'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.' [‎256] (279/448)

full
a i'
: ?
-
fe
Extent of Alexander^ 1 ndia.
mans Countrey, now Barma is extra Gangem. I anfwer, 5 Tis true at this day that
' place is fo named ^ but of old fo was all that about Gallicut and Narfinga ) where the cu-
Itoms of the old Indians are as yet retained •, yea, in Alexander's time the Countrey about
Cambaya, Diu, Brampore, and all the Indian coaft from Indus to Cape Comrhyn were
Brachmans Ql Gentiles. So that Alexander in fubjeding the Countrey about Choul and
Baroch may properly be faid to fubjugate the Brachmans Countrey. Befides, upon the
difcontent the Army exprefTed when given out that Alexander intended for Ganges we
find that returning he was quickly in Gedrofia which Indm wafhes. Sir Walter Ra'leigh
alfo obferves, That the Indian Kings he had fubdued informing him that Agramanes was
a molt puiffant Prince and commanded many Nations beyond Ganges, Alexander was in
flamed more than ever to undertake the conqueft of that great King; but for all the art
he could ufe was not able to perfwade his Army to march further Eaft or to adventure
over thofe yaft deferts 'twixt Indm and Ganges: onely prevailing with his Men to follow
him Southward, the River Indm guiding them to the Ocean: and thence by Gedrofia re
turned towards Perfia in the way to Babylon. So that upon the whole, to me it is moft
likely, his furtheft progrefs was not much beyond the River Indm the me/im inqd*
rendum I leave to others, and return to Alexander. 1
Alexander having given his Admiral inltrudtions to furround not onely Arabia but
Afiickj it feems that rodomontade was more to exprefs the greatnefs of his mind than
to exped the poflibility of fo great an adventure •, and by the courfe Nearchm fteered
which was up the Per pan Gulph appears no lefs: For Alexander in the mean time conti
nuing his march came before a City which Amhiger had mann'd againft himand after
an atfault took without quarter to the defendants, for (to the great terror of the Greeh)
they had their weapons envenomed fo as fuch as were wounded hardly efcaped, and a-
mongft others Vtolomy (after Alexander** death King of vEgypt) miraculoufly cured by
vertue of an herb Alexander dreamed he faw in the mouth of a Serpent. There he laid
the foundation of Karcey the laft of feventy he built in that his nine years Government:
there alfo he paid his vows, and fupplicated his gods that no mortal Man might exceed
the bounds of his conqueft: alfo as an everlafting monument of his fame, andtoamufe
fucceeding Generations, or rather to fhew he was a Greekgti whom 'tis faid. Ex mnfca
foire faciunt Elephantem, he caufed Armour, Bits and Mangers^to be made of an extraordi
nary lize and height; by this artifice of reprefenting things greater than indeed they were
albeit of admiration to limple fpedators in after Ages,to the Ingenious neverthelefs they
gave juft caufe to have the truth and reality of his great atchievements fufpeded ^ a fit
requital for fuch a delufion. He alfo ereded twelve great Altars as high as Towers
which he dedicated unto Hercules^ fuch as not onely attraded thofe in after Ages to
admire but to adore; and amongft others the Per pan Kings, who for fome Generations
thereprefented their accuftomed Oblations: which had they been upon the banks of
Ganges would have been too far a progrefs, Indm being the terminm of their following
Empire. So that foftquani farva mam innumerahiles exercitm fudijfet atq-, ultimas Or as
quas vifere fitpra /pern humanam peragraffet, &c. After he had ( faith the Hiftorian ) with
a few Men overcome innumerable Armies and travelled to the utmoft parts of the Earth,
to behold which was beyond the hopes of Man, and extended his Dominions from
^ to ^Ethiopia and Libya, from Dannbim to the Indian Ocean, and from the Ionic Sea
to W, which foon after was fub-divided into thirty great Kingdoms, again with a
ligh bidding farewel to Indm and the Ocean he advanced into the Countrey of the
where the penury he firft encountred was compenfated with that plenty he foon after
touna in Gedrojia : whence alfo marching along the coaft, near the City under the
Troptck.ot Cancer he met his recruits, not a little to the rejoycing his well-nigh fpent
Army. But again forgetting the fad event of his former luxuriance he fell afrefh to the
rantic o emnization of the Feaft of Bacchusj fbon after at viewed his new
cS a f nd ) :o ?i iforn I e recr . e ation again at Sea-, butthat Tradition of coafting about the
ooutn oi Arabia, and landing at Socotora, is of little credit.
■ r;™fw hl l h he - xe ™ Ytd Gamp to a convenient place for pitching his rich and glo-
noWp Pr r W ^ n "tended to give Audience toanhundred Ambafladours who with
S we , re e?? 16 from the remoteft parts of India on this and the other fide
r^^f, on S ratu ^te his Vidories and to crave his Alliance^ by the Earth and Water
as Alexander fancied) a total fubjedion. Thefe
dred after Audience feafted moft magnificently uponanhun-
fuitable to r ' ^ ^ time h€ aIro P refent:ed each of them with Plate
ma to Lar I Jll * ? ei / aft ? nifliment - Whlch done, he marched through Carma-
3 and thence to P erf agard (now Halquera) where Orfines, a Prince of the Blood-
royal