'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.' [‎386] (409/448)

In this Ifle'are feveral good places to anchor in; howbeit two are moft frequented-,
that at the North-weft fide bears the form of a femi-circle and elevates the Pole Ardic
19 degrees 30 minutes; the other at the South-eaft dire&ly oppofite to the other, hath
20degrees 15 minutes-, and longitude from Cape Comryn 20 degrees 20minutes; but
from the Lizard 99: both which Bayes feem land-lockt and have oazy ground, fo as
Ships ride fafe there in five, ten, fifteen or twenty fathoms, no where dangerous. The
foil of it felf is ftony towards the fhore*, but at more diftance has rich mould, covered
with grafs and herbs, and bearing wood in abundance: it has alfo fome Springs of
good Water, and nothing wants that may either delight the eye or fatiate the tafte«
And after fo long a Voyage, give me leave to recreate a little.
Hie radiant floras & prati viva voluptas Here radiant Flowers (the Meadows viife delight)
Ingenio variata fuo, fulgentibus illic Vary their nature, rifmg to the fight
Surgunt ftruda thoris: hie mollis panditur herba In jhining beds, here ff reads the tender Graft
Sollieitum cuds non abruptura foporem. Not breaking care left Jleef of the dainty Lap.
Turba falutantum latas tibi proftrepit sedes. The attendant Troops make thy large houfe refound}
Hie avium cantus, lubentis murmura rivi. But .here Birds chirpy Streams murmur on
The fleep charming Streams indeed gently drill from the Rocks and delightfully trick-
ling along the Valleys not only by their meanders mellow the ground, but by their har
monious murmur afford an irrefiftible magick to eafe and meditation*, yea, fo charm the
fenfe by moving a gentle attention in the Ipirits, as without labour ftills the Soul's na
tural and difcuffive faculty. To conclude; notwithftanding all thefe excellencies, this
InfulaBeata, this pleafanteft of Afiaticklftes Terra fuis content a bonis j was then un-inha-
bited fave by Beafts and Birds, in as much as it gives the better invitation to more fuit-
able Inhabitants, without dread of Lion, Tyger, Wolf, Fox, Dog or fuch like offen-
five creatures *, but upon condition to pay a grateful tribute to fuch as fcarcity or foul
weather dired thither for refrelhment.
I have dwelt fomewhat long in the defcription of this Ifle, but may be excufed by the
delight I took there after long being at Sea and fome ficknefs at Land *, lb that I could have
been content we might have refted there fome longer time: neverthelels fo foon as the
wind came fair aboard away we went, and in three hours fail loft fight of the Mauri*
tim. Now forafmuch as this delightful place is within the torrid Zone, I cannot but
here as I did in another place take notice of that opinion Aquinas and feveral others
both Fathers and Philofophers held •, How all that vaft Ipace of Earth comprehended with
in the burning Zone was not only uninhabited, but even the Ocean it felf efpecially under
the /Equator not navigable; A tenet which took rife from a vulgar error and obfervation,
That forafmuch as Heat within the temperate Zone was more or lefs according as the place
is in diftance from the Tropick, the like reafon over-ruled that betwixt the Tropicks it con-
fequently increaft, by how much it had its nearer approach towards the iEquinodial,
where