'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.' [‎205] (226/448)

'Damoan. M
zo
Romances. Having prefented them with a fmall offering we left them, that night making
Damoan our manzeil.
Damoariy v/hether it be the relidt ofGhabor or Halah is uncertain: but by the Jews,
in thefe parts called Jehudsy their long captivity and abode here, feems to be one of
them. And that the ^45 and the Cuthai were tranfplanted by order of the Affyrian
Monarch into Samaria hom thefe parts is imagined : It is a Town of good repute amongit
the Terfians : fome write it Damawan, but I took it according to their pronunciation. Xne
North Pole is there elevated fix and thirty degrees, twenty minutes; and longitude is
eighty eight. It is included by a skirt of Taurm^ in the Kahoncharion Province (part
oiGhelack^) and this was the limit of Mediato the North. In old times here Uvea the
Tarafitacena, mountaineers mentioned by Straho in his n. and Herodotm in his i lib.
A Town pretty well watered it is, for a branch of Go^rn refrellies her. Ben-Jonas (whofe
Travels Arias Montanm had a good opinion of) draws this GownzW over the Per fan Do
minion, where-ever any Jews were planted: but erronioufly, for it is reftridive. Da-
is peopled molt part with Jwj, who in this place are two hundred Families. The
Buzzar is built aloft, and fcarce worth the climbing to, except it be to buy wine and
fruit which is had here in plenty and at eafie prices. Two days we ftayed in Damoan to re
create our wearied bodies ^ but on the thirteenth of June we departed, and that day rode
to Bomaheem five and twenty miles from Damoan'
And now we are in Media, a word of her. Media (faith Polybiw) is fcituated in
the center of the greater Afia? accounted a rich and noble Countrey. The fiditious
Greeks perfwade that it takes its name from Medw Son of Jaf&n and Medea-, (^^un
fortunate Daughter. More certain it is that the name is derived from Madai Japhets third
Son, Son of Noah) for the Medes and Perfians before Cyrm his time in Scripture as well
as profane Stories are ever called Madai or Medi and Elamita. By the Greeks fometimes
you find them called Har<s from a City and River there *, by the Arabs Aigehal, by
reafon it was hilly. And note-worthy it is Yi\s2X. Mela lib. 4. c. 1. oblerves concerning
the defcent of the Medes from the Sarmatian , (from whence the Saxons alfo j) Madai
(faith he) a Sarmatis. Sarmata Medomm fmt foboles. Sermo enim his inter Scythicwn &
Medum ex mroq\ miftm, &c. And from thence as Trojms Pomp. lib. 41. 'ine Sarmati
are called Sarmadai : a pretty conjedure. It was anciently divided into two, viz.. major
& minor : the minor was Atropatia, ( Trap at an a in Ptolemy, Atropatma in Pliny, from A-
tropatm one of Alexanders Captains ) and Media major or Az,arka x at this day Sheervan
i. e. milky plain where Ecbatan the Metropolis once ftood.
? Tis divided into Gheylan (GheyU in Ptolomy, Caditfia in Pliny,) Deylan, Vaa^-pra-
can and Theucan, thole are Atropatia ; in which we might include part of Armenia,
Jelphy or Chidfd being there feated, and Nafllvan (Art ax at a of old J Sheirvan has
Aderbayon, Harran, Sultania, and Tabrizjan?. whichi are in Media minor. To the North
it has Mount Tawrm, Part hi a to the South, Battria confines it Eaft, and on the Weil it
has the greater Armenia and part of Aftyria. Panamas errs in calling this Aria. A rich
and puiirant Countrey it was in the worlds infancy: but whether by the confuming hand
of War, or Gods Juftice in revenge of fo many holy Chriftians that Chozroe malfacred,
1 cannot lay ■, but now it is a barren and milerable foil, compared with the Phoenix of
Hies great Britain', who all things confidered equals the bell compaded pleafuresof
thefe Afiatic Provinces: Neyerthelefs, it has been fruitful you may fay, if Pope Pirn
the fecond took his information right out of Sfrabo, as that an Hippobotos or Horfe-
pafturehere fhouldnourilh fifty thoufand breeders : of which the Nyfasan race was molt
of price ^ fo called from the City Nifa, one ofBacchm his Towns which Hydajpes water
ed*, and concerning which Luc an lib. 6. has this remembrance. Qua rapidus Ganges &
qua Nyfem Hydafpes Accedunt pelago. The Courfe of which River is much controverted,
fome placing it in AJfyria, others in Media, but Plutarch rightly in India, apud omnes fat is
conflat Hydafien, fitmum India non Media, &c. being indeed a Branch of the River Indm.
Here alio Alexandropolis was founded by Alexander, of which at this day nothing re
mains. And albeit by the report of Writers this Country was then verdant and paftu-
rable; yet little grafs is to be found at this day, not only here, but over moft part of
the Perjian Monarchy, fave in Valleys and where Rivers are: But in Head thereof
Camels abound, who make a Ihift to live even in Sandy Defarts, and crop the boughs
of trees or fhrubs which rarely they meet with. The Dromedary and it are of one
defcent, but vary according to the Countrey they breed in: In Baftria and Perfia they
have but one gib or bunch, the being oft-times double. InGefner's Hiftory of
Quadrupedes the Gyraff is alfo mentioned. A fpotted Beaft with a neck much longer than
a Camel, the fore-legs longer than the hinder, begot fays he by a Male Camel on a
Female