'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.' [‎31] (52/448)

Trejler^ohn.
Having a fair gale ftill, next day we made the Sun our Zenith ^ in which latitude and
pofition we coafted along that rich and famous part of South Jfrique^ now called SoffaU^
part of tsEgifymha of old, where the Portugal has a confiderablc Caftle and Fort that
fufficiently a wes the Negros; and with goodreafon^ feeing that Land hasftore of Gold :
From whence Vertommrms, Volaterranm^ and from them On dins labour to perfwadethe
World how that this was Ophir •, yea, David Kimchi a learned Rabhi, albeit he name
not Sojfala, neverthelefs he places Ophir in South 'Afrique ; to oppofe whom, I bring Jo-
fephus, as well read ashimfelf, who is of opinion that Ophir was part of the Eaft-Indies,
of which judgment are Saint Hierome, Phil. Jud. Agricola, and many more; and theirs
is belt as 1 fiippofe*, for it Sojfala were the place, it being fo near a Neighbour to Ez.i~
onghebor the Port in Edom where Solomon's Ophirian-fleet ufed to ride, we can fee no
xeafon , notwithftanding theufe of theCompafs was not then known, why they ihould
make it a three years Voyage, our Ships with a fair wind ufually reaching it within one
month, which if they fhould be bound to tide within ken of Land all the way, little
longer time would compafs it. Nor ar^ there Peacocks and fuch other rarities there as
be mentioned in the Paralip. Moreover, albeit Ihere were two Havilaes in Scripture,
the one Grandfon of Cham, the other a defcendant from Sem, yet was there but one
Ophir, who with Havila ( Jo ft am Son) all Authors do agree planted themfelves in the
Eafi-Indiesfoon. after the confufionof Babel, which place from its diftance and greatefl:
plenty of Gold there had, belt excufes fo long a Voyage. Neighbouring that i s Momhajfa
a fmall Ifle under 3 deg. 50 min. South, fubdued alfo to the Crown of Portugal by Almey-
da in the year of our Lord 1505. to which joins Magadoxo, which has 3 deg. and to
it Zanzibar, Pata, and Brava, places very hot fometimes in regard the iEquinodial cuts
themthe fhore thence tends towards Barnagaffo, a Port once under the great Neguz,
who till of late held all that long trad of Land in fubjedion which runs horn Cape Guar-
defu to Suachem.
That all thofe Maritim Countries which verge upon the Ocean have been ( efpeci-
ally fince fafco de GamcCs time, which was Anno 1400.) difcovered and traded to>
both along the Weft and South lides of Afrique, is unqueftionable ^ but the Mediterra
nean parts are not under that capacity. Ptol. as accurate in Geography as any of the
Ancien:s, was totally ignorant of the utmoft extent of Afrique to the South, beyond the
Garamams ; fo as he drc}ws*his Terra firma only to 10 degrees South from the ^Equator ,
unable to penetrate fo far Southward as his own Country River Nilm Iprings: albeit,
fuppofititioufly he derives it from the Lum montes under 15 degrees South, which has pail
for currant with fucceeding Ages. But that any have Valleys anfwerable to their heighth,
for the heighth of thefe. Mountains of the Moon, Spharum Luna fere attingunt, faith Olym-
piodorui ; or that the depth of the Valleys Ihould keep proportion is not eafily credited,
yet are they faid to be tarn immenfa profmditatis ut illic Centrum Terra vide atur or that
any hitherto ever faw thofe Mountains of the Moon, or Zemhre, or Zayre, fuppofedto
be a Lake in circuit equal to Palm M&otis, I have not yet met with: albeit, enough have
taken it for granted, that fuch there are ^ but with the fame hiflorica fides, we believe the
imaginary lines and figns in the Globe Cosleftial. But to come nearer to our ftation •,
under little more certainty do I reckon thofe formal defcriptions of the Territories of
this fuppofed mighty potentate Prefier John, concerning whom the Romiih emiffaries
have fpoken liberally i and though 1 am as free as any to allow them their due reward
for the infinite toil and hazard they have undergone fub fpecie fidei propaganda (as in
ftory they give abundant teilimony, both in Afrique and A/ia the great) neverthelefs,
I dare not fay'tis fraude ; but, both by what 1 have obferved and learnt, find that
they have alfiim'd too great a liberty in blazoning the fuccefs of their labours, and with
al of invention: but leaving every one to his own credulity, I fhall only ( but with fub-
milfion) give my prefent apprehenfion of this Abaffin Emperor, who like himfelf istoo
much veiled and obfeured •, for, notwithftanding that he is exhibited to the World un
der feveral appellations, as Prefier John (that being their ufual Name, fince they defert-
edthe other of Philip) he is call'd AftcP Abaffi by the Moors, of his own People Acegue
and Neguz^ •, and for power fuppos'd not inferior to the greateft Princes of the World,
able Decies centum millia hominum ad helium infiruere, faith Maginm , and of fuch wealth
as appears by offering the a million of Gold to aid him againft his Adverfaries:
and for extent of Dominion, Northward ftretching as far as iV^^, and the confines of
^fypt', Eaftward to the Red-fea and the Barbarique Gulph, as far as Ajaman and Dangali,
Kingdoms with in the Ethiopia exterior'. Southward to the Luna Mounts, and Welt as
far as Nilm Niger (the two greateft Rivers in Afrique) and Manicongo fo as his Em
pire confifting of feventy Kingdoms tributary and Subordinate, in a fort extends to either
Tropique,