'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.' [‎353] (376/448)

4
Concerning their feveral Plantations, it may warrantably be fuppofed That the
Father of thofe thirteen Sons mentioned in Gen. 10. 26. feated himfelf fomewhere near
the River Ganges: the rather, for that it is granted % fome and thofe not the leaft learn
ed, that Noab heforeNmrod and his alTociates removed Welt ward towards
fixed his Quarters fomewhere in Mergiam or upon the banks of Indus, that being the
richeft foil i and the firft choice was doubtlefs aliow'd him, both in the relation he ftood,as
upon the account of Seniority. Thence it is, in fome Authors we find that River called
Joktan, and alternately, Joktan called by the name of Ganges. Now the Father having made
his Eledion, the Sons in all probability difperfed themlelves about in contiguous places*,
foas to continue a neighbourhood, both for their better alfociation and prefervation ;
and accordingly by an eafie inquifition we find the feveral Plantations of Oyhyr, Havilah,
Hadoramy Ahimael-, Obal, Elmo dad ^ Jerah and Sheba, eight of the Sons of Joktan origi
nally feated on either fide Ganges: for thofe Nations the Ancients called the Orites per a*
pharejin the Ophyrites and the Tapiri, which fome who take a little liberty to pleafe their
fancy without much torture of the word write Tophiri, were Inhabitants intra Gangem,
and in good meafure preferve the memory of Ophyr their originary Planter, who either
removed or extended his dwelling towards Malacca and that maritime Coalt which is ex
tra Gangem, may be acknowledged ^ feeing it is the belief of fome, both in regard
lacca is a Cherfonefi, and that it has its fcituation upon the Sea ^ but principally for that in
all Ages there and in the neighbouring Ides plenty of Gold, Ivory and Ebony (which was
moil likely to be the Almuggim wood, feeing it was ufed for the garnifliing and trimming
the Stairs and Pillar? of the Temple, and there was none fuch feen before in the Land of
Jndah, which excludes Cyprefs and Cedar wood of which there was plenty, but of Ebony
no where but in India if we credit rirgilJ and in regard that Apes,Peacocks and precious
Stones, &c. have at all times been had there, it is the more credible that Ophyr was in that
part of the World placed. For the Name Malacca is but new fay fome, being called Beitan
when the Siamites firft made their Plantation; and yet was called Malacca in Strabo's dayes,
zndStrabo li^ed in the reign of Tiberius Cafar, for he reports in his Geogr. That Malacca
falfamentis abmdatj&c. and varied from Tacola as I find mentioned in fome Authors •, and
more particularly by Plutarch vita Alex, where the People of that place are called Tax Hi or
Tajhili, they, who with the Sabai were adive for the defence of their liberties upon the
Greeks threatned invafion. After which it was named Malaga, where Geographers of old
placed the Aurea Cherfonefus \ and after that Maleicola, which with little alteration was
contraded to Malacca, in which Name it now refteth^ and is the better demonftrated,
for that the River which ferves that Town was called Gaza, a proper Name where Gold
is hoarded, and holds the Name in part as yet; and upon thofe banks it was, that noted
City Bariga^a in feventeen degrees was built, whofe foundation was laid by the A-
ratrii by fome thought the Oriti lately mentioned who firft inhabited the Gedrofan Ter
ritory near Cambaya upon the Eaftern banks of the River Indus, So that upon the
whole matter, Malacca and the adjacent parts and Ifles may warrantably be conclu
ded the place which in old times was called Ophyr: the Gold had at that particular
place, and from the Neighbouring Iflands, came likewife under that ^general deno
mination.
Moreover, to trace the foot-fteps of the other Sons of Joktan : In Tegu we find the
memory of Havilah ; feeing part of that Countrey now called Barma and Brama but of
old Bracmanorum Regio, is at this day called Chava and Chavilah, the People EviUi and
ChainUi, and a contiguous Principality late a feudatory to the Crown of Pegu and
fince to Tangu is called Ava , which apparently continue the memory of Havilah Bro
ther Ophyr. Of Hadoram the Aramei or Aramiu in the Gumrat Province are de-
fcended. Of Abimael, i. e. Pater Mallorum, thofe that planted the Coaft of Malla-
bar', thole alio inhabiting Malua a Province in InduHan and the Malli noted by Plu
tarch to live thereabouts*, for fo were thofe called of old: and at this day his Name is
continued by fome confiderable Towns upon that Coaft,as Maliba and Maleta all or fome
of which in all likelihood from Abimael deduce their Original. Of Obal are the Obalites
and the Ah elites: mentioned by Hiftorians and placed about Ganges. From Elmodamthe Emo-
dian Mountain takes Name,may be fuppofed without much ftraining. But concerning Jerah,
albeit they df jearoon near Larr pretended fome intereft in that Name, as I mentioned at
that place;, upon better view I may difcover his V'eftigia near Malacca amongft his other Bre
thren, feeing the Town and Province of Jor or Jehor zndjoor (as fome pronounce) preferves
his Name in that part of Siam which confines Malacca and affronts the Itte Sumatra to the
Eaft: for I likewife find that Countrey called Jeria of old, part of which was watered by
the River Cophen-, not that of the fame name which runs into the River Indus ; yea^y the
names
Ophyr.