'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.' [‎182] (203/448)

Mineral Springs. Hyrchnia.
TArhirh iQ fald to diftil Honey, we found not •, but one that had fweet fap or juice, which
^is likely ga\re tiie wc^ion pf that report: but of Oak, Elm, Alh, and moft in Mul.
^YJhmlv^tmefTa ^rMe (that was in vain befieged by Telehrcta,
c.y.manna Mrapfa, Svconda or Soconaa, Sorba, jifmwna, Tapen, Carta and Maniac a,
were T ow n s of n ° te ' but: n0W t0tally ^ Unlers , they be re 7 yed
raf AhbafTehmt, Perifcow, Omoal,Barfrujhdea, ChMoforo, Btldtth, Baedx., Da-
Z'mr, Gemee, Snmachy, Erez,zni Bachu: Nigh which laft is a Spring of that rare
kini of Oyl or clammy fubftance which fome call •, but whether of that kmd we
find mentioned in the 2 Macchah. 1. 56. which fpnnkled the Wood with that
was laid upon the Altar, after it was exhaufted from the pit wherein the Prielh had
concealed the holy Fire, at fuch time as they were led captive into I'erjia, I cannot fay;
fave that the Name Naphtar and Nephti there mentioned, as well as the quality, have
fome refemblance Tnis Nephta is an oyly or fat liquid fubftance/ in colour not unlike '
foft white clay •, of quality hot and dry, fo as it is apt to inflame with the Sun-beams,or
heat that iffues from Fire: as was mirthfully experimented upon one of Alexander's Pages,
who being anointed, with much ado efcaped burning. .
Many fuch ftrange Springs have been found: Anftotle mentions one in Carthage *, at
Occhm in Theffaly another fuch was as Pliny reports; near Oxm as Curtim • and the like
near Babylon: tor that at Cardavas in Saxony near Brmfwickjis rather a fort of Bitumen^
not unlike that is evaporated in the Mare mortmm. This ftrange Spring puts me in mind
of another memorable Water we faw and tafted of at Chacoporo a Town about twelve
miles Weft from Farrahaut, both of them upon the brink of the Mare Cajpmm: For 11.
Months it is fweet and potable*, but one Month every Year fo brackiih, as renders it
unfit to drink or to drefs meat with. Tlutarch Vita Antonii relates, how that Mar\^
Anthony having marched through Media into Hyrcania, befieged Phraata the principal
Town of that Province j but his battering-Engines being furprized in the way by Phra~
artes the Parthian King, and wanting Visual,was forced to retire, (hafte to en
joy his Cleopatra adding to his fpeed v) fo as after feven and twenty days he palled the A-
raxis, over which he had built a Bridge which was broken by the Enemy: In that march
he loft 4000 Horfe and 20000 Foot, moft of which died of fluxes and thirft. The reafon
I make mention of this, is in regard the ftory fays he paft a River that to view appear'd
very clears but the Souldiers thinking to ajfuage their thirft found it increafed by the
brackifhWater: for it gnawed their guts,andput them into other diftempers. Now feeing
fome take Ph^rahaut for the reliques of Phraata above-named, it is very likely that this
fait Stream at Chacoporo* was the fame which Plutarch takes notice of in that expedition.
And that there are Springs and Rivers of feveral taftes as well as colours, is in no wife
to be queftioned •, for thente it is that fome conclude a Spirim Mmdi: Now concern
ing colours I have already inftanced ; and as to tafte, the Sea (experience teaches) is
fair, not by Nature but by agitation partly, and partly through the power and efficacy
of the Sun, which by his heat and beams attrads the fmall parts that be in the fuperfi-
cies of the fait Water. PhMofophy alfo as well as Experience acquaints us, that in Sum
mer the Sea is falter than it is in Winter; and that the Eaft and South Seas are moil fait:
yea, by common tryal it is fo obferved. Moreover, the Sea-Water is much thicker and
ftronger to bear ( as we find by common experience ) than frefh ; whereby it comes to
pafs, that Ships leak and fink oftner in frefh Waters than they do in the Ocean. Beiides,
feeing, lalt has heat, we may perceive how that fait Water inflames rather than extin-
guiihes Fire: and for proof thereof have fundry examples •, as particularly in lib. 7.
Macrobii) and 10 Symp. Phtarchi: the reafbn being evident, feeing drynefs is a quality
that makes it a friend unto the Fire: For as Ariftotle ( Nature's principal Secretary ) ob-
ferves, fait Water has a fort of fatnefs and oylinefs incorporated. 'And albeit Water
in it felf(like the pureft oyl) naturally is without either fmell or tafte; neverthelefs
per accidens it may have both, according as it doth participate with the quality of the
Earth through whofe veins it floweth ^ and from thence ariies both colour, tafte and
fmell", as w r e ufually obferve in fuch things as derive heat and tindure from Sulphur,
Steel, Vitriol, Juniper, and the like. Now that the fat or oylinefs of the Sea Water
inflames, I could give many inftances •, but fhall onely what was proved in that memo'
rable Sea-fight 'twixt Mark^Anthony and Augufim C<efar at ABiiim in the Gulph of Lepanto*
as recorded by Plutarch and other Hiftorians. To return.
The Natives for the moft part are exceding courteous to Strangers, and hofpitable ^
and in fome parts no lefs induftrious in Husbandry: they fpeak Perfian, yet have a pecu
liar Dialed of their own which they the lefs ufe fince they became fubjed to the Perfian;
who