'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.' [‎202] (223/448)

.
Noah'x Ar\.
cum in cacumine Area Not poft diluvium fletit. But where this Ararat was has not a little
been controverted by Divines and Geographers of the greateft rank. For by Ararat
moft agree is underftood Caucafa and Taurus, which for length and height is reputed
the greateft Mountain in the World *, ftretching from the moft Northerly part of Ar.
menia as far as India, until it be affronted by Imam, which in a contrary courfe divides
Scythia: all which trad or ledge of Hills is ufually comprehended under thefe three
names Ararat, Tdverm and Camafa, which for the greater half feem to environ the
^Mare Calhmm. Neverthelefs, the names of thefe three imperious Hills are loft in many
places through length of time and the feveral Idioms of fpeech, which vary according
to the different Dialed of thefundry Kingdoms and Provinces they pierce through. As fo?
example, wherev4r^f rifes in^m^,there the moft culminating pyco or top is common
ly called Baris and Suharis', which in the Copique fignifies a Ship: Ingens mom Bar is eft f H .
per Mmiadem, fays Damajcen. And is either a Province in Armenia neighbouring Ara
rat, as we find mentioned in the 51 of Jeremy 27. or is Armenia by leaving out the
Ar, ter Afhtrefin, as Htfpania for Syania, and as we might obferve in feveral other pla.
ces, for example. This is part of that we properly call the Gordiaan Hills which fome
name Kardn. In Media At r of at i a it multiplies into the Coraxi, out of which Araxis
fprings, Mofchici, Pariedri and Baronta. Where it crolfes the moft Northerly part of
Parthia neareft Media, Cajpii, Jafonii, ZagrU, Gada. Paifing through HyrcanU it bears
the names of Sariphi, Coatri famous for trees of marvellous height, v£thera tangentes
fylvas liquere Choatra, Plm. lih. 6. c. 7. Orontes, Coronii, Acrocerami, by which lait the
Greeks fometimes comprehend the whole Province. Through Aria and Paropamifa 'tis
called Heniochi, Pharphariada, Bomarai, Mandradani, Gajfarii, Oxiatri, vicinating the Ri
ver O^and then Caucafus,where the Scytho-Saca live in view of Imam ; all which multipli
cations are comprized in the firft three: whence it is that the queft is fo obfeure ■, Tau
rus, Cane a fits and Ararat being indeed one and the fame Hill; For Caucasus eft parsTam]
& mm Tanrm Caucafi nomine intelligi debet, faith Philofiratm in his i.hb. With goodcon-
fideration therefore that glory of our Nation for Learning Sir Walter Raleigh in his Map
placed fol. 108 gives thofe names of Ararat, Tanrm and Caucafm promifcuoufly to the
whole Hill in its full extent from Armenia to Mergiana. So that albeit we read in Ben-
fm lib. 2. That In vertice GordUi montis Noe quievit pofl diluvium: Noem tamen Seytha
omnium deorum ma jorum & minor um Patrem appellaverunt, & humana Gent is author em &
Chaos & femen mundi agmfcant. Tyteam vero Vxorem e]m Antiam vocant, in quam femen
Chaos pofuit, & ex qua tanquam ex Terra cunBi homines prodierant, &c. Yet Annim, G oto-
pm and others fix the Ark in that part of Mergiana that joyns to Hyrcania where it views
Scythia: And not without reafon, feeing fome of the moft learned in this fort of curio-
fity judge that the firft feminary after Noah's defcent from the Ark was in Mergiana,
a luxuriant foil fitted for Grapes and what clfe might encourage his Plantation: where
as we find in Ptol.feptima Tabula Afa is the City Nyfea or JSfoyfea in 41 degrees either
built by Noah or to his memory: and for the Clime, none fitter for Grapes Amoenita-
tisadeo inclytay ut in ea Vitem invenire (inquit Strabo) cu\mflip it em duorum hominum vix Vina
compleHantur: racemum vero duorum cubit or um orb em implere. Which being Ihewed Alexander
the Great he admired, and thereupon there built Alexandria *, and fo the Scythians
branching from the firft feminary are properly called Gens femper Antiquifma, and pre^
ferred before the Phrygian and Egyptian in their claim concerning Antiquity. Befides,
from the concihmty of Name and tradition that Bacchm here lived it had the name of
Nyfca, which fbme Keverthelefs fuppofe to be Agra, a City built upon a branch of
Ganges, and otherfome fay took its denomination from Nyja Bacchm his Nurfe which
with Jupiters gave the name of Dionyfisus, to whofe memory a City alfo was built in
Media of great efteem for breed of Horfe; and another in Mergiana near the River
Hydajpes a branch of Indus remembred by Lucan in his 6. lib. Et qua Nyfaus Hydafies, &c.
From that analogy or refemblance of Nyfea and Noyfya, of Noacchus and Boacchus, and
the delight both took in Vine-planting, it has induced Goropius with others to fancy
that they were one, and in India both of fame at this day : the rather in regard Noah
made not his peregrination with Nimrod and his party who fetled in the Vale of Shi-
naar at the confufion of Tongues: For ILlam ( Sem\ Son ) returned the way he came from
Noah, and feated himfelf 'mPerJia', but Oper and Havilah ( Sons of travelled
further Eaft, firft to Lahore, and after into Bengala, where^ and at and about Malacca
'tis found they fixed their Plantation, the Places retaining their Names to many defend
ing generations, as I fhall have oecafion in due place to fpeak of more at large ; by
which and much more I might obferve, 'tis apparent that Opinions differ concern
ing the place where the Ark refted •, give me leave therefore to offer my own
upon