besieged it about the year 1618. the Hollanders defended themselves till March 1619. that their General Koen returning from the Moluccoes raised the siege took and ruined Jacatra and rebuilt Batavia with a very good Cittadel This place is at present the Seat or Court of the General and Councellors of the East-India Company for the Vnited Provinces Continuing along the Coast Japara and 100 or 120 Leagues from Batavia is JAPARA a City and Kingdom with a good Port and a fair River TVBAN 20 or 25 Leagues from Japara likewise a City and Kingdom and Gulph Jortan Fifty Leagues farther is the City River and Port of Jortan which is of great concourse for those that go or return from Bantam to the Moluccoes and from the Moluccoes to Bantam Passaruam Passaruam is 20 Leagues from Jortan and Panarucan yet 8 Leagues farther This makes the most Easterly point of Java Major Balambuan is 12 or 15 Leagues from Panarucan inclining towards the South All these Cities have each their Kings Balambuan regards the Isle of Baly Balambuam and the streight that is between them takes its name from Balambuan as the most famous Many Portugals remained at Panarucan to facilitate the Commerce they had of the Moluccoes of Amboyna Banda Timor c. with Malacca or those places they possess on this side Panarucan being in the way between Near this City a Sulphurous Mountain cast forth such great quantity of Stones and Cinders in 1588 that 10000 persons were stifled In the midst of the Isle of JAVA and towards the South Coast is the City of Maderan or Materan Maderan described the residence of the most powerful King of Java This City is 100 Leagues from Bantam 100 or 120 from Balambuan and only 35 or 40 from Japara This King once commanded the whole Isle he yet commands those Kings which are in the High-land and on the South Coast Those on this side have freed themselves from his Rule rendring him only certain Duties yet some places he holds on this Coast The Isle of Java Minor We have no certain knowledge of JAVA Minor if we do not esteem it to be those Isles to the East of Java Major and whose Northern Coast we only know Mark Paul of Venice who made the first Relation saith that it contained 2000 Leagues Circuit which would be more then our great Java as we know it at present he saith it had eight Kingdoms of which he had seen six gives to the soil the same qualities with the great one but that its Inhabitants were more savage and some Man-eaters we shall presently speak a word or two of both Java's The Isles of Baly and Madura On the East of Java is BALY Isle which hath not above 40 Leagues Circuit yet is peopled with 600 thousand Souls hath its particular King rich and magnificent Madura Ifle on the North-East of Jortan in the Java Major is likewise full of people Its Cities are very fair hath its particular King its people are wicked and perfidious It s People The people of all these Isles are Mahometans on the Coast up in the Country great Idolaters and some Man-eaters They have many Kings and have hitherto been able to hinder the Spaniads Portugals and Hollanders from building on their Coasts yet these last have lately got Butavia which they bravely maintain The people are corpulent of a middle stature broad-faced little eyes they wear long hair of a Chestnut complexion they are addicted naturally to theft stout and couragious very malicous when angred very proud deceitful and great lyars their cloathing is as the other Indians that is only a piece of cloth tied about their privy parts Yet some exceed whereas others go quite naked They yet retain divers barbarous Customs and Ceremonies as well in matters of Religion as otherwise Their weapons are the Bow and Arrows the Dart the Lance and Shield and Crizes a strange and cruel weapon It s Fertility The Country or Islands are very fertile affording very many rich Commodities as hath been spoken of already which are all very excellent they have several sorts of both tame and wild Beasts abundance of Fowls and Fishes among the rest Oysters which if Mandelsloes may be credited weigheth 300 pound weight among their Serpents they have Crocodiles very large and for their Fruits they may compare with most places as well for the fairness pleasant tastes as for the great variety of them This Isle is much troubled at some part of the year with dreadful Thundrings and Lightnings Let us now make a short observation on the one and the other Java and the neighbouring Isles and Countries according as Mark Paul of Venice hath described them It seems that his great Java must be the Isle of Borneo his Isles Sondor and Condor must be Pulo Londor his Province of Beach the Peninsula of Malacca his Isle Patan that of Sumatra and his Java minor our present Java major And it is to be believed that Borneo Sumatra and Java are likewise the three Sindes of Ptolomy The Isles of CEYLAN and the MALDIVES The Isles of Ceylan and the Maldives NOt far from the Cape of Comori are the Isles of CEYLAN on one side and the MALDIVES on the other Ceylan 60 Leagues towards the East and the Maldives 150 between the East and the South Ceylan its scituation and extent CEYLAN is the Trapobane of the Ancients though Ptolomy makes it unmeasurably greater then Ceylan is now found It s scituation is on this side the Ganges and near Cape Comori of old Comaria Extrema likewise near Cape de Cael of old Gori or Caligicum promont and on the streight of Manar or Quilao of old Argaricus Sinus near which or a little farther is the Land of Madura of old Madura Regia Pandionis and divers other particulars making sufficient proof The Indians
Marins sometimes made here their residence and gave it to their second Son as well because of the beauty of the City and the civility of its Inhabitants as for the goodness of the Air and the abundance of all sorts of Fruits which they gather there 2. Turet is beyond the River Mulvia and on the River Quhas so advanced on the Frontiers that the King of Fez and Telensin have often carried it the one from the other It is seated on a Hill in the midst of a Plain but encompassed about with Desarts very advantagiously inclosed with strong Walls well built within and filled with about 3000 Houses 3. Dubdu is on the side of a high Mountain from which many Fountains descend and run through the City 4. Garsis And 5. Haddaggia are on the Mulvia 6. Gherselvin only is beyong the Atlas and on the borders of Segellesse it is handsom within but beautiful without c. The Inhabitants of its Mountains Among the Inhabitants of the Mountains there are some rich who pay little or nothing others poor and over burthened with Tribute The Plains of Sabhelmarga hath almost nothing but Charcoal-men by reason of the adjacent Woods that of Asgari-Cameren Shepherds because the Grass grows all the year that of Guregra Husbandmen the Land being proper for Grain In this Province there is a remarkable Bridge over the River Sebu which runs between Rocks so high A strange Bridge that this Bridge is 150 yards from the Water It is a Basket or Pannier hung upon two Cords which turn upon two Pullies fastned to the ends of two great Piles of Wood on each side of the Valley And those who are in the Basket there may go about ten persons draw themselves from one side to other by the Cords which are made of Sea-Bulrush as well as the Basket The Country of Fez and Morocco of a different nature The Kindoms of Fez and Morocco ought to be considered in four sorts of Lands Mountains Vallies Plains and Coasts and the most part of their Provinces have these sour sorts The Mountains are almost all in the hands of the Arabs and Bereberes who live partly free partly tributary The Vallies are almost all the same according as they are more or less engaged in the Mountains or near the Plains The Plains are all obedient The Coasts in part belong to the Kings of Fez and Morocco in part to the Portugals and Spaniards these holding what is on the Mediterranean Sea the others on the Ocean So that considering the Continent of these two Kingdoms even when they were united there was always a quarter or third part which obeyed not the Xeriffs or Kings of Fez and Morocco But if they had been absolute in these two Kingdoms they might easily have brought into the field One hundred thousand Horse and more then so many Foot The Moors of this Kingdom and their disposition The Moors of Fez and Morocco are well disposed strong Active and yet melancholly they may marry four Wives and repudiate them when they will giving them the Dowry they promised when they espoused them And if they would be rid of them better cheap they treat them ill and these Women may forsake their Husbands quitting their Dowry Besides these four Wives they may have as many Concubines as they can keep but the Law permits them not to lie but with the one or the other of the four Wives Persons of Estate spend so much on their Weddings that they say commonly That the Christians spend the greatest part of their Goods in Law-suits the Jews in their Paschal-Feasts and the Moors in their Nuptials They enterr their dead in Virgin-Earth that is where no person hath been before enterred fearing least at the general Resurrection it should be difficult to unmix all their pieces Arabs here inhabiting which much annoy the Countrey Besides these Moors in the Estates of Fez and Morocco there are many Arabs which go by Cabilles or Lineal Descent and which make War and Peace as they please between themselves and with the Moors Wandering continually and pillaging now one Coast and then another They either assault or convoy the Caravans according to their interest sometimes serving the Kings of Morocco sometimes making War upon them Those that are in the highest Mountains of Atlas are so rude and barbarous that the Ancients have believed them to be Satyrs Pans Aegipans that is Half Devils In some Cities there are quantity of Jews almost no Christians except they be Slaves or some Merchants The Kingdom of ALGIER and TELENSIN The Kingdom of Algier THe Kingdom of ALGIER is at present the most famous or rather the most infamous on the whole Coast of Barbary As well for its Riches and Forces as for those Pyracies it exercises towards the Christians and the barbarousness it useth towards its Captives It s name is taken from the principal City seated in the midst of its Coast on the Mediterranean Sea towards the West it is separated from the Kingdom of Fez by the Rivers of Zhas and Mulvia towards the East divided from that of Tunis by the Guad-il-Barbar The Northern Coast is washed by the Mediterranean Sea the South confined by the Mountains of Atlas which divide it from Segelmesse Tegorarin and Zeb parts of Billedulgered It s length from West to East is near 300 Leagues its breadth 50 60 or 75 Leagues It s Division and parts We will divide it into five parts of which that of Algier shall make the middle one Telensin and Tenes shall be on the west Bugia and Constantina on the East The Turks as Grammajus saith hath established 20 Governments whereof 10 are on the Coast and 10 others within Land On the Coast there are 5 West ward of Algier and 5 Eastward of Algier Sargel Tenes Marsalquibir Hunain and Haresgol advance towards the West Algier Bugia Gigell Constantina and Bona towards the East Of the 10 Governments which are within Land Grammajus places 6 in the Mountains of Telensin or Benrasid Tenes Algier Bugia Constantina and Bona. These names of Mountains being taken from Cities neighboring on them and almost all on the Coast The 4 Governments remaining are Steffa Necab or Necaus Mezella or Mesila and Mastin which are the names of their chief places But Grammajus not contenting himself with this division within Land makes yet other 10 of which 4 he calls Kingdoms and which are only Tributary Huerguela or Guergela Cuco Tricarta or Techcort and Labes 2 Provinces Benirasid and Tebesse 2 Dynasties or Signiories Meliana and Angat And likewise 2 Kingdoms subject Telensin and Tenes Of these 10 pieces Telensin Angat Benirori Tenes and Meliana are towards the West Coco Labes and Tebesse towards the East Guerguela and Techcort far towards the South These 2 last are so engaged in Billedulgerid that I cannot well describe them with the Kingdom of Algier though they be Tributary to it And the Governments
Grand Cairo and in the Fields by the Aspes Tortoises Craw-fish Crocodiles c. who remove their Eggs or Young from the Banks of the Nile immediately before the Inundation and lay them there where it will bound they give judgment whether there will be more or less Water and the people are advertised to the end they may take order for what they have to do The King Maeris had expresly caused to be dug the Lake of Maeris to receive the Waters of the Nile when it had too much or to furnish it when too little At present they remedy it when little by Channels advanced towards the higher Countrey that they may be water'd When too much by certain Flood-Gates which they open to let the Water slide away For the effect of this Inundation is That all that the Nile covers with its Water is made fruitful and no more It Rains sometimes in the Lower Egypt very little in the Higher and not sufficient to moisten the Earth but when the Nile increases too much or too little it doth hurt At 12 Cubits it is yet Famine at 15 or 16 sufficient at 18 or 20 abundance The little cannot moisten the highest Lands and nearest the Mountains That which lies too long leaves not time to Sow the lower Grounds but the little or none at all is more dangerous then the too much and often besides the Famine presages some other misfortune near So before the death of Pompey there was little before that of Anthony and Cleopatra none at all Moreover the Dew which causes this inundation is imperceptible as the same Author says He assures us however that so soon as it falls the Air is purified and all Diseases and Pestilential Feavers of the Countrey which are there very rife cease which makes it appear that these Waters are excellent and indeed all Authors agree that the Waters of the Nile are sweet healthful nourishing and that they keep a long time without corrupting so that they be discharged from the Mud and Sand they bring along with them from the Grounds through which they pass The first Kings of Egypt made so much account of them It s Water exceeding nourishing that they drank nothing else than the Waters of Nile and when Philadelphus married his Daughter Berenice to Antiochus Theos King of Assyria he gave order That from time to time there should be the Water of Nile carried her that she might drink no other And the fruitfulness which these Waters cause is not only known by their making the Earth so exceeding fertil which otherwise is as barren so that if they do in a manner but throw in their Seed they have four rich Harvests in less than four Months and in that they produce and nourish an infinite number of strange Creatures as Crocodiles which from an Egg no bigger than that of a Goose cometh to be 20 25 and sometimes to 30 foot long His Feet are armed with Claws his Back and Sides with Scales so hard not to be pierced but his Belly soft and tender by reason of which he receiveth many times his deaths wound His Mouth is exceeding wide hath no Tongue his Jaws very strong and armed with a sharp set of Teeth as it were indented His Tail is equal to his Body in length by which he infoldeth his prey and draws it in the Water At the taking of his prey he gives jumps and it is a pretty while ere he can turn himself so that if it be not just before him it may escape him Four Months in the year it is observed to eat nothing which is during the Winter Season the Female is said to lay one hundred Eggs at one time which she is as many days a hatching and they will live to the age of one hundred years and growing to the last Also this River breedeth River-Horses of old called Hippopotami they have great Heads wide Jaws and armed with Tusks as white as Ivory they are proportioned like a Swine but as big in Body as a Cow smooth Skinned but exceeding hard Also River-Bulls about the bigness of a Calf of a Twelve month old and in shape like a Bull. Also here are found abundance of great and small Fishes And lastly the fruitfulness of these Waters is shewed in that the Women and Cattle which drink thereof are very fruitful ordinarily bringing forth their Children and Young by two and three and sometimes by four and five at a time There are yet many fine things might be said of the Nile as its divers Names its Cataracts c. But we have likewise omitted many things which might be said of Egypt which hath been famous in Holy Writ as well as in Prophane and which would swell into a Volume Let us end with saying something of the fertility of the Country what Commodities it produces and communicates to other Countries It is plentifully furnished with several Metals The fertility of the Country and its Commodities the Ground along the Nile produceth abundance of Corn Rice Pulse and other Grains that it may well be termed the Granary of the Turkish as it was formerly of the Roman Empire and it feeds much Cattle produceth great plenty of Fish hath store of Fowls yields excellent Fruits Lemmons Oranges Citrons Pomegranates Figgs Cherries c. Also Capers Olives Flax Sugars Cassia Sena Oil Balsom some Drugs and Spices Wax Civet Elephants Teeth Silk Cotton Linnen Cloth with several good Manufactures also Hides besides the Ashes of two little Weeds growing about Alexandria whereof quantity are transported to Venice and without which they cannot make their Chrystal-Glasses We may add that Incense Coffee and other Commodities of Arabia and India pass through this Country to be transported into the Western parts of Turky Throughout the Countrey they have abundance of Palm-Trees Its Palm-Trees and the nature of their growing c. which may be reckoned among the Rarities of the Country and that for several Reasons These Trees are observed always to grow in couples Male and Female They both thrust forth Cods full of Seeds but the Female is only fruitful but not except it grows by the Male and having his Seed mixt with hers which they do not fail to do at the beginning of March The Fruit it bears is known by the name of Dates which in taste resemble Figs. The Pith of these Trees is White and called the Brains which are in the uppermost parts And this is held an excellent Sallad in taste much like an Hartichoke of the Branches they make Bedsteads Lattices c. Of the outward Husk of the Cod Cordage of the inner Brushes and of the Leaves Fans Feathers Mats Baskets c. This Tree is held among them to be the perfect Image of a Man and that for these Reasons First because it doth not fructifie but by Coiture Next as having a Brain in the uppermost part which if once corrupted as Mans doth perish and die And lastly in regard that
on the top thereof grow certain Strings which resemble Hair the great end of the Branches appearing like Hands extended forth and the Dates as Fingers And so much for Egypt LIBYA INTERIOR which doth comprehend ZAHARA or SAARA with its Parts or Provinces of ZANHAGA Tegassa ZUENZIGA Zuenziga Ziz Ghir TARGA Hair Targa LEMPTA Lempta Dighir Agades BERDOA Berdoa BORNO Borno Kaugha Amasen GAOGA Gaoga The Land of NEGROES with its Parts or Kingdoms as they lie On this side the Niger as GUALATA Guadia Angra Arguya GENEHOA Genehoa Walade Ganar Samba-Lamech TOMBUT Tombut Salla Berissa Guegneve AGADES Agades Deghir Mura CANUM Cano Tassana Germa CASSENA Cassena Nebrina Tirca GANGARA Gangara Semegonda Between the Branches and about the Mouth of the Niger as JALOFFES Emboule Lambaya Yagoa Bersola Nabare Besu Catcheo Boyla Codan Julieto GAMBIA CASANGUAS BIAFARES Emboule Lambaya Yagoa Bersola Nabare Besu Catcheo Boyla Codan Julieto Beyond the Niger as MELLI Melli. SOUSOS Beria MANDINGUE Mandinga Tocrur GAGO Gago Dau. GUBER Guber ZEGZEG Zegzeg Channara ZANFARA Zanfara Reghebil GUINY and regarding the Atlantick Ocean with its Parts or Kingdoms of MELEGUETTE with its chief Places as they lie On the Sea as Bugos Timaa Bagga Serbora Masfah Faly Hamaya Samwyn Crou and Growaly Within Land as Bolombere Quinamora GUINY particularly so called or the IVORY or GOLD Coast with its chief places as they lie On the Sea as Tabo Taboe Petoy Wetoe Moure Nassau St. George del Mina Cormantir Berku Pompena Within Land as Laboure Uxoo Quinimburm Acanes Grandes Dauma Aâ—â—â—raus Adios St. Eaurenco Zabandu Buma Roggis Jamo BENIN with its chief Places as they lie On the Sea as Popou Jackeyn Loebo Fosko Borli Bodi and Cesge Within Land as Bâ—din Oâ—verre Aâ—ovon and Curamo ZAHARA That is DESART Zahara its name and description of the Country IN our Africa or Libya Interior we have placed ZAHARA the Country of the NEGROES and GVINY Zahara is an Arab name and signifies Desart and this name is taken from the quality of the Country so the Arabs divide the Land into three sorts Cehel Zahara and Azgar Cehel hath only Sand very small without any Green Zahara hath Gravel and little Stones and but little Green Azgar hath some Marshes some Grass and little Shrubs The Country is generally hot and dry it hath almost no Water except some few Wells and those Salt if there fall great Rains the Land is much better But besides the leanness of the Soil there is sometimes such vast quantities of Grasshoppers that they eat and ruin all that the Earth produceth Through this Country the Caravans pass which adds no small advantage unto it It is so barren and ill inhabited that a Man may travel above a week together without seeing a Tree or scarce any Grass as also without finding any Water and that Water they have is drawn out of Pits which oft-times is covered with Sand and tastes very brackish so that many times Men die for want of it which knowing the defect those Merchants which travel in this Country carry their Water as well as other Provisions on their Camels backs It s People The People are Bereberes and Africans likewise Abexes and Arabs of which the first are seated in the most moist places the others wander after their Flocks Some have their Cheques or Lords almost all follow Mahometism Though the Air be very hot yet it is so healthful that from Barbary the Country of the Negroes and other places Sick people come as to their last remedy It s division and parts described This great Desart is divided into seven principal Parts of which the three Western are Zanhaga Zuenziga and Targa or Hair The four towards the East are Lempta Berdoa Gaoga and Borno Almost every part reaches the full breadth and all together make but the length of this Desart ZANHAGA is most Westward Zanhaga and touches the Ocean with this Desart are comprehended those of Azaoad and Tegazza This last yields Salt like Marble which is taken from a Rock and carried 2 3 4 or 500 Leagues into the Land of the Negroes and serves in some places for Money and for this they buy their Victuals These People use it every moment letting it melt in their Mouths to hinder their Gums from corrupting which often happens either because of the heat which continually reigns or because their food corrupts in less than nothing In the Desart of Azaoad and in the way from Dara to Tombut are to be seen two Tombs the one of a rich Merchant and the other of a Carrier The Merchants Water being all gone and ready to die for want buys of the Carrier who had not overmuch one Glass full for which he gave him 10000 Ducats a poor little for so great a Sum but what would not a man do in necessity yet at the end the Carrier repented his bargain for both the one and the other died for want of Water before they could get out of the Desart Those near the Sea have some Trade with the Portugals with whom they change their Gold of Tibar for divers Wares To the Hono ble the Governour Sub Governour Deputy Governour Court of Assistants of the Hono ble Company of Royall Adventurers of England tradeing into Affrica This Mapp is humbly dedicated by Ric. Blome â—FRICA or LIBIA ULTERIOUR Where are the COUNTRIES of SAARA DESERT â—he COUNTRIE of NEGROES and GUINE With the Circumjacent Countries and Kingdoms Designed by Monsieur Sanson Geographer to the French King and Rendered into English by Richard Blome By the Kings Especiall Command Printed for Richard Blome The Country or Desert of ZVENZIGA Zuenziga under the name of which passes that of Cogdenu and is more troublesom and dangerous than that of Zanbaga as also more destitute of Water and yet it hath many People among others certain Arabs feared by all their Neighbours and particularly by the Negroes whom those Arabs take and sell for Slaves in the Kingdom of Fez But in revenge when they fall into the hands of the Negroes they are cut into so many pieces that the biggest that remains are their two Ears It s chief places are Zuenziga and Ghir The Desart of TARGA or HAIR some esteem this last the name of the Principal Place Targa and the other of the People is not so dry nor troublesom as the two others There are found many Herbs for Pastures the Soil indifferent fruitful and of a temperate Air. They have some Wells whose Water is good In the Morning there falls store of Manna which they find fresh and healthful of which they transport quantity to Agades and other places It s chief places are Targa and Hair LEMPTA is likewise esteemed the name of a People Lempta and its principal place also Digir This Desart is dry and more troublesom than that of Targa and its People haughty brutish and dangerous to them that cross it going from Constantina
vicine place is to be found whereby it may come unto those Northern Regions Seeing that therefore this flux is perpetual neither doth the water come by a manifest way unto those Regions whence the flux is made therefore it seemeth necessary to conclude that the waters come through subterraneous passages unto those Northern Regions and so there to be effused from the holes of the Channel as from a spring and that the water moveth hence towards the South There falleth in another cause taken from the former For the water of the Ocean in the Torrid Zone is more heavy than that in the Northern places by reason of the great abundance of Salt as we have proved in the Eighth and Twelfth Proposition Therefore the water or Ocean in the Torrid Zone doth more press through the Orifices of the Subterranean passages than in the Northern places and therefore in these places the water less resisting suffereth the water to flow from the Orifices of the Channels Unto this I answer That that flux of the Ocean is not only from the North as the Objection seemeth to inferr and as some especially the Ancients conceived of it who would have the water to flow in four Channels from the very Pole as also some Geographical Maps do exhibit it neither is it continual but is observed by reason of the frequency of Northern Winds moreover the great and perpetual abundance of Snow and Rain in those places augmenteth the water and causeth it to flow towards the South Add likewise that in other parts another motion of the Ocean is found concerning which see the following Chapter 3. It seemeth not absurd but rather most true that all the Fountains of Rivers taken together disburthening themselves into the Ocean are the very Fountains of the Ocean For seeing that in perpetual progress of time so great an abundance of water floweth from them into the Ocean questionless the water cometh from the Ocean to the very Springs and Channels of the Rivers partly through the Subterranean passages and partly by Rains 4. It may seem to prove that the Fountains of the Ocean may be in the very Channel because that in the bottom of the Ocean in some parts sweet or fresh water is found which could not be but by some Fountains flowing in the bottom Linschaten relateth that in Ormus fresh water is drawn by divers in the Ocean at the depth of four or five Orgya and the like Fountains are found in other parts of the Ocean and Bays Unto this I answer That few such Springs have yet been found which suffice not the vast Ocean Neither do we dispute concerning these Fountains as we have said before Hence it is manifest that in some sort it is true and we may well say that the Ocean hath Springs but not in that sense that we are wont to speak concerning the Springs of Rivers and in which we would have our Proposition to be taken Hence also it is manifest what we ought to think concerning that Question viz. Whether the Sea is always one and the same and perpetually so remaineth or whether it be another thing whose parts are perpetually consumed and generated again Proposition VIII The saltness of the Waters proceedeth from the particles of Salt which are mixed with it but whence they may exist or are so augmented is the doubt Of the Saltness of the Sea-water Experlence proveth the first member of the Proposition by which it is commonly known that Salt is made of Sea-water by decoction of the water or by the heat of the Sun or the fervour of the Fire In Germany and other places the water is separated by the help of the Fire In France the greater heat of the Sun performeth the same the Ocean being let into certain Trenches made in which in the space of some Months the water being exhaled by the force of the Sun Of Salt and of what made concreted and hard Salt is found On the shoars of many Regions as of England and other parts plenty of Bay-Salt is found the Sea-water continually overflowing those shoars leaveth daily some particles or humors from which the water exhaleth and concrete Salt is left whose blackness is taken away by boyling although it be washed away and dissolved from many Coasts by the violence of the Ocean which is the cause that it is not found on all Coasts Seeing therefore that this Experiment is common Aristotle had small reason to alledge a false Experiment concerning a waxen Vessel let down into the Sea Hence it is manifest that the proximate cause of the Saltness of the Sea-water or the true subject of this saltness is the Saline particles which are contained in that water Therefore the Aristotelians with their Master spake improperly and obscuredly without cause when they defend and say That the saltness of the Sea proceedeth from the adustion of the Sea caused by the Sun or from the adust particles But of this more anon The chief difficulty and controversie is concerning the other member of the Proposition Whence these Salt particles of the Ocean exist Aristotle supposeth that dry exhalations or fumes all which he saith are of an adust and Saline nature elevated from the Earth are mixed with humid vapours and when that these have met together in Rain they fall with these into the Sea and that thence proceedeth the saltness and Salt particles in the Sea See Aristotle lib. 2. chap. 7. and on this account he seemeth to defend this Opinion because that from thence he may render a reason why the Sea is always salt But other Peripateticks will have it and so do endeavour to draw Aristotle to their part that this saltness is in the Sea it self by reason that it is perpetually scorched by the heat of the Sun a sign of which is that the water is found by so much the less salt by how much it is more deep or remote from the superficies for in the superficies we discover it to be most salt Both these Opinions are obstructed with great difficulties and absurdities so that it seemeth wonderful that the minds of Philosophers and Learned men could acquiesce in them First the opinion of Aristotle is thus obstructed that Salt-rain should be found in the Ocean which never yet was found to be void of all tast of salt Secondly the Sea should be less salt when it raineth not for a long time the contrary of which yet is found The other Opinion hath these difficulties 1. It is false that the waters of the Ocean are found the less salt by how much they are nigh to the bottom for there are few places viz. in those bottoms where Springs of fresh water do flow 2. Experience testifieth that fresh water although long exposed to the Sun or heat of the Fire yet doth not become salt This Objection Scaliger endeavoureth to avoid by an over-nice subtilty for he saith that this hapneth in these Observations by reason of