'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.' [‎185] (206/448)

Ferrabaut. The Cafpian
of .them lingular. FewHoufes but have their Gardens contiguous > which tosether make
a combined beauty though feemmg feparate. Of molt note is the King's Houfe at the
North end of the Town-, from whofe Balconies we had a large and delightful profo-ft
into the Sea as far as Taka or Taz.ata as the Ifle was then called; and fome of the Gar-
dens extend to the brmk of the/tore This Palace has two fquare large Courts
railed about, and the ground by the elaborate Gardiner was formed into Grafs-plats and
knots of feveral forts, and replenifhed with variety of Trees and Flowers, which mak-s
the place feem exceeding pleafant and amongft others Tulips and Rofes were there fo
pkntiful, that what is faid of another is properly applicable to this. Hie roL nutrit
mttdofa flores Fern amoem: And amongft other Trees the fpreading Chenores, Sycamores
and Gheftnuts furround the place with fo much beauty, and every part of the Houfe af
fords fo amiable a profped,as makes the eye and fmell contend which lhall furfeit fooneft
of variety. The Mulberry of both colours at that time prefented us alfo with choice fruit
no lefs wholefome than pleafant: fo as by way of gratitude give me leave to tell vou,
the ^Egyftians make that Tree the hieroglyphic^ Wifedom •, and upon this account'
knowing that the froft is its deadly enemy, it feldom or never buds until the cold wea
tomatuHt 0117 and ^ 38 by ^ PUtS f0rth rpeedil ^ and as quickly ripens
This Houfe of the Kings, though it be fpacious yet is low^ but the rooms are hieh
enough, arched and of fufficient length, rather refembling Galleries than Rooms of
State: Three of thofe Chambers were more richly furniflit than the reft ^ for the fides
were adorned, with Looking-glafles,which irradiated the feeling or roof arched and rich
ly painted and in fome part emboffed with gold *, but no Baldacchino, no cloth of State was
there, the King being ablenti the windows were of Mujcovian Glafs, cemented with
gold or what refembledit: Glafs it was of large panes and very clear:, which fort
of glafs (if that be a proper Name) is taken out of a Rock called Slade in Corelia near
to the River Dmna in Rujjia\ and by being foft is eafily cut in pieces, lliced into thin
flakes,and preferr'd before other glafs-, both for that it is clearer and not fo brittle
nor fo apt to burn as glafs or horn. The floors we could not enter with our fhooes on -
Accurrmtfervh foleas detrahmt in Terence his He ant. as then was now here obferved: but
with good reafon,feeing they were fpread fome with Velvet ftuft with Down or fine Bom-
bafine *, others with rich Carpets and Calzoons of Bodkin and cloth of Gold. Howbeit
in Winter-time the Pot-Jhangh fleeps in iheets of coftly Sables or rich fhort curled fliag
of the fheep of Coranan. In the Gallery where the Mirrours are, not only on the fides
but on the arch over head in Story or Landskip is pencil'd feveral immodeft fports and
gambols *, fuch, as if Aretine had given the direftions; Lavoltoes, which fo much of
fended our eyes with lhame, that they are in no wife fit to be remembred: nor have
I more concerning this, fave it is the opinion of fome, that Ferrahaut was the birth-place
of that great Phyfician and Philofoper Alfarahim, who (as Ben-Cafem writes) fo much
admired Ariftotle\ Book of Phyfick that he read what is intitled De Audm no lefs than
forty times over; leaving this World in the Year of (he Hegira 339. in his great
Climaderique.
The Cafpian Sea is defervedly ranked amongft the Wonders of the World. Lacm to-
tins Orbis maximm, faith Merc at or in his Atlas •, for greatnefs,tafte and colour,refembling
(albeit without any vifible mixture with) the Ocean: and which is admirable, never
over-flows its bounds, albeit many great and notable Rivers,namely r^,called Rha and
Edel by fome *, Araxis which Claud. Cajar erronioufly fuppofed did empty it felf into Em ~
fhrates at his firft compaffing Mefopotamia; Cyrus now named El-char 5 Cambyfes now Con-
nac •, Cor axis now named Coddors ; with Ohfel, Rhodago, Soconda, Mazaras, Zyoberis, Hy~
dero, Staoy Aragm, Ilment, Syrto, Jaxartes now called Ardoc and Chefil; Oxm now Ohio.
and Nycaphtac, Dynodore-, Jehnn, Habyn and feveral other which run perpetually into this
Sea, thereby fwelling her concave womb i fo as a wonder it is, it keeps within its com-
pafs, albeit the circumference be full 3000 miles. So that in all probability, it hath
fome fecret vent or in-let into the Euxin or fome other Sea: For confidering how. that
thefe mighty Rivers are inceffantly vomiting their full gorg'd watery ftomachs into it,*
in reafon it may be granted that it would over-flow its banks, did it not as well empty
as receive. For that is but a weak aifertion. That the Sun attrads equally by vapours
to that excefs of water which is poured in. The Ihape or figure of this Sea is oval.
From North to South the diameter is about 600 miles: towards the ftiore 'tis fhoal wa
ter and full of Syrtes *, fo as Ships that ufually pafs over, draw not above eight foot wa
ter when they are loaden; but being a few leagues off at Sea, 'tis very deep and hard
ly fathomed.
Bb M