by Darius the great Persian Monarch and one of the Ptolomies But they all gave it over for this Reason lest by letting in the Red Sea they should drown the Country that Sea being found to be much higher than the Mediterranean and the Flats of Aegypt Phil. So perhaps a second Deluge was prevented Sophr. I could tell you more of these Projects which never came to perfection As that of Nicanor King of Syria to have made a Channel from the Caspian to the Euxine or Black Sea which was a prodigious Project That of Lucius Verus who intended to joyn the Rhine and the Rhone and the Project of Charles the Great to let the Rhine into the Danube There is none but great Lewis the now Almighty King of France who by a long and chargeable Channel carry'd through his Dominions has at last joyned the Ocean to the Mediterranean I should now resume Philalethes the thread of our Discourse but that I am loth to pass by the strange and famous Adventure of John Oxenham an English man in his Passage over the Isthmus of Panama by Land An Adventure not to be forgotten and recorded by Spanish Writers with much Admiration This Man one of the Followers of Sir Francis Drake being arrived in a small Barque with seventy of his Companions a little above Nombre de Dios the chiefest Town of all the Isthmus drew his Barque on Land covered it with Boughs and marched over the Land with his Company guided by Negroes till he came to a River There he cut down Wood made him a Pinnace entred the South Sea and went to the Isle of Pearls where he stay'd some days During which he intercepted in two Spanish Ships who feared no Enemy on that side 60000 pound weight of Gold 200000 pound weight in Bars of Silver and so returned in safety to the Land Phil. The Attempt was bold the Success strange and the Booty prodigious But what became of the Adventurer at last Sophr. It happen'd by the Mutiny of some of his Company that he never lived to return unto his Ship nor into his own Country Thus having done Philalethes with Isthmus's shall I now give you an Account of such Capes as are most famous amongst us Phil. With all my heart Sophr. Then to begin with Europe there is in Lap-land the North Cape being the most Northern part of Europe in the 72. Degree of Northern Latitude In Galicia a Province of Spain the Cape of Finisterra in the 44th Degree of the same Latitude In Algarve the most Southern Province of Portugal the Cape of St. Vincent in the 37th Degree of the same Latitude And in the most Southern part of Greece the Capes of Gallo and Matapan in the 35th Degree of the same Latitude In Asia Cape Raz the most Eastern part of Arabia in the 22th Degree of Northern Latitude Cape Mosandan upon the Streights of the Persian Gulf in the 27th Degree of the same Latitude Cape Comori in the most Southern part of Malabar in India and in the 8th Degree of Northern Latitude In Africk the Cape of Bone upon the Mediterranean South and by West of Sicily and towards the Streights Cabo de las tres furcas Then upon the Atlantick Sea Cape Cantin in the Kingdom of Morocco and in the 32d Degree of Northern Latitude Cabo biance or the white Cape in the Negro's Land and in the 21th Degree of the same Latitude Cape verd or the green Cape also in the Negro's Land but in the 15th Degree of Northern Latitude And Cabo Formoso or the Fair Cape in Guinea and in the 4th Degree of the same Latitnde Then Cabo Negro or the Black Cape upon the Coast of Cafraria and in the 17th Degree of Southern Latitude And in the most Southern Parts of Africk the famous Cape of good Hope being in the 35th Degree of Southern Latitude First Discovered Anno. 1487. by Bartholomew de Diez a Portuguese whom John 11. King of Portugal imployed to find out the way to the East-Indies But he went no further and returned home again either discouraged by cross Winds or unruly Seas or the untractableness of his Mariners or by all together Vasques de Gama was the Man to whom the Honour of this Enterprize was reserved Who being imployed in this Service by Emanuel King of Portugal in the year 1497. doubled the Cape and called it Cabo de Buena Speranza or the Cape of good Hope because of the good hope it gave him of finding the desired Way to the Trade of India Wherein he was so successfull that having found there the Port of Calicut he with infinite Joy and Honour returned to Lisbon in the year 1500 and so opened the way to the East-India Trade by Sea Upon the Eastern Coast there are two noted Capes that of Corrientes and the Cape of Guardafuy this last being the most Eastern part of Africk 130 Leagues East of the Streights of Babelmandel and in the 12th Degree of the Northern Latitude In the Northern America near Hudscn's Streights you will find Cape Worsnam Cape Charles and Cape Henry In Virginia another Cape Charles and in an Island near the Coast of Florida the Cape of Canaveral In the Southern America Cabo de la Vela upon the Gulf of Mexico and Cabo Raz or North Cape in Caribana In Brazil the Cape of St. Augustine and further Southward Cape Erio On the South-side of the mouth of Rio de la Plata St. Anthony's Cape and further Southward St. Andrews Cape Lastly the Cape of Virgins upon the Streights of Magellan and the Cape of Victory on the West end of those Streights Towards and upon the Coast of Greenland you may take notice of these Capes first found out by the English Viz. Cape Discord Cape Farewell Cape Christian Cape Desolation Cape Comfort Cape Chidley Cape Walsingham c. And so I have done with Capes a Thing of great use to Mariners Now I am resolved to divert you with Hills and Mountains Phil. You are more like to fright me with the Height and Steepness of them Sophr. The highest Hill we know of is el Pico aforesaid a prodigious high Hill of Tenariffe one of the Canary Islands West of Africk It has been reckoned by some 15. miles high by others 40 and more but with little credit Warenius allows it to be 2. Leagues that is six miles high perpendicularly and 't is said that it may be seen 80 Leagues at Sea in a fair clear day The form of it is Pyramidal in shape agreeing to those Wonders of Art the Egyptian Pyramids The Top whereof ending in a sharp point called the Pike of Tenariffe is never without Snow But there are other great Hills famous not only for their Height but also for their vast Extent As in Europe 1. The Alpes that part Italy from France and Germany 2. The Pyrenees that divide Spain from France 3. The Apennine that part Italy almost in the very middle 4. The Carpathian Hills
Armiro Salonichi Aiomama or St. Anna Monte Santo Contessa and Caridia all upon the Coast of Greece As to the Baltick Sea besides the great Gulfs of Bothnia and Finland in which it ends those of most note are the Gulfs of Lubeck Dantzick and Riga And so I proceed to Streights From what has been said before it doth appear that there are three sorts of Streights Some that afford a Passage out of one part of the Ocean into another some out of the Ocean into an Inland Sea and others out of one Inland Sea into another Phil. Pray let us have them all together Sophr. As to Those that make way from one part of the Ocean into another there is none of note either in Europe or Africk Unless we should reckon in Europe the Channel for one and the Irish Sea for another In Asia there are many as the Streights of Weygatz betwixt Nova Zemla in Terra Borealis and some North Parts of the Asian Tartary of Uriez near the Land of Jesso of Zungar betwixt Japon and Yupi in Tartary of Manille South of a great Island of that name the chief of the Philippine of Macassar South of Celebes another great Island in the Indian Sea of Palambua East of the great Island called Java of Bantam betwixt Java and Sumatra of Malacca betwixt Malacca in the Golden Chersonese and the Island Sumatra and lastly of Chilao betwixt the Indian Peninsule on this side Ganges and the Island called Ceylon In America there 's the Streights of Magellan betwixt the Southern America and del Fuego To which we may add Mare Vermejo or the Vermilion Sea betwixt New Mexico an Island of California which though never so long is properly but a Streight of this nature Those that make way from the Ocean into Inland Seas are in Europe the Sund which gives an entrance into the Baltick and betwixt Europe and Africk the famous Streights of Gibraltar otherwise called only the Streights which is an Inlet into the Mediterranean In Asia there is the Streights of Babelmandel which afford a Passage into the Red Sea and of Mossandan into the Persian Gulf North of America you will find the Streights of Davis that lead into Baffin's Bay and That of Hudson which brings one into Hudson's Bay Lastly there are three Streights that afford a Passage out of one Inland Sea into another Viz. the Hellespont now called the Streights of Gallipoli and by the French les Dardanelles or le Bras S. George betwixt the Archipelago and the Propontis or Sea of Marmora Then the Thracian Bosphorus or the Streights of Constantinople betwixt the said Propontis and the Euxine or Black Sea Thirdly Bosphorus Cimmerius now the Streights of Caffa betwixt that Sea and Palus Maeotis Phil. Is not the Hellespont that little Channel about a mile broad over which the Persian King Xerxes intending to Invade all Greece made a Bridge of Ships and so wasted over his propigious Army of above two Millions of Men Sophr. The very same But a Sudden Tempest being risen whereby this Prodigious Bridg was dangerously battered Xerxes was so incensed against this Sea that he caused it to be beaten with 300. Stripes and cast a pair of Fetters into it to make it know to whom it was Subject Yet at last his Fleet was so broken both by the Valour of the Greeks and the Fury of the Sea that he was fain to fly away over this Hellespont and to make use of a poor Fisher-boat Phil. So the proud King was fain to stoop at last and run away with shame A very fit Reward for so extravagant a Pride Sophr. Thus having taken a Survey of the Seas Gulfs and Streights now we shall make if you think fit some Useful Reflections upon the Sea and examine its Height Depth Colour Tast and several Motions Phil. Do you believe Sophronius the Sea is higher than the Land or no Sophr. There are many that do and who conclude it therefore a Miracle that the Land is not overflown For my part I do allow of a Globosity in the Sea but not such as may indanger the Land except where the Ground by the Sea-side is lower than ordinary And in such a case the Inhabitants truly don 't rely upon Miracles but are fain to raise Banks in order to prevent an Invasion of the Sea which never fails to incroach upon the Land when there is any way for it But the very Course of the Rivers down to the Sea does manifestly prove the Sea to be no higher than the Land but rather lower In short we must conclude that if the Sea were higher than the Rivers that would certainly come down into their Channels and drown not only the Land but the Rivers So natural it is for Water where there is the least descent to move that way one part following still another without intermission Phil. I am very well satisfied as to this Point Let us now proceed if you please to the Depth of the Sea Sophr. It s Depth is very unequal For as the Land has Hills both great and small Valleys and Precipices so there are in the Sea Shelves Rocks Whirl-pools and Places not to be fadomed To be short the further from Land is the Sea the deeper it is commonly and in some places it has been found no less than five or six miles deep As for the Colour of the Sea it appears generally to be of a Sky-colour But Northward it looks darkish in the Torrid Zone Brownish and in some other Places Whitish and Yellowish Phil. I wonder Sophronius you should forget the Red Colour amongst all the rest Or else how comes the Red Sea to be so called Sophr. Not from the Redness of the Waters nor from that of the Sands as some conceiv'd the Sea and Sands being found by latter Observation to be coloured here as in other places But you must know this Sea was originally called the Sea of Edom because it took beginning on the Coasts of that Countrey Now Edom in Hebrew signifies Red as appears Gen 25.30 A Nick-name first given to Esau and from him afterwards to Mount Seir or the Land of Edom Gen. 36.31 and then to the Neighbouring Sea Which by the Greeks was rendred Erythraeum and by the Latines Rubrum Whence the Name of the Red Sea became known to all but the Reason of the Name to few So the White Sea in the Northern Parts of Europe is probably so called because it washes the Shore of White Russia or Moscovy For I guess it must be from hence the Moscovites call it Bella More and we accordingly White Sea I am sure by my own Experience that it cannot be from any Whiteness it has Neither has the Black Sea took that Name from its Blackness but either from the great Mists that arise from thence or from the frequent Shipwracks that happen there the Shore being very dangerous by reason of its Rocks and Sands How Mare Vermejo or the Vermilion Sea that
its Gold and Silver Mines lies Northward of Chili East of the South or Pacifick Sea and is parted from North to South almost in the midst by the huge Mountains called Andes The Country is about 600. Leagues in length from North to South but the breadth from East to West is not proportionable From hence it is that some can the whole Peninfule by the name of Peruana as they call the other from Mexico Mexicana This great and rich Kingdom was Conquered by the Spaniards ten years after that of Mexico viz. in the year 1522. Pizarro was the Man imployed in Chief in the Conquest of it a Man basely extracted and as sordidly brought up who was fain at last to steal for shelter into America Where being grown Rich and Bold by his Adventures and being well informed of the Wealth of Peru he undertook the Conquest of it and at last per fas nefas got it for the Crown of Spain Since which Time the Spaniards have divided it into three Audiencas or Prefectures Viz. Audienca de Quito which takes up the Northern Parts Audienca de los Reyes which contains the middle Parts where you will find Peru properly so called and Audienca de los Charcas which takes up the Southern Parts By Amazonia I mean all those Inland and Unknown Countrys which lye betwixt Peru on the West and Brasil on the East bounded North-wards with Terra-firma Southward with Paraguay and Part of Peru. Called Amazonia from the Amazone that great and prodigious River which runs through the North Parts of this Country from West to East into Mar del Nort or North Sea Thus you have Philalethes a general Account of the Known Parts of the World In Terra Polaris Arâ—ctica you will find Greenland first discovered in the year 982 by Ericus Rufus but little of it besides the Sea-Coast is known Famous most of all for the Fishing of Whales hereabouts East of Greenland lies Nova Zemla of which nothing is discovered as yet besides the Western Shore So that it is not known whether it be an Island or part of the Continent In Terra Australis or towards it you will find these Country 's as imperfectly discovered as those Viz. the Land of Papous East of the Molucca's and New Guinea East of that But some take the Land of Papous to be part of New Guinea South of these is New Holland not long since discovered by the Hollanders But whether it is an Island or Continent we are as yet to seek Phil. I think we have run pretty well over the World It is high time for us to rest our selves But I desire next time we meet to learn the Meaning of the Circles that so I may understand the use of Globes and Maps Sophr. With all my heart The Seventh Discourse Of the Vse of Globes and Maps with their several Circles SOphronius In our former Discourses you have had a general Account of the Real Parts of the Earth Now I come to the Imaginary ones I mean those Lines or Circles supposed to go about the World and accordingly drawn in Terrestrial Globes and Maps for the better teaching and learning of Geography Phil. Pray let me have their Definition Sophr. A Globe is a compendious Representation of the Earth in its round Figure with several Circles and an exact Situation with the Names of its several Country's Seas chief Lakes and Rivers Hills Towns or City's A Map is either general or particular By a general Map is meant a Planisphere or a Map of the whole Earth describing the Old and New World by themselves the first on the right hand and the other on the left A particular Map is a Representation of a particular Part of the World as of Europe Asia on Africa the Northern or Southern America Which are but particular Maps in respect of a Map of the whole World 'T is true there are Maps indeed more particular such as give an account of a particular Country or of one Province or more of that Country In which respect the Maps of Europe Asia Africk and America be said to be general And so I come to the Circles But first I begin with the Axel-tree of the World which is a right Line imagined to pass through the Center or midst of the World from one end of it to the other The upper end of which Axel-tree is called the Pole Arctick or North Pole and the nether end opposite to that the Pole Antarctick or South Pole Phil. How many Circles are there Sophr. There are eight principal Circles four greater and four lesser The greater Circles are The Equinoxial The great Meridian The Zodiack The Horeon The lesser Circles The Tropick of Cancer The Tropick of Capricorn The Arctick The Antarctick The Equinoctial otherwise called Aequator and by Mariners the Line is a great Circle going round the. Globe in the very midst betwixt the two Poles It is called Equinoctial because when the Sun is come to this Circle then is the Equinox that is the day and night are of an equal length And it hath the name of Aequator because it divides the World into two equal Parts the one Northwards the other Southwards From whence comes the Distinction of Northern and Southern Latitude that reaching from this Circle as far as the North Pole and this from the same Circle as far as the South-Pole Now this Circle is divided into 360. Parts called Degrees of Longitude as shewing the Length of the World Whereof the first 90. Degrees run from West to East then 180. Degrees by the back-side of the Globe from East to West and at last 90. Degrees more from West to East all which make up the number of 360. Degrees The great Meridian is a Circle that go's round the Poles and so divides the World likewise into two equal Parts In Globes it is made commonly of Brass The same has got the name of Meridian from the Latine Meridies that is Noon day because when the Sun is come to that Circle then 't is Noon in the Place whereof it is the Meridian And it is called great Meridian in opposition to those lesser Meridians which are to be seen in Globes and Maps This is the Circle wherein are set down the 360. Degrees of Latitude or Breadth of the World divided into four times 90. Now the Question is which is the most proper place for the great or first Meridian to pass through For our Modern Geographers differ much about it which causes a great Confusion Some follow still Ptolomy who placed it in the Canary Islands others have removed it more Westward to the Azores Neither do these agree amongst themselves For some will have it pass through S. Michael and S. Mary others through Corvo and Flores For my part I don't admire an Innovation that causes so much Distraction and whatever they pretend to the Remedy to be sure is worse than the Disease Therefore it were much to be wished