'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.' [‎197] (218/448)

Alhors.
Now concemmg Tanrm 9 if we were to give that Mountain the feveral Names it bears
in the different Countries it runs through, varying indeed according to their fundry
Idioms, it would be endlefs ; I fhali therefore content my feif in taking notice of that
part thereof which carpe in our way, and by the Natives is called Albors\ a Mountain
of great fame, if not infamous rather by reafon of that Pyree of Idol-fire, which
(if Tradition may be credited ) has continued un-extinguiflied for full fifty generations.
Of which place Straho fpeaks in his lib. 15. Procopm alfo lib. 2. and Benjamin hen-Jmas
m his Journal. The Fane was round, typing out Eternity. In the midft an Altar
was raifed five fteps from the ground, under which within a trench the Fire was
placed. The fmall round top of this Pyree was open, the better to let in the Air which
is the Soul of Fire. But this Fire (if they may be believed ) was not like our focalis imis
fed with Wood, Coal, Turf or like common combultibles; but ( as they gave out) a
flame fo pure and rarified as came neareft to thofe Celeftial Bodies which the Stoicks
fay be real Fires. And as the Element of Fire is fuppofed to refemble thofe Ignes aterni
or Veftal Fires which Virgil mentions in his 2 lib. ^£n. fo thefe have a Cabala that Zertoofi
was their firft inftruder in that Idolatry: But 'tis probable that Zoroafler is the fame, the
name not varying much *, for his opinion it -was,That Fire was molt worthy Divine efteem
feeing that Omnia ex mo Igne funt genita. The Sun and Moon are heavenly Fires, whence
their Idol-Fire was by them term'd Mythra. And this their God has fingular proper
ties .• for. Fire is a comfortable creature, diftributing both heat and light, helping both
againft cold and darknefs, the two greateft enemies unto Senfe, a learned Man well ob-
feryeth • Ignis congregat homo gene a & fegregat heterogenea : Fire gathers things that be of
a like nature, and leparates things of a different Nature. Fire ( faith Agathias) Elemen-
turn eft Jim alpijftmtim, majefiate -pleniffimnm, vifu pHlcherrimnm-, natura fotentijfmum. So
powerful and fo infatiable, as all the World, were fire let alone, would not be able
to fuffice its appetite: that baffle it received by Canoyus the Egyptian Idol which extin
guished it by the Water it held, was but a merry Height h as Ruffenps lib. 2. Hifi. Bed.
and
<-AnOuT?-bc(f man, ■