'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.' [‎193] (214/448)

Mount T
by being intermixt with thick and watery vapours, the Sea alfo by a refraded fiaht
prefenting it felf in a thicker medinm y rendred the objed lefs diftinguifhable: and fave
that it was a delight to have an uninterrupted objed, little other ufe could we make of
What we faw at that diftance our fight was fo Imperfed. But without doubt, from
hence (for Taurm and Cancafm differ not) that ancient Aftronomer Tromethem Brother to
Adas firft obferved and inftruded the Ajfyrians in the motion of the Firmament, the A-
cronical riling and fetting of the Stars and Bodies Celeftial •, and found out the caufes
of Meteors, Eclipfes and other occult caufes and curiofities in Nature: and whence it
was that the fabulous Greeks report that by Mercury he was chained to a Rock and his
heart continually gnaw'd by a Vulture at the command of fupter, the penalty being in-
Aided for his feloniousfoaling celeftial Fire from folio's Chariot-wheels to enliven his
inanimate Statua *, albeit ?alias was accelfory, by whofe perfwafion Hercules fhot the
Vulture at the Marriage of Thetis. Howbeit, Geraldm finds out a contrary Mythology*,
defining him only for a melancholy perfon, overcharged with anxiety, griping care
gnaw'd his heart as it were a Vulture.
0 Now from this higheft Tarrafs of the World look we towards the North-eaft, and fix
our eyes upon that part of Tartary which this Mountain vifits where it falutes Jmaus.
fartaria is fo large a Countrey as it contains not onely a third part of the continent of
the greater Jfia, but extends it felf a great way into the moil Eaftern part of Europe *,
comprehended in thefe three, Sarmaria Afiatica, Scythia and Cathaia : which fome di
vide into five, i. viz.. Tart aria antiqua, 2. Zacathai intra Jmaum, ^.Cathai extra Imaumy 4.
Deferta or Sarmatia Afiatica, 5 and Mimr Tartarian which includes the Pracopenfe with
thofe that live 'twixt Tanais and Borifthenes. The Name as fome apprehend is from the
Hebrewy andfignifies a remnant or icattered Generation. Others derive it from the
River Tartar which runs through thofe Provinces they call Mongaly We Gog and
Magog •, altogether peopled by vagrants or fuch as are without certain Habitations their
wealth wholly confifting in their Cattel. Depaflis pafcuis alio commigrant Vxoresfecum dn-
centeSj Filios omni/iq^ fna bonaput ante s gravem ejfe infelicitatem diu in mo loco morariy as
one charaderizeth thefe vagrants; who go to and fro they fcarce know whither, the
Pole-ftar or the two Bears being their diredors. Polygamy they allow : in Mar
riages refrain only their Mothers and Sifters. A fierce perfidious and crafty People they
are, by continual pradice made expert in riding, darting, and no lefs exercifed in
footmanlhip ■, have little or no civility fave in Zagathaiy where they alfociate in Town-
fhip, and are taught it by the Commerce they have with their civilized Neighbours.
Bread they eat very feldom for Mares milk, flelh half boiled, fowr milk and herbs
are their greateft dainties. About the Year of our Lord 1200 they firft embraced Ma
homet : Neverthelefs many Jews are commorant amongft them, fo as both Seds now ufe
Circumcifion. Amongft them are fome Hoords that profefs CHRIST, albeit infe-
ded with the far-fpread Herefie of Neflorim 5 who being once the Conflantimpolltan Pa
triarch fell into that foul errour that in CHRIST were two Perfons as well as two Na
tures : A Tenet becaufe oppofed by the Emperor Heraclim fo forcibly impofed by Cta>
rhoes the Apoftate upon the Chrifflians within his Dominions, that formidine poena it was
fubmitted to by too many, and like a gangrene hath fince Ipread it felf through moft
parts of the Orient- By the power of the Muscovite Image-worfhip is neverthelefs in
troduced, at leaft for ornament, in paint but not in fculpture, which laft they think
onely violates the Commandment, The reft are Gentiles. The firft that fovereignized
over them that we read of was Cingis-chawn ; who by help of fome affociated Hoords
firft fubjeded Vn-chan, by fome ftiled Trefier-John ( diftind from him in Ethiopia ; )
after that Argon, and at length died in Ketoa-kotan A. D. 1228. In this more memorable,
that he was the immediate Anceftor of Tamberlang, from whom the prefent Mogul is in
a dired Line defcended.
But feeing Mergiana is neareft us, for Zagathai ( which is but a new Name impofed by
Zoa or rather Sha~hatai father of Ogg Father of Tamber lane *, though I rather apprehend
the derivation from Saca, it being part of that the Perfians call Scythia and adjoyning
Cathay a takes the Name of Sacathay) comprehends Mergiana y Battria and Sogdiana ( in
which laft was the Majfagetes Countrey, ) to the North being terminated by the River
Chefely by the Mare Cafpium to the Weft, by Imam or rather Paropanifa* to the South,
and to the Eaft by the Wildernefs called Lopp. Which Mergiana by Pynetm is termed
Tremighen ; by Caflaldus Jefelbajh, by reafon of the green Turbants which they wear,
as he was.mif-informed j for 'tis true, that in the Turkijh Tongue Bajh fignifies Head,
yet Jefel is not Green : fo as it rather feems to take the denomination from the River
Chefely a noted River called Jaxartes of old which waters that Countrey and flows into
C c the