'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.' [‎389] (412/448)

England's Forejl
Quodque Dies Solis violento excanduit ajftu,
Humida Nox refieit paribufque refrigerat ho-ris.
What the out-ragiom Sm inflames by day.
The Night*s cod dews do equally allay.
For together with the frequent Ihowers of rain that fall through the rich mercy of the
Creator, and under him attributed to the influence either of the Prafepe and Afelli or fome
other unknown Conftellation, as alfo the Springs and Rivers that abound there more and
more, confequently difpofe to a better temperature: yea, the like is from the delight as
weh as (hade the Trees afford, who by reafon their fap retires feldom or never to the Root
•are all the year long attired in their gayeft livery, and the Fruits in great variety fo juicy
and cooling as refrefli very delightfully, agreeing with the defcription given by one of
another like place, Tota h<£ infnU frugibm & arhorihus abundant manfuetis^temqHe femper yi-
rentibus, &c. All which conli4ered, it will appear that thofe parts are not onely habi
table, but feeing Nature is no where more prodigal, no place is more luxuriant for
pleafure in any other part of the Univerfe: and Ovid's Quortim qua media eft non eft hahu
tabilis aftu, a pofition not to be credited. Neverthelefs, not to the Natives but to fuch
as repair thither out of colder Climats let me give this advice, That they ftudy their
prefervation both in the careful ordering their habit and diet, efpecially till they be fea-
foned: for the air is very fubtle and pure,and enters the pores infenfibly; the fruits alfo
are exceeding lufcious and tempt the appetite beyond meafure^ fo as without due care
and moderation, the ftrongeft and healthieft bodies, By Flux orFeaver, will probably
become quickly indifpofed and indangered. x 1 y
Being under fail, the fifth day we defcried Land which bore South-weft; by its height
and pofition we imagined it was that we call England's Forefl, which next day we afcer-
tained. This name was impofed Anno 1613. by'Captain Caftleton Commander of the
Pearl, but who made the firft difcovery is doubtful, feeing fome of late have given it
Seignior Ma^carenas his Name, purporting he was the firft; yet other-fome there be that
call it pHlo-puar, an Indian Name •, but by whom or when, fo darkly writ, as is not legi
ble. This pleafant lile has above fifty Englijh miles circuit: the South Pole is there ele-
vated twenty degrees 55 minutes from the Equator ^ its longitude fromMamtm is not
more than 1 degr. and a half, and diftant thence about feven and thirty leagues^ but the
variation of the Compafs 23 degrees: the ground is very high and raifeth it felf a good
way into the middle Region: the earth every where green, erpetially in Trees which
mount more than ordinarily to a fublimity. It had no creatures in it lave Birds till our
Captain fent his long Boat with fome Hogs and Goats of both kinds alhore, that by a
happy multiplication the future Palfenger might be relieved. Here is alfo plenty of Fifh,
of which the Eeles are notable, fome of them weighing thirty pounds, whereby we may
judge them to be Congers j not odious in their corpulency, for to the tafte they render
themfelves fweet and moift. Birds here are many and rare, but moft of them being fuch
as are fpoken of in Manritm, need no repetition.
in few dayes by the benefit of propitious winds we launcht far into the ^r* del Zur,
where Magellanes cloud StelU nebdofa fcarce vifible without a glafs, and more refem-
bling part of the GalaBea than Stars they are of fo fmall a magnitude, with feveral other
Antardick Conftellations more and more difcovered themfelves unto us and approach
ed our Zenith. But long thofe happy Favonii continued not: for the wind v eering into
a contrary quarter the Skie over-fpread with clouds, fo as the Sea laboured with a dread
ful tumor. Seven whole dayes and nights this tempeft lafted, and forced us all that while
to lie by the Lee without more fail than the mizzen. Howbeit poft mdtas anaferena ftill
launching through the Ocean the Skie cleared up, and fair weather iniued. For many
hundred miles we were recreated with many Ihoals of Fiih that with delight play'd about
our Ships, and amongft others the Whale, fome of which feem'd longer than our Ship,
although of great burden. In bignefs the Whale exceeds any other Creature, for ufu-
ally it is towards forty cubits long and a fourth part in thicknefs: Yea, Nearchns told
Alexander he faw one was 50 cubits: but Pliny in his Nat. Hiftory 32; that there are fome
be 600 foot long;, which is well-nigh four Acres.
I have