'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.' [‎196] (217/448)

ScythO'Sucrt*
China, fancying withal that China is Cathay a *, by which differing judgments we fee
there is no certainty of the place, though by long tradition fo accepted. For my part, I
conceive we are in a deep ignorance as to the truth of thofe places, as I have already
hinted •, thofe nearer Regions which interpofe 'twixt Zagathai and Loyy and the North
part of China being to us, nay to the civilized Inhabitants about Kabul and Candahor
little known j other than that the Tartars neighbour the Chinese to the North and North-
eall, as the Sea does to the South, and to the Weft the Barman or Bracman: So as I may
truly fay with Mercatbr in his Geogr. Table of Tartary, Qui* enim vafium Hind & incognu
mm Regnum, v ere deferih it ? For that of Ahnlfeda the great Arabian Ofmographer it no
new difcovery, but what we eafdy believe, How that the Ocean runs far beyond China
from the Eaft towards the North •, but that it circles Weil about the North coaft of
Ruffians he fays,) and takes its courfe about Lapland, and that the Sea fetches a com-
pafs about the Eaft and North-eaft parts of Afia and Europe, I know he has it onely by
fpeculation : Which neverthelefs may ferve as a fpur to encourage the further difco
very of a North-eaft or North-weft paifage towards China and the Eaft Indies. For the
fame Arabian borrowing his light from our Writers, calls the Inhabitants of that part
of the Aftan Continent Gog and Magog: Which with better confideration is conjedured
by Strabo lib. That by reafon of the vaft Defarts, the fiercenefs of People, noifome
Beafts and deep fnows, efpecially near the Mountains Imaw, which towards the North
furge more and more to an incomprehenfible height ^ fo high, as one reports how that
after 17 days mounting, he returned, defpairing to attain the top: the reafon proba
bly being not onely from the height, but' withal from the difficulty he had to make way
through thofe deep fnows, with which thofe Mountains are ever covered , Montes, quo-
rum altitudinem effe incredibilem. Mountains of an incredible htivJoX+Arift.lib. 1.Meteor. To
penetrate the other Countreys with fecurity is held impoffible; the rather, for that tas
he fays) the People and Languages there are not to be numbred: and yet where known
comprehends them under one denomination of Scythians: for," Omncs cognitas Re?iones
verfm Septentrionem mo nomine vel Scytha vel Celto-Scytha appellant nr. But the Charader of
what we now found true concerning them, makes them of the fame piece with the other
Tartarians; Ficinks inter fe nulli fines. Agrum non exercent \ damns nec teBum habent. Vxo-
res liberdfa fee urn in plauftrls trahunt. Armenia & pecora femper pafcentibm & in p ere nit as
folmdines vagare folk is ; nullum fcelm fHrtogravim. Argent urn fpernunt\ latte & melle ve-
fcuntury &c. Which how ftrange foever it feems now to us, in the infancy of time it was
doubtlefs the courfe or manner of life which moft Nations pradifed; but found incon-
liftent with Civil States in after-Ages, when Men alfumed their feveral properties, and
incorporating themfelves formed a Weal-publique, as we may pbferve amongft the
Romans and Carthaginians. But fearing this fubjed has made me wander too far, I fliall
prefent the Reader only with the habit of fome of them as I took it: And conclude with
that of an ancient Writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. , Hocfcito certe m Ah Sacx acq,
romau, & qm propne Scytht, & qmcm r ,fimma gem
beytha, Seytharum nomine, &c.