A New Description of the World, Section 3

A New Description of the World · Section 3

p. 156A Geographical and Historical Description OF AFRICA, In its Kingdoms and Provinces, &c.

AFRICA larger than Europe, but less than Asia, is bounded on the East with the Red Sea and Arabian Bay, parted by them from Asia; on the West with the Main Atlantick Ocean, separating it from America; on the North with the Mediterranean Sea, dividing it from Europe and Anatolia; and on the South with the Aethiopick Ocean, separating it from the Southern Continent; and joyns only to Asia by an Isthmus of 60 Miles, over which Cleopatra the Queen of Aegypt when she fled with Antony from the Naval Fight at Actium, purposed to draw by main force her Ships and Galleys into the p. 157Red Sea, but was disswaded from it, by being put in hopes of a better Fortune.

AFRICA is held to have taken its name from Affro or Apher, descended from Abraham, and is properly held to contain Six principal Regions, besides other of lesser note, viz. Barbary, Egypt, Numidia, Sarra, the Countrey of the Negro's, and the Dominions of Prestor John, and is in form like a Pyramid reversed, the Basis of which, from Tangier to the Straights of Gibralter, to the Point where it joyneth to Asia, is counted 1920 Italian Miles, the Cone of it very narrow, but to reckon from the Cone or Pyris, to the Northern parts of the Basis, it extendeth it self 4155 Miles, and is scituate for the most part under the Torrid Zone, being crossed by the Equator almost in the midst, which made some of the Ancient Writers conceive it not habitable, by reason of the excessive Heat in the middle and more southern parts, in which they deceived themselves; for altho in some places it is full of Sandy Desarts, yet the greatest part of those Regions that lie near or under the Line, are furnished with so many Fountains, Rivers, and little Brooks, Cedars and other lofty Trees, casting a large Shade as well as bearing delicate Fruits, and at all times stored with Blossoms, that the place is not despicable, but much to be desired, and especially places more Northward, but leaving it in general, we proceed (for the better satisfaction of the Reader) to particulars.

A Description of Egypt, &c.

EGYPT, once a Famous and Flourishing Kingdom, now in the hand of the Turks; is bounded on the East with Idumaea, and the Arabian Bay; on the West with Numidia, Barbary, and part of p. 158Lybia; on the North with the Mediterranean Sea; and on the South with Aethiopia Superiour, containing in length from the Mediterranean to the City of Asua or Syene bordering on Aethiopia, 562 Italian Miles, and in breadth from Roseta to Damiatia, or from the most Western Branch of Nile to the farthest East 160 of the like Miles; said to be first Inhabited by Misraim the Son of Chus, and Grandchild to Cham, scituate under the Second and Fifth Climates, making the longest Summers day but 13 hours and a half, and altho by reason of its Southerly scituation, it must consequently be in a hot and sultry Air; it has nevertheless fresh Gales of Wind to temperate it, and once a Year … over-flowing of the River Nilus, which renders it so Fruitful, that it abounds with rich Pastures, store of Camels, Horses, Oxen, Asses, Sheep and Goats of extraordinary growth; also with infinite store of Wild and Tame Fowl, with plenty of Minerals, Precious Stones, Wine, Choice Fruits, as Oranges, Lemons, Citrons, Pomegranats, Cherries, &c. and has Palm Trees in great numbers growing Male and Female, and the Female bears not unless she grows by the Male; a Tree universally useful, as serving to above twenty ends.

As for the People, they are of a Swarthy or Tawny Complexion, very much inured to Labour, tho the Countrey yields great Encrease of its own accord; very servile and obedient to their Conquerers, who Lord it over them; the Richer sort generally addicting themselves to Necromancy and Sorcery, and are said first to Teach the use of Letters to the Phaenicians, though the Magi, and those that were stiled their Priests, strugled all that in them lay to obscure Learning, by representing the meaning of what they intended to express in Hieroglyphicks, shadowing it under divers forms of Birds and Beast, &c. and here are to be found the Ruins of mighty p. 159Structures, as the Pyramids and Tower of Pharo's built of Marble, exceeding high, nightly hung with Lights, as a Sea-mark to Sailors, and many other rare Matters to demonstrate the Magnificence of a Plenteous Kingdom.

As for the Cities of Egypt, they are generally built upon Hills or high rising Ground, to stand dry during the over-flowing of Nilus, from whose Waters the Countrey receives its Fertility; so that whilst it carries its Stream over the Land, they Commerce with each other by little Boats, which beginning on the 15th of June, lasts 40 days, standing 15 Cubits in many places, and in 40 more gathers its Waters within the Banks, by which means the Earth is so well tempered (for in this Kingdom there falls no Rain) that the Encrease is sixty and eighty fold, their Harvest being commonly in our March and April; and if the River flows too scanty or too immoderate, then it betokens scarcity or some misfortune to the Prince, Governour, or State, and whilst its Waters are abroad, which at the first issuing create a Plague for the space of a day: The Cattle feed on the Hills; and when the Famine was here in the Reign of Pharaoh, this River refused to pass its bounds, or give any Assistance to the Thirsty Land.

This Countrey was formerly divided into two parts, viz. Delta and Thebais; the first lying between the two extream Branches of the River Nilus, in form of the greek Letter, from whence it takes it's name, and the last taking name from the City of Thebes, containing all the rest of the Rivers Course; and these again with some odd Angles, are divided by some into many Parts, Shires, or Counties, and is said in the time of King Amasis the Second to contain 20000 Cities, Towns, and considerable Castles, but now a far less number, as being ruined in their several Wars, &c. they being p. 160Cairo or Grand Cair, Alexandria, Pelusium, since called Damiatia, taken and possessed by the Christians in the Holy War, yet held out so obstinately upon the Siege, that 70000 persons died of the Famine and Pestilence: Heros or Heroum, scituate on the Arabian Isthmus, at the very bottom of the Golf, where Jacob and Joseph had their first interview: Heliopolis, the City of the Sun, now called Betsames in the Land of Goshen: Arsinoe, on the Shoar of the Red Sea, Cleopatris built by Queen Cleopatra: Gleba Rubra, by the Greeks called Hierabolus, and sometimes Erithia Bolus, of which there goes a Story, That King Amenophis the Fifth being Blind, was informed by one of his Magi, that if he could procure the Water or Urine of a Woman that had been Married a Twelve-month and upward, who had known no Man but her Husband, it would restore him to Sight, when having tried in vain a great number, at last one was found, whose Urine effected it, upon which he took her as a mark of Honour, to be his Queen, and caused the rest to be brought into this Town, and to be burnt together with it.

As for the Egyptians, they are a great many of them Mahometans, and some maintain their first Idolatrous Custom, in Worshipping an Ox, Onions, Leeks, and other Foolish Matters, and when they have a great Increase, they Offer to the God Nilus, as they term the River, in which Feast the poorer sort spend almost all they have Laboured for through the course of the Year; and indeed, this Country in Fruitfulness, occasioned by that River, affords them no small Store, alluding to which, thus the Poet Lucan;

p. 161Terra suis contenta bonis, non indiga Mercis,

Aut Jovis; in solo tanta est Fiducia Nilo.

The Earth content with it's own Wealth doth crave

No Forreign Wares, nor Jove himself they have,

Their Hope's alone in Nilus Fruitful wave.

And one thing extraordinary in this Kingdom, we think not fit to pass by, which if true (as indeed it is confirmed by People of known Credit) may justly create a wonder in all, coming to pass by a supernatural means, and not the work of Art and Nature, viz. about five Miles from Cair, there is said to be a place which every Good Friday shews the appearance of the Heads, Legs, Arms, &c. of Men and Children, as if rising out of the Ground, to a very great Number; however if any Person approach them, they shrink in again: A strange forerunner, or earnest, if true, of the Resurrection of the whole Body, presented Yearly by the rising of the Members; and to confirm the Truth hereof, Stephen Dupleis (held to be a sober discerning Man) affirms to be an Eye Witness of the Wonder, and that he had touched diverse of the rising Members, and as he was once about to do it to the Head of a Child, a Carian forbad it, telling him he knew not what he did. Another Wonder is the Crocodile, which coming from a small Egg, not exceeding the bigness of a Turkies, grows to be 30 Feet in length and proportionable in thickness, living at Pleasure in the Water, or on the Land, destroying not only Fish, but Men and Beasts; and with these the Nilus abounds, as also with a Fish called the River Horse; and thus much for Egypt.

p. 162A Description of Barbary.

BARBARY, (a considerable part of Africk, so called) is bounded on the East with Cyrenaica; on the West with the Atlantick Ocean; on the North with the Streights of Gibraltar, and some part of the Atlantick Ocean; on the South with Mount Atlas, separated by that Mount from the Desarts of Lybia, scituate under the third and fourth Climates, so that the longest Summers Day in the most Southern parts, amounts to 13 Hours 3 Quarters, but in the North 4 and a Quarter, accounted in Length 1500 Miles, and in Breadth in some places 100, and in others near 300 Miles, taking its Name from the Word Bar made double signifying in the Saracens Language a Desart.

The Part of Barbary lying towards the Mediterranean, is full of craggy Hills and Mountains, shaded on the Top with Woods, where Lyons and other Beasts of Prey shelter themselves, though the Valleys are very Fruitful, but deficient in Wheat, insomuch that the Inhabitants Eat Barley Bread, yet between these and Mount Atlas, the Country is Champian, watered with many Pleasant Rivers, issuing from that Mountain, rendering the Soil rich and fertile, so that it affords great store of Plums, Pears, Figs, Cherries, Apples of sundry Kinds, Oyl, Honey, Sugar, and some Mines of Gold, called Barbary Gold, being the finest of all other: And Pliny reports that near Leptis we may behold a Date Tree over-shadowing an Olive, and under the Olive a Fig-Tree, and under the Fig, a Pomegranate-Tree, and under that a Vine, and under the the Vine, Pease or Corn, &c. all Flourishing at the same time, and this they do the rather, that they may shelter each other from the heat of the Sun.

p. 163The People are of a Dusky Colour, inclining to Blackness, held to Descend from the Arabians, so that the Language they Speak in most parts is the Arabick, or so bordering upon it that it may be easily understood, and are Impatient of Labour, Covetous of Honour, Crafty and Deceitful, yet studious in matters of their Law, and some Sciences, more especially Philosophy and the Mathematicks, and are in Religion generally Mahometans; they are also stately of Gate, exceeding Mistrustful, Implacable in their Hatred, and Jealous beyond compare; for the Women indeed are comely of Body, well Featured, delicate, soft Skinn'd, and want nothing but Colour to make them Accomplish'd Beauties; nor has this Country failed to produce Persons, not only Famous for Arts and Arms, but for Piety and Learning, as, Amilcar, Hannibal, Septimus Severus, Massinissa, Tertullian, Cyprian, Arnobius, Lactantius, Augustine, and others of no less Note; and here once Ruled Queen Dido in the Famous City of Carthage, which City so long and strongly contended with Rome for the Empire of the World, but at last was destroyed through the Importunity of Cato, at which time there was found in it (notwithstanding the charge of a tedious War) 470000 pound weight of Silver.

As for the whole Country, called Barbar, it was Divided into 7 Parts, viz. Africa Propria, called also Zugitania, Byzantena, Tripolitana, Numidia, Mauritania, Caesariensis, Sitisensis, and T…gitania, under diverse Kings and Governours, who then held it as Tributaries to the Roman Emperors, but since reduced to four Divisions, viz. Tunis, Tremesen or Algiers, Fesso, and Morocco; and of these in their order.

TVNIS is accounted a Kingdom, containing whatever the Antients called Africa Propria, or Minor, and Numidia Antiqua, the Air very Temperate, p. 164considering the degree it lyes in; the Soil very Fruitful, divided again into 5 parts, viz. Bugia, Constantia, Tunis, Tripoley and Ezab, accommodated with many curious Havens, the chief being Tripoley, where the Turkish Bassa resides; and Tunis a considerable City giving Name to the Kingdom, supposed to be founded on the ruins of the Antient Carthage; and hath in it a Temple of singular Beauty and Greatness.

TREMESEN, or the Kingdom of Algiers, commonly called Argie, now in the hands of the Piratical Turks; has for its chief City Algiers, from which the Country takes its name, Scituate near the Sea in the form of a Triangle with a Haven, but neither great nor secure from the fury of the North Winds; though the City is strong and beautiful, having not only in it spacious Inns, but Baths, and Mosques, very commodious and sumptuous; and here every Trade takes a Street to themselves; the Streets standing even one above another, upon the rising of the Hill; which renders it a very pleasant prospect, to such as sail by it, and the Harbour or Mole defended with strong Castles, and other works, which render the Approach inaccessible and was formerly a place to which Merchants traded; but now only a nest of Pirates, studying and striving all they can, to endamage and molest, such as sail those Straits or Seas; and though they have been often curbed by the English, French, and Dutch, &c. and brought to terms of Peace; yet like thorow paced Thieves, they never kept it longer than they found an opportunity, to break it to their advantage; and were in the year 1688; so resolute when the French Fleet lay before it, and had with their Bombs fired the Town about their Ears, not only to reject the offer made, but in contempt to that puissant Monarch, to shoot his Consul out of a Mortar, or piece of Cannon towards p. 165the French Ships in the Road, &c. As for the Upland Country, it has many pleasant Towns and Villages in it, abounding with Gardens, Vineyards, Pastures, Cattle, Corn-Fields, and Fruits of sundry kinds.

FEZ and MOROCCO, are now joyned under one King, who fondly stiles himself Emperor; and contain the whole Country of Mauritania, properly so called, which took its name from the Mauri, a people that Antiently Inhabited it; and the first of these has Fez for its chief City, giving name to the Kingdom; and here was scituate the City of Tangier, lately demolished by the English, as not worth the keeping; nor is the Country wanting in large Forrests, Green Fields, Vineyards, flourishing Gardens, abounding with Fruits, and producing an infinite number of Cattle, a breed of excellent Horses, and the Mountains many wild Beasts, watered with the Rivers Buringrug and Inavis for the space of 100 Miles.

MOROCCO is Scituate in a warm breathing Air, which renders the Country very fertile; so that it abounds with Figs, Dates, Grapes, Apples, Olives, Honey, Sugar, and Cattle; the whole Country being divided into 7 parts, viz. Guzzula, Morocco, Hea, Duccala, Hascorasus and Tedles, all holding under the King of Morocco, and paying him Tribute, his Power being Absolute and Tyrannical; insomuch that he causes whom he pleases to be put to Death, that is, cast to the Lyons, or other wild Beasts, to make him sport; nor can any of his Subjects, account what he has his own; as for the Profession of Religion these people make, it is Mahometism, though there are a great many Jews, and some Christians, living amongst them; as for Rivers there are not many in this Country, the Land being watered mostly by Brooks, and little p. 166Springs; nor do they know in most parts what Winter means as never having seen Ice or Snow, but what hangs on the Top of the Atlas a huge Mountain, held to Transcend the Clouds; the top of it Crowned with Pines, and so steep and rugged, that it cannot but with great difficulty be ascended; lying in the upper part, so near the Cold Region; that not withstanding the people beneath fry with the scorching heat of the Sun; it is covered with Snow and Ice: of which Virgil thus writes.

Atlantis Cinctum, &c.

Atlas whose Piny Head, with Clowds Inclosed,

Is to the Storms of Wind, and Rain exposed;

Now hides the Snow his Arms, now tumbleth down,

Upon his Chinn, his Beard with Ice o'regrown.

Lybia Interior Described, &c.

LYBIA INTERIOR, has for its Northern bound Mount Atlas, parted by it from Barbary and Cyrenaica on the East; Lybia Marmarica on the South; Aethiopia Inferior, and the Land of Negro's and bounded with the Atlantick Ocean on the West distinguished from the other Lybia by interior, as lying more in the main Land of Africk.

p. 167This Countrey, however it anciently was distinguished into parts, stands now divided into Biledugerid or Numidia; Lybia Deserta, or Sarra, and a considerable Portion of the Countrey called Terra Negritarum, or the Negro's Countrey; and as for Numidia, it abounds in many places with Cattle, Palm Trees, and Forrests of Wild Beasts, not more Salvage than the People, who live for the most part by Rapine and Murther, inhospitable to Strangers, neglecting Tillage, and giving themselves up chiefly to the feeding of Cattle upon the Mountains, Carrying like the Tartars their Families and Tents, with other Provisions from place to place, by reason of the scarceness of Water; for where this day a Spring is found, the next it may perhaps be sunk again; yet near the River Dara, and in some other parts, the Countrey people have scattered Villages, and those of better Rank Castles. As for the Towns we find of Note, they are or were Timugedit, Tafiletae; Talfet, a Town of 400 Houses, but no place considerable near it in 300 Miles: Techort, where inhabit the most Courteous People of all the Countrey, and chose rather to Marry their Daughters to Strangers than to Natives, with some other of lesser note, not worth mention, as being exceeded by most of our Countrey Villages.

LYBIA DESERTA, is a place so destitute and poor, by reason it mostly consists of wide Desarts, and barren Sands, breeding numbers of Poisonous Serpents, that few People Inhabit it, unless Thieves and Robbers, who live upon the Spoil of those that attempt to pass them; yet near the Borders, where there is any Green, they have some petty Towns, such as go for Cities in those Parts, as Tagaza, 20 Days Journey from any other Peopled Place, yet affords Veins of Salt, which they Exchange for Victuals with the Tombutan Merchants, or else must Perish for want, and are many times p. 168over-whelm'd with the Sands, driven like Clouds upon them by the South Wind; Guargata, Scituate on the Brink of a Lake; Huaden, and Tomburaum; nor was this Country ever fought after by the great Conquerors, as not being worth their Travel, &c.

TERR-ANIGRITARUM, or the Land of Negroes, is partly in Libya Interior, and partly without it, and is exceeding Hot, by Reason of its Scituation under the Torrid Zone, yet full of Black People; and though a great part of it be Desart, yet some places by the favour of Springs are so well knit and fastened, that they appear Green and Flourishing, and especially those that lye within the compass of the over-flowing of the River Niger, insomuch that they have Pleasant Gardens, Pastures, Corn Fields, and store of Cattle, Woods full of Elephants, and other wild Beasts, whose Flesh they Eat, when taken by Hunting, and Clothe themselves with their Skins, but have very few Fruit-Trees, unless such as bear a kind of a Fruit like a Chesnut, very bitter, nor have they, unless very rarely, any Rain in this Country, but are supply'd, like Egypt, by Dews, and the over-flowing of Niger.

The People of this Tract were so simple, that at the first coming of the Portugals hither to trade, they took their Ships to be great Birds, with white Wings, and the Roaring of their Guns to be the Voice of the Devil; nor could they conceit their Bag-pipes to be any thing but Living Creatures, and when they were permitted to convince themselves of the contrary, they would not yet be beaten out of it, but that they were Immediately the Work of God's own Hands; yet are they very Reverent or Respectful to their King, who exceeds not in Manners, or Breeding one of our Coblers, never daring when they come before him p. 169to look in his Face, but cast their Eyes downward, and when they sit, though the chiefest of his Favourites, it is at his Feet, Flat on their Buttocks.

As for the Religion (if it may be so termed) of these Negroes, it is a mixture of Idolatry and Mahometism, though formerly, as appears by some footsteps yet left, Christianity was predominant in divers parts of the Land; and through this Countrey the River Nilus passes, and 'tis Watered likewise with Senaga, a River arising out of the Lake Guaga, little inferior to the former, and has divers Mountains, as Arualtes, Arangus, and Deorum Currus, thrusting into the Sea, and reaching in a manner the Clouds.

The chief Cities of this Countrey in the time of Ptolomy, were Nigra, Thumondacana, Malachath, Seleuce, An…gath, Panagra, with some few of lesser note, but most of them are ruined, and scarce any thing but their names remaining; however there are some crept up in their steads, but those not many, as Argina, Porto Dio Porto del Riscato, either built or so named by the Portugals.

In this Tract (for it is a very large one, taking up above a third part of Africk) are Guinea, extended from Sierra Leona in the 10th Degree of Longitude, to Benin in the 30th. where they have the Juice of a Tree as strong as Wine, as also Mines of Gold: A place very Fruitful, and much abounding in Rice, Barley, Ivory, and Guinea Pepper.

TOMBVTVM, a Kingdom of it self, very Rich in Mines of Gold, yet a greater store is gained by his Warring on his Neighbours; as also Mell, Can…, Gialosia, Guber, Gua…gara, Gaoga, Gambra or G…mbea, Gialosi, Bito, Temiano, Zegzeg, Zaffara, Gethan, Medna, Daum, Gualta, Agadez, Cano, Cas…n…, Savaga, most of them Petty Princes, not of any considerable Note.

p. 170BORNVM, a large and populous Countrey, accounted 500 Miles in Length, yet mostly Inhabited by keepers of Cattle that abound here, by reason of the abundance of Pastures; and here they use no Marriage, but mix together as they think convenient, giving their Children Names by some mark or token of their Body; however the Kings Revenues are great, his very Dogs being coupled in Chains of Gold.

BENIN, Eastward of Guinea; the King whereof hath 600 Wives, with whom he Marches in State Twice a Year to show them to Strangers, and the Subjects following the Example of their Prince, get as many as they can, few having less than Ten, and here the Men and Women go naked till they are Married, and then have only a Covering from the Waste downward, Superstitiously raising the Skin with three slashes of a Knife, from the Navel to the Privy Parts, as a mark of their hopes of Salvation.

NVBIA, a considerable Countrey, stretching from Gaoga to Nilus, has Dangula for its chief Town and some other of lesser note, and affords, amongst other Drugs the mortalest of Poysons; insomuch that the tenth part of a Grain will dispatch a Man in a quarter of an hour; and affords moreover Civit, Sugar, Sanders, Ivory, &c. The Kingdom taking its Name from the Nubiaea, a certain people that inhabit it, and is well refreshed with Rivers and Lakes, and the people were generally Christians, a strong and potent Nation, well Skill'd in War, in so much that Cyriacus one of their Kings, hearing the Christians were oppressed in Egypt, raised an Army of 100000 Horse to succour them, but being about to enter that Kingdom, to the great Terrour of the Turks and Sarazens, he was met by the Patriarch of Alexandria, at whose Supplication and Entrcaty he returned, without enterprizing any p. 171thing Memorable, nor has it been long since they, for want of Spiritual Guides to strengthen and confirm them, have faln off from the Christian Faith, and embraced the Superstitions of Mahomet.

Aethiopia Superior described in its Kingdoms and Provinces.

AETHIOPIA SVPERIOR has on the East Sinus Barbaricus, and the Red Sea; on the West, Lybia Interior and the Kingdom of Nubia; and part of Congo in the other Aethiopia on the North; Egypt and Lybia Marmarica on the South; the Mountains of the Moon parting it from Aethiopia Inferiour, and had its present name from the Grecians, and is scituate on both sides the Equinoctial, extending from the South Parrallel of 7 Degrees to the North end of the Isle Meroe, scituate under the Fifth Parallel on the North of that Circle, being accounted in length about 1500 Miles, and in breadth about half as much, in Circumference 4300 Miles; containing the whole Countrey of Aethiopia, as before limited; the greatest part of it being the Abyssine Empire or Dominion of Prestor John; the rest comprehending the Kingdoms of Adel and Adea, the Provinces Quiola and Melindi, though the last are reckoned parts of Aethiopia Inferior; the Island of Meroe in the North possessed by Mahometans Enemies to Prestor John, all on the South of Nubia and the West of Nilus, is Inhabited by the Anzichi, a Cannibal and Idolatrous People, who have a King of their own; and all the Coast of the Red Sea, as well within the Coast of Babel-mandel, the Port of Erocco only excepted, is in the Possession of Moors and Arabians, who pay Homage to the Kings of Adel and Adea.

p. 172As for the People of Aethiopia, properly so called, they were formerly held to be great Astrologers, the first Ordainers of Sacred Ceremonies, from whom the Egyptians had their Instructions, always counted good Archers, yet Treacherously shooting with Poisoned Arrows; they go ill Cloathed, and as bad Housed, for the most part extreamly inclined to Barbarisin, and unless they Swear by the Life of their Emperor, not to be credited in matters of Weight; their Colour is an Olive Tawny, inclining more to Swarthiness, except their Emperor, who as a mark of the true Prince, and are held to be Converted to the Christian Faith, by the Eunuch of Queen Candace, Converted by St. Philip the Evangelist, which Flourishes amongst them to this day, and comes very near in all the Material Points, to the Orthodox Religion of the Reformed European Church, &c. and are under a Patriarch.

The Country of the Aethiops, is like all other Countries in this Tract, Fruitful in some Places, and Barren in others, yet it generally abounds in Rice, Barley, Beans, Pease, Sugars, Minerals of all kinds, Cattle, viz. Goats, Oxen, Sheep, Horses; and have great store of Flax and Vines, yet make neither Cloth nor Wine, unless peculiarly for the Emperor, Patriarch, or great Men, being much given to Sloth; nor do they indeed know how to bring their Minerals to Perfection, nor will they trouble themselves to Fish or Hunt, tho' the Woods and Rivers are infinitely stored with Fish and Venison.

As for the Provinces comprehended at this time within the bounds or limits of Aethiopia, they are, Guagere, Tigremaon, Angote, Damut, Amma, Bagamedrum, Goijami, Adel, Adea, Barnagassum, Danculi, D…bas, Fatigar, Xoa, and Barus; though not all, as I intimated within the Circuit of the Abassine p. 173Empire; and of Note amongst these are, viz.

BARNAGOSVM Scituate upon the Red Sea, extending from Suachen, almost to the Mou… of the Streights, and hath for its Sea Port Frooco, the only Port of the Empire, held Tributary from the Turks, who sometimes since took it from the Aethiopians, with the Town of Suachen, for which they pay yearly 1000 ounces of Gold.

TIGRAMAON, lying between Nilus, Marabo and Angote, is a pleasant Kingdom, though of no great extent, and has for its chief City Cazunia, supposed to be the Regal Seat of Queen Candace, whose Enuch St. Philip Baptized.

ANGOTE is a Province considerably Barren, lying between Tigramaon and Amare; insomuch that being deficient of Gold or Silver, or any other valuable Commodities, Iron, Plate, or Rings, and hard Loaves of Salt, made to sundry degrees of bigness, pass as Current.

XOA is more Fertile than the former, as having many green Pastures, where a great Number of Cattle Feed, as likewise abounding with Fruits, and is almost in all parts Grateful to the Husbandman.

FATIGAR is noted for having in it a Lake of that Name 12 Miles in compass, being on the Top of a high Mountain, from whence divers Rivers, well stored with Fish, descend to water the Country.

GOIJAMI is famed for the Mines of Gold found, as also for the Unicorn, who makes his abode in the Hills of the Moon, large Mountains so called, because the Moon upon her rising, appears first from behind them to that Country; and although the Beasts are rarely taken by reason of their Swiftness, yet their Horns, so famous for expelling Poison are p. 174found, which at a certain Period of Time they shed.

GVGERA, otherways Meroe, is an Island of which we intend to speak hereafter; and in this Country is found the Hill Amara, which is a Days Journey to ascend, and 30 Miles in compass, in Form round, and on the top of it are sundry pleasant Plains and Pallaces, the Air being much cooler than that beneath, and here the Princes of the Blood dwell. As for the Emperors Stile, by reason of the strangeness of it, we think fit to insert it, viz.

P. I. Supream of his Kingdoms, and the Beloved of God, the Pillar of Faith, sprung from the Stock of Judah, the Son of David, the Son of Solomon, the Son of the Column of Sion, the Son of the Seed of Jacob, and the Son of the Hand-maid of Mary, the Son of Nahu, after the Flesh, the Son of St. Peter, and St. Paul, after the Spirit, Emperor of the higher and lesser Aethiopia, and of the most mighty Kingdoms, Dominions, and Countries of Xoa, Goa, Caffares, Fatigar, Angote, Balignazo, Adea, Vangue, Goijami, (where are the Fountains of Nile) Amara, Banguamedron, Ambea, Vangucum, Tigremean, Sabaim, (the Birth-place of the Queen of Saba) Barnagosum; and Lord of all the Region unto the Confines of Egypt.

And is said to have for his Arms, a Lyon Rampant, in a Field Or, with this Motto, viz. The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah shall overcome. Which gives many occasion to think, he either descended of the Jewish Race, from the Stock of David, or from the Off-spring of the Queen of Sheba, or Saba, called the Queen of the South, supposed to be Begotten by Solomon; but leaving these Conjectures to those p. 175that are disposed to make a more strict Inquiry into them, we proceed to the Inferior Aethiopia.

Aethiopia Inferior Described, in its Kingdoms and Provinces, &c.

AETHIOPIA Inferior has on the East the Red Sea; on the West the Aethiopick Ocean; on the North the Higher Aethiopia, and Terra Nigritarum; and on the South the Main Ocean, parting it from Terra Australis Incognita; being lower in Scituation than the former; a Country but little known to the Ancients, but since more fully Discovered, and is divided properly into 4 Parts, viz. Zang…bar, Monomotapa, Cafraria, and Manicongo; and as for the People, they differ little from the other Aethiopia, either in Customs or Manners, going Clad with striped Plads, or Skins of Beasts, part Mahometans and part Idolaters.

ZANGEBAR is a Country Low and Fenny, by reason of the over-flowing of the Rivers, and so pestered with Woods and Forrests, that for wa… of the free motion of the Air it is very unwholsome; and so little are the people skilled in Shipping, that the Moors who dwell on the Sea Coasts use to adventure in little Vessels sowed together with Leather Thongs, and Caulk'd with Gum, having no other Sails than the Leaves of Palm Trees; and this Province contains 15 lesser Provinces, as Melindi, Mombaza, Quiola, Mosambique, a very Fruitful, Populous Countrey; Sofala, supposed the Ophir… of Solomon for its store of Gold, Ivory, and other Rich Commodities; Moenhemago or Monemug, an Inland Province, affording Mines of Gold, which the People barter with the Portugals for Silks, Taffata's, and the like, Moeneremage, Corova, Calen, p. 176Anzuga, Mombira, Mombiza, Bandi, Monzala, Ma…oas, Benda and Embreo, and has for its Chief Cities or Places of resort, Mombaza, Ampaza, both taken by the Portugals; Quiola, Mosambique, Safola, and others of lesser note; and in this Region are divers Cannibals of a black and horrid Aspect, who War upon their Neighbours for no other end than that they may eat them when they take them Captive; and amongst others, having taken Mombaza, they made a great Feast of the King and such Citizens as escaped not their hands, and would have no Commerce held with them, were not their Countrey exceeding Rich.

MONOMOPATA lies mostly upon the Sea, and is in Circuit 3250 Italian Miles; the Air very Temperate, and wholsome and pleasant, and is Watered with the Rivers, Panami, Aurug, Luanga, Mangeano, in whose Sands is found much Gold, and as for the people of this Tract, they are black of Complexion, mean of Stature, swift of Foot, and very strong, covering themselves only with Cotton Cloath, and diet upon Flesh, Fish, Milk, Rice and Oyl of Susiman, being Pagans in Religion, Worshipping a God called Mozimo, yet invisible, for they hate Idols; and here above all Countreys in Africk, the Women have the greatest priviledges. They punish Theft, Adultery, and Witch-craft with Death, yet have no Prisons, but execute the Offenders as soon as taken; and the lesser Provinces into which this greater is divided, are Motuca, Rich in Mines of Gold, Torra or Butna, Boro, Quiticut, Inhambran, and some others of lesser note, they being all very Fruitful, but most famed for their Mines of Gold; but their Towns are very inconsiderable, the people mostly living in stragling Cotts, the meaner sort not suffered to have any Doors.

p. 177CAFRARIA, A third Division of this Aethiopia, is a Country greatly abounding with Herds of Cattle, Deer, Antelopes, Baboons, Foxes, Hares, …elicans, Ostriches, Herons, Ducks, Geese, Pheasants, Partridges; exceeding well watered, but deficient in Corn, by the neglect of the Natives, who choose rather to live idly upon the bounty of Nature, than to improve it by Art; making their Aboads in Woods and Forrests, and building, for the most part, their Houses of Branches of Trees, interwoven Hurdle-waies, and are black of Colour, thick Lipped, flat Nosed, long Headed, but longer Eared, which reach beneath their Shoulders, occasioned by their hanging extraordinary Weights in them for Ornaments, as Rings, Chains, &c. And to render themselves more beautiful, slash their Skins in divers parts, carving it out into sundry Forms, in imitation of the Antient Britains; and the better to show it in all parts, they go mostly naked, unless a piece of a Beast's Skin over their Privities; and those that go best attired, it is only in Skins of Beasts, rough as they take them off, their Dyet being raw Flesh, and with the Guts of Be…sts they adorn themselves, by hanging them about their Necks, and indeed are altogether Brutal and Bestial. And in this Tract live the Imb…ans, not far from the Cape of Good-hope, Tall, and o… considerable Strength, living by War and Rapine▪ feeding on the Flesh of their conquered En…mies and dying Friends, whose Deaths they hasten, that they may the sooner Eat them, and make Drinking Cups of their Sculls; and in their War▪ they fight with Poisoned Arrows, and a long Pol…, hardened at the end with Fire, carrying likewise Fire before them, signifying thereby that they intend to Roast and Boil all they shall overcome; and these were they that Eat up the King of Mambaza and his People; their King if such a Monster p. 178deserve that sacred Epithete, accounting himself Lord of all the Earth; and when at any time the Heat or Rain offends him, he darts his Poisoned Arrows at Heaven, by way of defiance: As for Towns, they have none of any note, living in Hutts, stragling Villages, aud Woods; and in these parts is the Cape of Good-hope, frequently touch'd by such as Sail to the East-Indies; and the better to discover the customs of these People, in the beastly and inhumane condition they live in, take the following account, viz. It happened that some English Ships, in their way home from the Indies, …ortuned to take two of the Natives, near the Bay of Soldania, in order to learn from them, when they could be brought to speak English, a farther account of the Country, and one of them, named Coore, they brought to London, the other dying by the way, when the better to please him, they not only arayed him in fine Cloaths, but gave him Beads, Bells, and other things, wherein the Natives of his Countrey most delighted. yet not these, nor the sumptuous Fare he met with, could alter his inclination, for he altogether appeared Dogged and Melancholy; and when he had a smattering of English, he would often throw himself upon the Ground, in a melancholy posture, and passionately cry'd out, Home go Saldania, go Coore home, go. So that all hopes being lost of bringing him to any better manners, than what he had naturally im…ibed, they sent him back again by the next Ships, and set him, to his no small joy, on Shore where they found him: So that at any time when he saw Ships with English Colours, he would come running to the Bay with Gut and Garbidg about his Neck, to them, doing them all the good Offices he could, being more pleased with that Beastly manner of Living than any other.

p. 179MANICONGO, is a very temperate Region, free from extream Colds, as being scituate under the Equator, rendring by that means the Soil exceeding fruitful, affording Fruits, Plants, Herbs, store of Pasturage; abundance of Bulls, Cows, Goats, Hares, Deer, Elephants, and Serpents so large that they will swallow a Man; Fowl of sundry kinds, they have in great plenty, both wild and tame, as being watered with the Rivers Coanza, Bengo, Barbela, Ambrizi, Dande, Loza, and Zare, and has in it the Mountains of Siera, Complida, the Chrystalline Mountain, where great store of Chrystal is found, the Mountains of the Sun, the Mountains of Sal Nitri affording great quantities of that kind of Minerals, and the Mountains of Cabambe, rich in Mines of Silver. And this Province of Manicongo, contains sundry lesser; the King stiles himself, King of Bomba, Congo, Sango, Sundi, Bangu, Batti, Pemba, Abundi, Matana, Quisoma, Angolu, and Cacanga, Lord of Congemes, Amolaze, Langelum, Anzuichi, Chucchi, and Zoanghi, though several of them are undiscovered to the Europeans, the whole Coast being first discovered by the Portugals, who o…ened a way on this side of Afric, to the Wealth of India in Asia; and although the King of Congo, has no other Current Money but Cockle Shells, yet his Revenues are great by Presents, for none may come to him empty handed, as also by his share of Gold and Silver, digged out of the Mines; and in this Tract are sundry Nations of Cannibals who greedily devour Mans Flesh, rather than that of Beasts, and of these there are the Igges, or Giachi, inhabiting the Mountains of the Sun, the which though they have Wives 10 or 20 a piece, yet have they no Children to be their Heirs, for they unnaturally strangle them as soon as Born, and Eat them as Dainties, supplying the Decrease p. 180in number by such as they take Prisoners of either Sex, stealing none under 16 or 20 years of Age, which by force and custom they bring to be as bad as themselves, against whom the Batti, a neighbouring Province, keeps 70000 Men in Arms, to prevent the Stealing or Eating the rest. Another sort there are of these Monsters in Zazichana, who Eat not only their Enemies but their Friends and Kinsfolks; and if at any time they can make to the value of a penny more of a Slave Dead than Alive, they kill him, and cut out his Body in Joynts, selling it publickly in their Shambles, as Beef and Mutton with us; and when they have any that are Lean, they fat them for the Slaughter. And great pitty it is, that so good and fruitful a Country, as these Regions of Africk, should be possessed with such impious Wretches; wherefore lest a further Relation of such a barbarous People, should prove ingrateful to the Reader, we will put a period to the Discourse of this Country, and of Africa, till we come to the Islands, and so proceed to the Description of America, the fourth and last part of the World, yet discovered Continent, &c.