'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.' [‎380] (403/448)

Nunc quoqj Coraliis eadem Natura remanfit:
Duritiem tado capiant ut ab aere, cjuodqj
Yjmen in ajquore erat 3 fiat fuper sequora faxum.
Ebony. Talm
and Caftles bf defence he found CrofTes and other fymbols of Chriftianity, which made
him confident that Chrift had formerly been feryed there ; and therefore in humility
would not efteem himfelf the firft Chriilian difcoverer, Oforim 1. 4. But how uncertain
that maybe, it is without any doubt that ft is an Ifle abounding with, and capable of, all
things requifite for theneceflary ufe of man, and requirable for the Zone 'tis placed in:
the Land, elpecially where it relpeds the Sea is high, but elfewhere champaign and plain •
the fliape rather oval than round, and the circuit, of Englijh miles not much above a hun
dred •, the greateft extent being from the North-Eaft to the South-Weft. The Air ex
ceeding good ^ and the foil though incultivated, fo full of vigour that it procreates with-
outfeed ^ withal, luxuriant ingrafs and herbs, and fuch flowers as Nature ufually diapers
the Earth with when dreft in her Summer Livery. Ambergriefe is oft found floating
about this Iflandj how generated, whether from the Whale, thence cali'd Sperma Ceti
or otherwife, is not yet refolved ^ but highly valued, agreeable to its virtue. Here alfo
is Coral in abundance ^ the only Vegetable that has no leaves, 'tis a green fhrub or Plant
m the Salt Sea at firft ^ and after hath white berries, which by force of the Sea and Air
petrifiej and when its colour turns red, is then moft valuable.
Ovid lib. 4. Met amor mentions it.
Within the deep
The Coral ftill her property doth keep,
Receiving hardnefs from the Jlir alone }
Being under Sea, a twig j above^a ftone*
Upon the Mallahar Coaft it likewife grows, and in the Red Sea and fome other parts
of the African Ihore, and alfo near the Philippine InfaU : being in eftimation with ail,
and ferves equally for ufe and ornament. Theophraftm 'm his Hiftor, Plant. I 4. c. 8. ob-
ferves, that in MariGedrofia ( which is at the entrance into the Per fan Gulph) plant* na-
fcmtur-, & ex profunda pHlldant, Vt olea, lauri, &C. In the Gedrofian Sea are Plants that
grow and bud under-water, the Olive, Lawrel, &c. He might have made mention of
the Coral alfo, which he omitteth. Nor can it be denied that by realbn of the tempera-
ture of the Ai r ,and thofe daily breezes and ihowers which fall, the Earth is meliorated
and fitted for grain of moft forts*, as alfo for plants, fruits, flowers and what elfe may
be thought fit by the ingenious Planter. And feeing Heaven and Earth confpire and contri
bute to tne adion and advantage of the life of Man; how much more abundant caufe hath
jvlan to magnifie his Maker,who is the liberal dilpenfer of thofe rare trees and fruits which
naturally oner themfelves to what Mans appetite can rationally covet: for we find it re-
plemfhed with Trees of feveral forts, fome of which are goood for Timber, others for
pt tf t ' ^o^gft the reft, I obferved ftore of Ebony: Virgil in his Georg. re-
Sola India nigrum
No place fave India
Blackjibon mod doth bear. Men fay
Which granted, then conlequently Mauritius muft be reputed a member of the Indies. But
that Ebony is found growing in other parts, and particularly in the Egyptian Territo
ries, Lucan I. 10. gives us his authority.
The Ifland Meroc
Rich in bUch^Ebony*
Which reduces this Ifle again to Afrique, Wood it is of different colour, and for ufe of
no lels variety •, what we found here was black and red, as alfo white and yellow : black
15 moit valuable. 1 he Tree is commonly high and very ftraight i the outfide covered with
a Imooth bark here found in great plenty till of late years deftrudion hath been made ;
e peaauy by the Dutch and French who have imported fuch ftore thereof into Europe and
Ir p ;' ^ In r dtan Potations that it is much abated. Here alfo is that Phoenix in nature
« f v?v 0 i I ^ ent i? neci j )U . t latel y at the Ifles near Zeylan ; it is but one in the origin,
k f 1 0 F ^ate feeing that Palma tranflated is Date in Englifh ; a Tree which
? 11 ^ ' ls ll ^ u ally attributed to Heroes and Conquer ours:
trunk is Uender but very high and round, not branching fave near the top, as
the
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