'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.' [‎350] (373/448)

Ophyr
word Sophyra (which is Ophyr anagrammatized) mentioned in the L XX11 Interpreters is
intended or meant Soffala or Sophura, as to attain their ends, they wreft it ^ albeit St.
romehy that name intends Sepher. But which is more ftrange Pynada a learned Man for
the mater honour of his Countrey from the like Analogie of Name fancies That the
Ille of Cadiz, was Ophyr: which Montanm diflikes, and therefore removes it into Afrkk^
as far as Carthage: and fome others dif-approving his, into Guinea and the River Gam-
hra, which for plenty of Gold gives not place to any part of the Univerfe. But Danem
no lefs taken with his conceit pretends that he has found it at Ormus \ upon no other ac
count I can find, than the golden Trade it had in his time. So that we fee, meerly to
pleafe the imagination ; feveral otherwife learned Men have laboured to difcover Ophyr in
feveral Quarters of the World oppofite to the opinions of Saint Jerome) Saint sfugHjlin
and other reverend and judicious Authors, who have more accurately Mered their reafon
to be direded bytheun-erring Rule which plainly inftrudts. That Ophyr and Havilah with
the reft of Johtans Sons had their dwelling from Mefta as thou goeft unto a Moun
tain of the Eaft, Gen. 10. 30^ Eaft muft be underftood from Babel where the firft divi-
fion was of the Sons of Noah, and Eaft alfo from Arabia, where 'tis prefumed was writ
the Pentateuch: and that being infallible, convinces^ and puts to filence thofe opinions I
lately mentionednone of the places they affign being Eaft from thence, but in diametro
oppofite and repugnant to that of Mofes his manududion.
But for the better manifeftation of the true place we are therefore to confider, That
Ophyr eft verhum profluens-, OhrizMm and Opheriznm being the fame: Quia ex infdjt Ophyr
Aurtm eft fraftantifjimim, faithS. Jerom\ albeit the word Ohnzum or Ohruwri fignifies Au-
rum fincerum vel igne purgattm. Gold well refined, as P% obferveth. It is alfo called Ophyr
in 1' Kings 22. 48. but Vphm and Ophaz. in Jcrem. 10. 9, Dan. 10.5. Auphar by the Arabians^
in whole Countrey the Name is likewiie placed and in the Targum or Babylonian para-
phrafe Ophy : Yea,' in fome other ancient Authors Mophaz? and Vrphee by Eupolemm.
Moreover, fometimes Ophyr is glanced at under the name of Tharfis. But that Ophyr s
Colony planted in Eaft-India, where Mejha and Sepher in their Feftigia may yet be found
I fhall in brief demon Urates not only from the current of Authentick Writers, but alfo
from the Names and memory of the Originary Planters: albeit rationally it cannot be
imagined but that through length of time, revolutions of State and diverfity of Idioms,
they as well as other things have been fubjed to variations. In the firft of Kings chap. 9.
verf. 26. alfo in 2 Chron. ch. 8- verf. 18. it is recorded That King Solomon made a Navy of
jhips in Ezion-geber which is befides Eloth and the brinks of' the Red fea in the Land of Edom:
and Hyramfent with the Navy his Servants who had knowledge of the Sea with Solomons Ser~
vants j and they came O P H Y R, and from thence brought four hundred and fifty Talents of
Gold j in our money about three million and fix hundred thoufand Crowns. In the 2 Chr.
9. 10. Hyram and Solomons Servants who brought Gold from Ophyr j brought alio Algum-
min wood. And in 1 Kings 10'. 22. Solomon had upon the Sea the Navy of Tharfis with Ha-
rams Navy) and once in three years came "the Navy of Tharfis, which brought Gold, Silver,
Ivory, Apes and Peacocks, &c. By which it appears the Port from whence that Fleet fet
fail vMs Ezion-geber. Therefore to evince Ortelius, If the Navy failed from Bzion-geber
to Soffala, the'courfe they were then to fteer would have been Weft from Guardafu a
Cape-land that gives the firft in4et into the Red-fea from the Ocean*, which is the con
trary way or point of the Compafs to that part of the World the Scripture tells us Ophyr
made his plantation. Befides, the Port that Fleet fet fail towards was certainly a much
greater diftance than Soffala, which from Edon-geber with a fair wind might well be
attained in a months time*, whereas the voyage to Ophyr was triennial, or in lefs than 3
years not to be accomplifhed: not that they fpent that time in providing the Cargo, which
probably by Merchants and others was fell in preparation 5 but rather through diftance
of place, and the long way they made e're they could attain their port *, for in regard they
had no Compafs to dired their way, 'tis likely they feared to put to Sea without ken of
Land, but crept along the Arabian and Indian fhores,as at this day the Mogul's great Shahee
or Junk ufes to do when it fets fail from Swalley road to Mocha in the Red-fea, once in
two or three years moft richly loaden. And albeit it cannot be deny'd. That King Solo
mon was the richeft Prince in his time, feeing that in Ecdw 47. 'tis faid, Collegit Aurum
quaft Auricalcum^ & Argentum ut Plumbum, He gathered Gold as Tyn, and Silver as Lead,
lb was he the wifeft; tor he was filled with Underftanding as with a flood, he furnifhed
the Earth with grave and wife Sentences by reafon of his Songs, Proverbs, Similitudes
and Interpretations he difcourfed of Trees from the Cedar in Lebanon to the HyfTop up
on the Wall, and People from all the Kings of the Earth came to hear and to admire
his Wifdome, 1 IGngs 4. 5 2. whence it may be inferred,That his knowledge was admirable