'Some years travels into divers parts of Africa, and Asia the great. Describing more particularly the empires of Persia and Industan: interwoven with such remarkable occurrences as hapned in those parts during these later times. As also, many other rich and famous kingdoms in the oriental India, with the isles adjacent. Severally relating their religion, language, customs and habit: as also proper observations concerning them.' [‎116] (137/448)

The 1$amy an Tree near Cjumhromi.
He faw the houghs with Ribbons neatly hmg Her or His Majesty’s Government in London. , &C.
And in tfrvils lib. 2. Georg. not unlike the z ^Efchilm whom
Portes i ate ram os & brachia tendens Tall branches guar d-, and whofe vaft boughs dtfplafd
Hue illuc^edi. ipfa ingentem fuftinet umbram. Protett
For indeed, thefe boughs are fo neatly trimmed within, that without interruption one
may tofs a pike in it. Within thefe is built a Pagotha, in which (for I adventured in)
I beheld (but not without amazement) three Images, whofe vifages were fo grim,
lineaments of body fb diftorted and miffhapen, and poftures fb uncouth, that inven
tion could not well rep relent Detmos more deformed^ yet in memory of their three
forefathers Cuttery-, ShJdery, and Wyfe, by thefe grofs Idolaters they are formally in-
vocated. Of thefe Pliny reports, that Hdtcfaere Ntminum Tempi a, frifcoque ritu etUm
nunc-) Jimplicia rura Deo pr&cellcntem arbor em die ant ^ &c. To which Ti ee-worfhip the*
Bannyans cLlq not fmgular *, fortheP^w themfelves in old times adored the Tree they
called pHtulanga, under which (like thefe) were Idols ereded whom they named Blmma,
And of what repute the Idol Oak has been, witnefs our Druid* who-derive their name
from thence, and our neighbours the who by it reprefented no lefs than :
In Ovid, Quercm Or acuta prima is acknowledged. Alfo Gildas -our Countrey-man, the
better to engage us to the Lord for his diftinguifhing mercy, fpares not to acquaint us
with the ignorance of our fore-fathers the Britainsy who attributed divine honour to
Groves, Rivers and Fountains: For indeed, fuch was the miferable blindnefs of thofe an
cient times, that as every Tree had its peculiar jjmW (Groves being commonly confecrat-
ed to fome Deity,) fofcarce was there any Tree that by one or other was not dedicated to
fome Afa^ or other, and little lefs than adored. Virgil 7 Eccl. ■
Populus Alcid^e gratiffima, Yitis laccho, Herc'les the Pfflarr, Bacchus the Vine embraces,
Formofe Myrtus Veneri, fua Laurea phoebq- Venus the Myrtle, Phoebus the Laurel graces.
Yea fo great was the fuperftitious cuftome of devoting Trees, that as Claudian obferves
there was fcarce any Tree that had not its veneration, Lucofque vetufta Religione truces
& robora Numinis inftar. Alex ab Alex, alfo writes that in his time Trees were adored,
and in opinion, little , was the difference, 'twixt the Druida, the Magi, and the Brach-
manni j all defending the immortality of the Soul, and the tranllocation from one into ano
ther after death was accounted good Philofophy,until it was difcountenanced by Auguflus
Cafar, fuch time as true light coming into the World difpelled errour and darknefs; and
under Claudm was fo perfecuted, that it then feemed extingui(hed,as we find by Suetonius.
Fourteen days we tarried in Bander^Gumbrown •, which albeit the view and other ac
commodations the Sea and proximity to the happy Arabia contribute, fuch time efpecially
as the temperate months make it habitable, might have allured our longer ftay had plea-
fur e been our objed *, our Ambafladors (thinking the time long) ufed the belt perfwa-
fionsthey could with the Sultan to haften their provifions for the journey. And albeit
Horfes for our own riding and Camels for the Caravan were ready, neverthelefs fuch
was his fuperftition, that go we muft not until upon his calling the Dice the chance
proved to his fatisfadion. The four and twentieth day (the Die it feems hapning right)
the Kettle-drums gave us warning to prepare to Horfe (for thofe there ferve inftead of
Trumpets j) and little time ferved to make us ready. The Ambalfadors Caravan confifted
oftwelveHorfeand twenty nine Camels: the Horfe were fuch as were not liable to ex-
Camels. ception the Camels of thofe better fort they call coozel-baih Camels*, a beaft abound
ing in Perfia, and of great ufc efteem and value in thofe oriental parts: Long-liv'd
they are, oft-times exceeding threefcore years*, of difpofition very gentle, patient in
travel, and of great ftrength, well enduring a burthen of towards a thoufand pound
weight*, content with little food and that of the meaneft fort, as tops of trees, thiftles,
Weeds, and the like *, * and lefs drink, in thofe dry Countreys ufually ^abftaining little
lefs than four days ^ which is of extraordinary advantage, feeing that oft-times they
are necellitated to pafs through defart places. The firftday Mr. Burtths Englifh Agent,a
civil and ingenious Merchant and of high report at the Perfian Court, with feveral other
Englifh and Dutch Fadorsthen in Town accompanied our Lord Ambalfador three miles
upon his way: Until the Sultan, the Shaw-Bander and other of the Natives having fetcht
a compafs about; met us *, and (well pleafed with the piihcalh or prefent the Ambaflador