'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.' [‎194] (215/448)

^ Sogdiana."BaUria. Hen,
the Cafhian* A Country fo fruitful in Corn and Wine, as gave Straho the occafion to
report how that one bunch of Grapes prefented Alexander filled a basket two cubits
about *, which incouraged him to found that City which after his own he named Alexan-
dria, it was after called Antiochia and Selencia, but fince Indian. Fifty miles hence is
Mar an, at which Town Shaw-I^mael the Perfian King gave a notable defeat to one of
the great Chans of Tartary. But moll remarkable is this Region, for that (as is be
lieved) the Patriarch Noah foon after he forfook the Ark here planted; and either he
or fome other to his memory built the City of Nijfa^ fo called by Ptolomy in his feventieth
Table of Afia cap. 10. a Derivative queftionlefs from Noyjfa, rather than Nifem, as
thofe write it who pretend Bacchus to be the founder of it, unlefs they were one. Hence
alfo Nimrod and the reft departing into the Vale Shynaar, through the confufion of
fpeech occafioned by the impious defign they had in raifing Babel, difperfed themfelves,
fo as from them in few years after the greateft part of the earth became more or lefs
inhabited.
Sogdiana adjoyns this Province, watered by the River Oxus or Nycapkac: a fatal place
to the Perfian and Alfyrian Monarclis, by being a boundure to their boundlefs ambition:
But contrarily, from thence have iflued fuch fwarms of people as at feveral times N have
well-nigh over-fpread the Univ^rfe. This Province was fubjeded to the Per ft am : for
here Cyrus built another Cyrofolis to keep out the invading Tartar j Alexander another
Alexandria Oxiana in44deg. as alfo Alexandria Vltima in 41. And at this which was
built by Cyrm it was where the vidorious Greek received fiich a blow upon the head from
thebefieged, that for fome time he was reputed dead: but being taken, for that churlifli
entertainment it was levelled with the ground.
Battria has Mergiana to the Weft, to the Eaft and North Sogdiana and the River Oxm,
and to the South Aria and part of Paropamifa, now known by the name of Corazan)
which too is part of Sagathai and under the Perfian : but I rather take the Southern part
to be fo called. In former Ages Samarchand which has 38 deg. (called Maracanda in
Ptolomy and Quint. Cur tins y Samracana in Chalcondyles, and Paracanda in Strabo) was the
moft noted Emporium or Oppidum nmdinarium not only of Baftria but of any thereabouts}
yea, for fome Ages the Mart 'twixt India and the Roman fubjeds. Famous alfo for that
it was the place which gave both birth and burial (though fome fay at Anz.ar) unto Tam-
berlane that great Vidor (who in eight years fubjeded more Countreys than the Ro
man could in eight hundred:) Where alfo the Traitor Bejfus furprized by Spitamenes was
delivered to Alexander, who rewarded him anfwerable to his demerit: But his rafli
putting to death at this place Clytus that faved his life at the battel of Granvicus puts fuch
a ftain upon Alexander then in drink, as all the tears he ihed when fober could not wipe
off the blemilh. It is now become a poor place, and gives precedency to Bochar, which
elevates the Pole Artick forty degrees called of old Baftra, and before that Zoroajles
and Zoroafpa, probably from Zoroafter their firft King who was (lain by Ninus. This
Zoroafler was the greateft Aftronomer in his time, and Praditioner in Art Magick, in
which and theFire-worfliip he firft inftruded the Perfians : thofe Books he writ concern
ing Liberal Arts, and the Cataclifm in fourteen pillars half brafs, half brick (like thofe
attributed to EmchhdoiQ the Flood) Ninus defaced. No lefs famous is this by being
the birth-place of that great Naturalift Avicenna (in the Eaftern World called//w-
Ally-hen-Sein) born Anno Dom. 880. Anno Heg. 370. thoie 90 Books he writ concern
ing Phylick, Chymick, and Philofophy, not a little advancing Learning. Which Town
alfo at this day fubmits to Chorazan that gives name to the whole Province, (called
Coraxia in Pliny, Coruana in Procopim, Corafphy in Ptolomy, and Korafmia in Athemus,) fubdi-
vided into Heri, Farghan and Tochariflan.
Heri in former times was called Aria, which fome miftake for Sab left an that we now
czWCandahor *, included betwixt Hyrcania and Paropamifa albeit Herodou I. 7. places it
m the North of Media by the Greeks fo called, but by the Arabs Ahebal. In our times
had tor its Governour Sharv-Abbas, during the life of his emulated elder Brother. Eri
the principal Town within this Province is three mifc about, and not thirteen as fome
report: but fo abounding in Rofes, that the fame thereof is fpread over a ereat part
ot the Orient} the Gule-ob (as they call Rofe-water) fo plentiful that it ferves the
neighbouring Provinces ; fo exceeding fweet, as by much it excels what we have diftilled
m Europe. Rofe-watens made ufe of in Sherbets, Banquets, and other entertainments,
where guefts ufually fit upon Flowers, and have fiat-fided glaffes filled with water broke
upon their heads, which falling down upon the herbs and flowers, perfumes the place
•n lu xir ; , tor - indeed ' Rofe-water of Perfia is fo good, that better is not
in tne World, fo as much of it when Ships pafs from Gombroon to Surat ( which
is