'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.' [‎225] (246/448)

'Babylon.
225
notable events in Nature, as Earthquakes, Inundations, Eclipfes, diftemnerature in
Weather, Revolutions of State and the like : but which was moft confiderable bv
theircontemplatmg the wonderful order, harmony and providence by which theCrea
tureis made and governed, they duly magnified and admired the Creator; and from
their cuftomary diving into occult caufes of Nature, were thence called Magicah albe-
jt no other than a connexion of Agents and Patients in Nature, refpefting each other 5
and by learned men, difcovered to produce fuch effeds, as to fuch as are ignorant of their
cairfes appear ftrange and wonderful. But after this digreffion, I proceed upon our Travel.
The 2 3 oM we ca nie to a Village called BiMode, which was about eighteen miles
from Cajhan: There we refted but one day. The next night we got to Natane, which
fome call and in probability takes name from Nanea •, for Diana was there fo called
and worfhipped. There goes a Tradition likewife, that the laft unfortunate Barim
there breathed his laft, through the treachery of that perfiduOus Badtrian-gf/Tk, A.M.
363 5. Whicluffo, then I may make this obfervation. The Village and Lodge afhamed
of fuch a barbarilm, feems to hide it felf betwixt two lofty hills, fo as until near the
Pk\ ce t: ] s hardly to be difcerned. Neverthelefs from the top of either of thofe hills we
had a delightiul prolped •, for from thence we could fee feveral Countrev Villages,
watered by fmall Rivolets. That Nights Travel was full thirty Miles. The next night
we got to Reig : but more than that it was one and twenty miles from Natane, not worth
remembrmg-, and that from Spahawn it is diftant three farfangs ^ but from Cazbyntwo
hundred and fixty or thereabouts. Whence to Eagkat, the firlt day is to Corranda, and
then lucceilively to Deacow-t Mifcarroon, Corryn y Laccary, Corbet, Naz,areiL Sahher-
cawn, (near which is Pully-jhaw and Caromon-Jhahoon formerly called Coon-fha, where
was decided that famous conteft for the Per fan Crown 'twixt Artaxerxes and C\rm re
corded byXenophon, and in memory whereof in the concave of the adjacent Mountain is
engraven Pourtraits refembling thofe I mentioned of Ruftan near the ruinesof Ter(epolis\
onely here are added the figures of Elephants and other Beafts, fuch as are well
worth a Travellers obferying.) Bagdat is next to Sahhercawn-y whence is but one davs
journey to Bagdat upon Tigris, the total being a hundred and thirty farfangs. How-
beit, trom Spahawn there is another road; firft travelling to Golf khan which is forty
lariangSj thence to Toffarchan forty more*, to Mando fifty, to Hemoometz.ar icYzn, and
then by Baroe to Bagdat leven more; in alia hundred forty four farfangs, the paffage more
eafie, though of greater diftand^ and therefore more travelled, efpecially by Carravan: Of
which City old and new, fuffer me to give a brief defcription. And firlt of Babylon.
BABYLON was of old a City in that Countrey which in Gen. 11. 2. is named
Shinaar, a Vale watered by the River Euphrates, one of thole that ftreamed throueh
Paradife: The Countrey afterwards was called Catdea (Keldan and Arc alder by Berojks
but the Laod of Nimrod in Mic. 5. 6.) and after that Babylonia. To the Eaft it had Sufi-
ana , to the Weft Mesopotamia ; and to the South part of the Verfian Gulph. The name
was inipofed upon that memorable confufion of fpeech happening there about a hundred
and twenty years after the Flood, which defeated that defign the race of Cham (for He-
hers Family would not joyn with Nimrod in that attempt) had hatcht to fecure themfelves
from a fecond Deluge. The promoting which impious work is attributed principally to
mt Nimrod whom Gen. 10.9. is ftiled Themighty Hunter j fuch, as his Tyranny became
aProverb: BerofuscalkdNimbroth who with his confederates'intended.fuch a pvle
the top whereoflhould reach into Heaven, *y£dijicemm nobis Vrbem & Turrim, cuius ca
put fit in Coelis, Gen. n. 4. Berofm adds, ad altitudinem & magnitudinem Montium. And
accordingly multorum manibm (there being as good Authors report no lefs than five
hundred thouland men) by full thirty years inceflant labour that llupendious work
whofebaliswasnine miles about, had its fuperftrudure advanced to a proportionable
heightfive thoufand paces fay fome, which make 25730 foot: a height hardly to be
believed, when we confider how that wonder of the world the greateft of the Egyptian
Pyramids exceeds not a thoufand foot fayes Heylin ; five hundred foot fave one fayes
Greaves*, whofereport is moft to be credited feeing he meafured if, which Pyramid if
but five hundred foot, equals the height of Pauls when the Pyramidal Spire ftood upon
the Steeple. Yet Herodotus reports this Tower was in height four thoufand paces , S.
Hierorne exceeds him making it fixteen thoufand : but feeing the Stair or pafiage to afcend
by was circular, aild of that breadth alfo (if we may credit Verftegan) as afforded fcope
fufficient for Horfe and Carts to turn 'tis probable the paces mentioned by St. Hierom and
Herodotus rather relate to the compafs than to the perpendicular. Which confideration
can bell qualifie that Jewilh hyperbole we meet with in the Jalcut, averring that it was
feven and twenty miles high: An edifice (lettheheight be ^hatit will) fo wonderful as
■ G § gave
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