'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.' [‎186] (207/448)

\amarcaaruJ
urcomam a.
cor
QIotiXK^
'urcdnid ^Sv
J 'Perifcotv
The Cafpian Sea,
Hyrca
nia.
It has feveral Names attributed, differing as the Nations differ. The Arabians call
it ( as they do all other great Lakes) Bohar Corfm ; the Rnjfe, Chualensca-more the Geor
gians and Sarcafi name it Cm^ar^ Bachu and Sala, noted ports upon that Sea. The Ro
mans termed it Mare Hyrcamm, the Terfians Ghylon, and Derioh Mozendram: by which
Name moft of Hyrcama is called', albeit Magmm in his Adjunds toP^/ow/sMaps, pla
ces it (erronioully as I apprehend) upon the South-eaft fide, where Mergiana ought to
be : Upon the North it has that part we call Nagay ; on the Eaft Zagathai, Hyr-
cania South ^ and part of Media and Armenia on the Weft, lurrounded with lofty Hills,
furnilht with Fifh, and upon the fhore hath many Towns well peopled and traded to
by fundry Nations. There is not any Author I know but confents that it-is Land-lockt,
and hath no commerce or intercourle with the Sea by any vilible paflage through the
fuperficies of the Earth; atteded by Travellers, who in feveral progrelfes by Land and
Water, have found it fuch: Its vaft body (as I faid formerly) gains it the Name of Sea.
• j £o L ^ kes ^ ar as m the holy Land and other places^
might be rnftanced. This, as other Seas, is a gathering together of perpetual Waters
nouriihed with Springs ^ which being in nature fo rare, and by Learned Mens conjedures
lo obicure, lutter me to ftay a while in the difquifition.
This ( as fome great Lakes and noted Rivers I fhall hereafter mention) hath in all pro-
Dabiuty, as I lately laid, fome fecret courie, which gives it an intercourle with fome
Sea, and molt likely with the Euxine, both becaufe of its Voiiinage, no other Sea
being lo near it as the Euxine, and for that the Euxine hath a current or flux, which
„ 0 , iI1 fj eaitern fliore towards the Mare Cajpmm runs along the zAifluarmm of the
PalM Meottps ; which (as Comarenusthz Venetian obferved) hath a ftronff current towards
the Thracian BoJphorw, and flows hence into the ^gean md Mediterranean prin
cipally occafioned, as fuppofed, by the Water which by fome invifible paifage ftreams
from the Cajpun. Plato in his Phtdro fancies that there is a great abyfs (Tartarus he
calls it) which he makes the magazme or original Fountain of all Waters', into which
a, fubt ? rra r Jiean u Cav i er ns,at all times empties its fuperfluities: a fuppofition Jri-
flotle diflikes, mafmuch as the Sea is the fame at all Seafonswhat it gets by Rivers and
Ihowers, lofmg by exhalations and extenuations through the excelfive heats that be
muai w^nm the torrid Zone: In qua cavitate omnes fiuvii confium & efHmnt talem
yjjitm an pro atur, ut una Volga tant am copiam aquarum perpetuo effundit in Mare Ca-
[ptumj qua tot am terram ohtigere potefl, unde luculenter confiat dari tales meatm fuhterraneos
ZZZl Varum
t , be § ra . ateci ' That this CaftUn Sea by receiving and thofe many noted
haTifnoS r f ' n^ri'yhythisfiircharge of Water overflow its bafiks,
nln-^ V r/ t0 felf ' P rotel % into fome other Sea. For, as
^LS? a S CtrpemrUh i chap. 9. Geogr. obferves, we may demand, Whether thofe
no^ f /"too,and others fancy ) were ever fill'd with Water, yea or
, ow are they capable of more ? But that they were never f.ird ,is not without