The Unknown Country

Big. Gaudentio di Lucca. 14^ed boldly out into that vaft ocean of fandsand ,.rain, fleering his c®urfe fouth^weft,lather inclining towards the fouth. Theywent as far as the heavy fands and rainswould let them, till their dromedariescould hardly go any further. Then theypitched their tents and refreihcd them.-leives jud enough to undergo new labour,well knov/ing all their lives depended ontheir expedition. They obferved the fandsto be of a different kind from what theyhad feen hitherto, fo fine, that any gufcof wind muft overwhelm man and beaflr,only the rains had clogged and laidthem. Not to prolong your expeclation toomuch: they went on thus for ten. days,till the rains began to abate; then theyhw their lives or deaths would foon bedetermined. The nth day the groundbegan to grov/ harder in patches, withhere and there a little mofs on the furface,and now and then a fmall withered flirub.This revived their hopes, that they fliouldfmd good land in a fhort time, and ineffect, the foil changed for the better eve-ry Hep they took and now they began ;to fee little hills covered with grafs, andthe valleys fmk down as if there might bebrooks and rivers. The twelfth and tliir-te.:nth day cleared ail their doubts, andbrought them into a country, which, though

t44 \"^^e Adventures cfthough not very fertile, had both wateifand fruits, with a hopeful profpect furtheron, of hills and dales, all habitable andfiourifliing. Here they fell proftrate on'the earth, adoring the creator of all things,who had conduced thei-n fafe through lbinany dangers, and kiffmg the ground,w.hicli was lo be the common nurfe forthem, and, as they hoped, for all theirpofterity : when they had repofed ihem-fclves for fome days, they proceeded fur-ther into the country, which they foundto mend upon them the more they ad-vanced into it. Not intending to returntill next year, they fought the moft properplace for their habitation ; and fetting upm.irks at every moderate diftance not tolofe their way back again, they made forthe higheft hills they could fee, fromwhence they perceived an immenfe and de-licious country every way but to their ;greater fatisfadion, no inhabitants. Ì heywandered thus at pleafure through thofejiatnral gardens, where there was a perpe-tual fpring ia fome kinds of the produceof the earth, and the ripenefs of autumn,with the moil exquilite fruits in others.They kept the moH exad obfervationspolilble. Whichever way they went, therewere not only fprings and fount air.^ inabundance, but, as they gueffed, .;^for theykept tlie higher ground^, the heads of great rivers

Sìg. Gaudentio di Lucca. 145*rivers and lakes, fome of which they couldperceive ; fo that they were f;itisficd therewas room enough for whole nations, with-out any danger, as they could find, of be-ing difturbed. By their obfervation of thefun, they were nigher the equator thanthey had imagined*, fo that they therepaffed the middle fpace between the tropicand the Hne. Being come back to theirfirft flation, they there waited the properfeafon for their return. The rains camefomething fooner than the year before,becaufe they were further weft ward. Thehurricanes were nothing like what theywere in the vail fands. As foon as theybegan to fix in fettled rains, they fet outagain as before, and in twenty days timefrom their laft fet ting out. happily arrivedat the place where they left their dearfriends and relations, whofe joy for theirfafe and happy arrival was greater than Ican pretend to defcribe. I'hus this im-mortal hero accomplifhed his great under-taking, fo much more glorious than ali thevictories of the greateft conquerors, as it N was * Though vre miy imagine a lert>r circle pafatlel to the tropics andthe equator, which is ca;leG inaximus painllelorum , yet whoever tra-vels either by lir.d or Tea, parallel, as he thinks, to the equator, doe«not fo, hut will approach to it ; nay and cro!s it at laft, (uiile'\"s he goesfp'ra'l);, and inakes iiidentnres as he goes along: the realbii is. hecaufswherf^e/er we are, we are on the fummit of the g!ohe with refped to «s,*.nd o'jr feet make a perpendicnUr to tlie centre ; fo that if wc go roundthe globe, we Aall «ake a, great circle, and by coafe<iaence cut the^Mlt**.

14^ The Adventures ofwas projected, formed, and executed byhis own wifdom and courage ; not by ex-poflngand facrificing the lives of thoufandsof his fubje(Sls, perhaps greater rcen ihanliimfelf, but by expofing his own Ufe torthe frJety of thofe that depended on him.It were too tedious to recount to you allthe difficulties and troubles they had, bothin refolving to undertake fuch a hazardoustranlmigration, as well as thofe of tranf-porting flich a niuititude, with their wivesand children, and all their moft preciouseffecls, over thofe mercilefs fands, whichthey could only pafs at one feafon of theyear. But the voyage being at length re-folved on, and the good Pophar wifelyconfidering the difficulties, and neceffity,the mother of invention, urging him, atthe fame time, to gain as much time as hecould, lìnee the vale where they were atprefent was fufficient to maintain them tillthe rains came got all his people hither in ;the mean time, to be ready for the feafon.The new-born children were left with theirmothers, and people to take care of them,till they were able to bear the fatigue.Thus, in feven years tim.e going backwardsand forwards every feafon, they all arriV--cd fafe, where we OHrfelves hope to be inten or twelve days time. This great herowe defer vedly honour, as another Min <iim,%kc fecond founder of our nation, from whofc

Sig. Gaude>;tio di Lucca. 147wbofe loins you yourrdf fprung by theiurerfide, and are going to be incorporat-ed again witii Lhc offspring of your firft an-ceilors. Here lie ended his relation, and your^.everences may eailly believe, I v/as In thegreatell admiration at tills upheard-or ac-count. As it r lifed the ideas I had c£ thepeople, fo I could not be forry to find my-felf, young and forlorn as I was before, in-corporated with, and allied to mch a fiou-Mytilhing and clvihzed nation. expefta-tionwas not difproportionableto my ideas :I v/as perfuaded I v/as going into a veryfine country ; but the thoughts of theirbeing Pagans left fome little damp on myfpirits, and was a drawback to my expect-ed happinefs. However, I was refolved tomypreferve religion, at the cxpenfe of allthat was dear to me, and even of life it-felf. By this tim.e, the Pophar ordered us torefrefh ourfelves, and prepare all thingsfor our departure, though the florm ofthunder and lightning did not ceafe till to-wards morning. At length, all tilings be-ing ready for our moving, we marched onfiowly till we came into the courfc of therains. It was the moll fettled and downrright rain (as the faying is) that ever Ifaw ; every thing fesmed to be as calm, r.sthe tempcft was violent before. Being ac- N z cultomcd

^4-3 The Adventures ofcuflomed to it, they had provided openveilels OD each fide of the dromedaries, tocatch enough for their ufe as it fell, andthey covered themfelves and their beadswith that fine oiled cloth I mentioned be-fore. All the fands were laid, and evenbeaten hard by the rains, though heavyWeand cloggy at the fame time. made asmuch way as pofiible, for five days, juftrefting and refreftiing ourfelves when ab-foiutely necelTary. I m.ufl own, nothingcould be more diimal than thofe dreary fo-Iltary deferts, where we could neither feefun nor moon, but had only a gloomy,malignant light, jufi: fufficient to look atthv\" needle, and take our obfervations. Onthe fixch (lay we thought we faw fomicthingmove fide wife of us, on our right hand,but fremir gly palling by us ; when one ofthe young men cried. There they are, andimmediately croffed down to them. Thenwe perceived them to be perfons travellinglike ourfelves, crolTingin the fame mannerup towards us. I was extremely furprifedto find, that thofe deferts were known toany but ourfeives. But the Pophar fooaput me out of pain, by telling me, theywere fome of their own people, taking thefam.e feafon to go for Egypt, and on thefame account. By this time we were comeup to one another- The leader of the othercaravan, with all his company, immediate-

Sig. Gaudentio di L|Jcca. 149ly got ofF their dromedaries, and fell pro(-trate on the earth before our Pophar ar ;which he ilept back ; and cried, Alas / isourfather dead? They told hina, Yes ; andthat he being the firft of the fecond linCjwas to be regent of tl^ kingdom, till theyoung Pophar, who was born when 'hisfather was an old man, fiiou'd come to theage of fifty. Then our people got off, andproftrated themfclves before him*, all butmyfelf. They took no notice of my neg-left, feeing me a fupernumerary perfon,and by confequence a ft ranger ; but as foonas the ceremonies were over, came and em-braced me, and welcomed me into theirbrotherhood with the molt fmcere cordia-lity, as if I had been one of their nation.The Pophar foon told them what I was,which made them repeat their carefres withnew ecftafies of joy peculiar to thefe peo-ple. After reiterated inquiries concerningtheir friends, and aiTurances that all waswell,, except what they had juii told him,tlie Pophar a&ed them., how they came todirect their courfe fo much on the lefthand, expeccing to have met them the daybefore ; and they feeming to point as ifthey v/ere going out of their way. Theytold US, they were now fenfiblc of it, andN3 were '* T'H' caf rr'i mfinncr of (bewJng re'\"p,OiSr -

150 The Adventures ofwere making, up for thcirue road as fiftas they could : but.that the diiy before, theyhad like to haveloft themfelves by the dark-nefs of the weather, and their too great fe-curity ; for beating too much on the lefthand, one of their clromedaries founder-ed, as if he were got into a quickfand^.The rider thinking it had been nothingbut foir,e loofer pare of the fand, thoughtto go on, but fell deeper the further hewent, till the commander ordered him toget ofl immediately, which he did with fomuch hafte, that not minding his drom.e-ciary, the poor bead going on further intothe ouickfands, was loft. Then the Po-phar told them, there was fuch a placemarked down in their ancient charts,which, being fo well acquainted with theroads, they had never minded of late years :that he fuppofcd thofe quickilmds to be ei-ther the rains, which had funk through thefands, and meeting.with fome ftrata of clay,ilagnated, and were forming a lake ; or more ' Pei fois may wonder to hear ofquickands in the niid!t of the fun- Viirnt riefens of Africa. But the thing will not fccm To i.n probable, when «e come to examine the lealbns of it. Witliout donbt, our au- ihor does not mean fuch vjuiclcf.mds as are cmfed by the toinirig in of »fe» tide under the lands ; a man of fcare would be incapable of fuch » blunder. Bat that therp- fhould be fonie fìagnating waters in the low ( vvamps of the fands, is fo far from being incr''dib'e, that it can be hard- jy thought to be otherwife. It h very well known, there are vaA lakes in fomc parts of Africa, which have no vifible ni>tlets. There are riveisaho that lofe themfcl'/es in thefands, where finking under for icme trme, the;- iBiyrOiTn .'\"sndy m.uflios, or tjuickfandi, as the aa:!'»r talis them.

Sìg. G^vuDENTio DI Lucca, t^tmore probably, it was the courfe of Tomediftant river, rifing perhaps out of a habi-table country, at an unknown diilance,but had loft itfclf in thofe immcnfe fands.However, he congratulated them on theirefcape, and, like a tender f;^/her, gentlychid them for their too grea'^ fecurity in .that boundlefs ocean. Our time 'lot per-mitting us to ilay long, each caravan, ^fecout again for their dettined courfe, Ivwingbut five or fix days journey to make, thatis, as far as we could travel in fo many daysand fo many nÌ2:hts ; for we never ftoppedbut to refrefh ourfelves. The rains had fotempered the air, that it v;as rather coldthan hot,efpecially the nights, v/hich grewlonger, as we approached the line. Herewe fteered our courfe more to the weftagain, but not fo as to leave the ridge of thew^rld. I obferved the more we kept tothe weft, the more moderatethe rainsv/ere,as indeed they ilackened in proportion aswe came nigher our journey's end ; be-caufe coming from the weft, or at leaftwith a little point of the fouth, they beganfooncr than where we fet out. The tenthday of our journey, I mean from the laftgrove or reHing-phce, one of our drome-Wedaries failed. had changed them fe-veral times before, to make their labourmore equal. They would not let it die,for the good it had done j but too of the company ' 1

- ..ifi The Adventures ofcoiTxpany having water encrtigh, and know--ing where they were, (laid behind, to bringWeit along with them. now found the,nature of the fands and foil to begin tochange, as the Pophar had informed me :the ground began to be covered with a lit--tie mofs, t^^-^ding towards agreen fward,',more ìiìgie'òarrcn downs than lands ; and Lune:jvpectediy perceived in fomc places, in-Head -of thole barren gravelly fands, large,fpaces of tolerable good foil*. At length,,to our exprefllble joy and comfort, at lead.,fur myftif, who could, not but be in fome, fufpenfe • It wn.s nhervcd in Tome of the former remark:<!, that not only the -^«leferts of Afr ca, but all th« ftr.it:'., or great beds of gra.e', wliich are'found i.i all parts of the world, probably werccau'ed by tlie uni/erfal de- -luge. Nor can they be weil a. -counted for othcrwife. The deeper thebeds of gi .ivel are, the more they fliew, by the heterogeneou.s ftuft iodg-^ed with them, that they were brnufcht thither, not produced there ab•r\"'ginc. Tl;e 7aft fall» and gullef; which ars feen on the fkirts of alLthe mountains in the world, evidently fliew they were caa'ed by fomeiolent . gitation, which carried the loo'er e^rth and fm-all ftones alongwith it : for whi':h nothing can be more natiira-1, th.in the fuppofitioaef a flood, or agitated fluid, \rhich, by its violence and./hakings, carriedall that w '.smeveable before it for Tome time. This gravel was incor-porated with the loofe earth before the flood, and wa's carried to andfro, while the waters were in their greateft agitation, waihing and melt-ing the loofe earth from the gravel and Hone!;. Bjt when the water.scame to their higUeft pitch, and began to fubfide, th^ ilones and grave!v.'ould Hnk. fooer th:;n lighter things, and o be left almoft in a body ir.tho e ftrata they appear in. This might be illuftrated much further, ifthere were occafion. The vaft numbers of petrified (hells and fcallopr,M'hich are found in all parts of the word, on the higher grounds, couldnever be a mere lufus 'naturae, as fome too curious phUofophers imagine,Uiit mult be accounted for by liich a flood; and tkele appe:iring in allparts of the univerfe, the flood mufthave been univerfil. The fudjcn'^hr.nge of lo'ls in every region, with tiie exceeding richnefs offomewore than other», and that too fonictimes allatonce.is to be account-ed for from the fame caufc: for thefame violen^e_of waters waihing theearth from the ftone.v, muft naturally make an unequal accumiilatioa ofiioth. As ^br Africa, all the ancients fpeak of the incredible fertiity of}-t in (oioe places, and the extreme barrcnnefs of the \kfem ir c-bcrs

Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca 153fufpenfe in fuch an unknown world, wecame to patches oi trees, and grafs, withilanting falls and heads of vales, whichfeeined to enlarge their.felves beyond ourview*. The rains were come to their pe-riod ; only it looked a little foggy at a greatdiftauce before us, which wms partly fromthe exhalations of the country after therains-j- partly from the trees and hills ft op- ;ping the clouds, by which we found. thatthe weather did not clear up in the haBita-ble countries fo foon as in the barren de-ferts. I'he Pophar told me, that, if itwere not for the hazinefs of the air, hewould Ihew me the moft beautiful profpeftmythat ever eyes beheld. I was fenfiblyconvinced of it by the perfumes of the fpi-cy ihrubs and flowers, which ftruck ourfenfes with fuch a reviving fragrancy, asmade us almoft forget our pall fatigue,efpecially me, who had not felt the likeeven in the firft vale : neither do 1 believeall the odours of the Happy Arabia couldever come up to it. I was juft as if I hadrifen out of the moft delicious repofe. Herethe Pophar ordered us to flop for refrefli- ment,* The prodigions height of the fands in Africa, in thot parts whicklie between the tropics, may nat only he the ^nureof the fands or gra-vel finking in greater quantities at the dccreafe of the flood; but themoftextenfive vales may have their ù'e from very finill gullets atfir/l.t It is very natural to thinUf that tUofe barren fun-burat de;ert« fea4»g bBtfeweshaUtioiij^ ;•.

354 Tile Advent uh IS ofHicnt, and added, that we muftftay thereWetill next day. pitched our tents onthe laft defcent of thole immenfe Bares, byth^ iidc of a little r ill that ilTued out of thefmall break of the downs, expecting fur.ther orders.The.caufe of our flay here, where wewere out of danger, was not only for ourcompanions \rc had left behind us, but ona ceremonious ac<:ouRt, as your Reveren-ces 5^il! ut by and by : they were alfo tochange tlic;ir habit?, that they might appearin the colours of their refpeftive tribe orname, which were nve, according to thenumber of the fons of the firft Pophar, whobrought them out of Egypt, whofe flatue\ve faw at the pyramid. By their laws allthe tribes are to be d'ilinguiihed by theircolours that where-ever they go, they Jmay be known what name they belong to ;with particular marks of their pofts anddignities ; as I finali defcribe to your Re-verences afterwards. The.grand Pophar 'scolour, who was defcended from the eldeflfon of the ancient Pophar, wt.s a flame co-lour, or approaching nigh ihe rays of thefun, becaufe lie was chief priefl of the fun.Our new regent's colour was green, fpan-gled with funs of gold, as your Reverencesfaw in the piclure ; the green reprefenLingthe fpring, which is the chief feafon vv'ithtiiem. The third colour io a fiery red, fop th?

SÌCI:. G-A-tJ^ÈNTTO DI LrccA. r% l.tTi2 fuminer. ^riie fòUrtli ir> yello'-^-, foraiatumn ; and the fifth purple, reptefent-ing the g]oominefs of xvinter ; for theicpeople, acknowledging the fun for the itn-mediate governor of the univerfc, min-|icthe nature of his influence ?.s nigh as theycan. The'wornen obferve the <lolours oftheir refpeclive tribes, but have moons offilver intermixed wiih the funs, to foew•that they areiniluenced in a great meafure-by that variable planet. The young vir-•ginshave the new moon ; in the ftrengthof their age the full moon as they grov/ ;*)ld, the moon is in the decreafe propor-tionably. The vv^idows have the moon ex-preffed juil as it is in the change ; the de-fcendents of the daughters of the firft Po-'phar were incorporated with the reft.•Thofe of the eldefl daughter took the eld-eft fon's colour, with a mark of cliftinctionjto fhew they were never to fucceed to thepopharOiip, or regency, till there iiiould beno male i(lue of the others at age to govern.This right of elderfliip, as thefe people un-derftand it, is a little intricate ; but I ftiallexplain it to your Reverences more atlarge, when I come to fpeak more particu-larly ot their government. When theyare fent out imo foreign countries, theytake what habit or colour they pleafe, andgener^Hy go all alike, to be known to eachother but they muft not appear in their J own

-s^6 The Adventures ofown country but in their proper colours,it being criminal to do otherwife. Theycarry marks alfo of their families, that incafe any mifdemeanorlhould be committed,they may know where to trace it out ; forwhich rea fon, now tney drew near theirown country, they were to appear in thecolours of their refpeftivc nomes ; all butmyfelf, who had the fame garment I woreat Grand Cairo, to (hew I was a (franger,though I wore the Pophar's colour after-wards, as being his relation, and incorpo-rated in his family. When they were ailarrayed in their filken colours, fpangledwith funs of gold, with white filletsround their temples, iludded withprecious ftones, they made a very de-lightful fhew, being the handfomeft raceof people thig day in the univerfe, and allreiembiing each other, as having no mix-ture of other nations in their blood. The fun had now broke through theclouds, and difcovered to us the profpeci:of the country, but fuch a one as 1 am notable to deferì be ; it looked rather like animmenfe garden than accountry : at thatdiftance I could fee nothing biat trees andgroves; whether I looked towards thehills or vales, all feemed to be one conti-nued wood, though with fome feeminglyregular interv?,ls of fquares and plains,.with the glittering of golden globes or funs

Slg. Gaubi:ntio di LucgjA. 157fcns through the tops of the trees, that itlooked like a green mantle fpangled withgold. I afked the Pophar, if they livedall in woods, or whether the country wasonly one continued \"immenfe foreft. Hefmiied and faid, when we come thither,you fhali fee foinething elfe befides woods ;and then bid me look back, an-d comparetj-ie dreary fands we had lately pafled\" withthat glorious profpect we faw before us :I' did fo,, and found the difmal barrennefsof the one enhanced the beautiful delightof the other. The reafon, fays he, whyit looks like a w»ed, is, that, beiides in-numerable kinds of fruits, all our towns,fquares, and (Ircets, as w-ell as fields andgardens, are planted with treea, both fordelight and conveniency, though you willfind fpare ground; enough for the produceof all things uiiilcient to make the life ofman cafy and happy. The glicterirg ofgold through the tops of the trees, are gol-den funs on the tops of the temples andbuildings : we build out houics flat 'andlow. Qi\ account of hurricanes, with gar-dens of perfunied ever-greens on the top ofthem which is the reaionyou fee nothing ;but o2:roves. We defcended gradually from cff the de-ferts through, th-e fcattered iTirubs, andxtere /aluted )e;very now and tJien with a^alcof perfumes quite difleient from what, 6 are

15S The Adventures ofare brought to the Europeans from forelgaparts, .'i he freih air of the morning, togc-^therwith their being cxaled from tlie liv-ing flocks, gave them fucli a fragrancy ascannot be expreffed. At length we camC'to afpacious plain a little fhelving, and co-vered with a greenilh coat, between mofjand grafs, Aviiich was the utmoft border ofthe defert ; and beyond it a fmall river,collcéled from the hills, as it w^re weepingout of the fands in different places ; whichriver 'was the boundary of the kingdomthat way. Halting here, we difcovered afmall company of ten perfons, the famenumber, excluding me, with ours, ad-vancing gravely towards us : they were in-the proper% colours of the Nomes, wàthfpangled funs of gold, as my com-pinionswore, only the tops of fheir heads v^erefprinkled with dull, in token of mourning.As foon as they came at a due diftance, theyfell flat on their faces before the Pophar,without faying a word, and received thegolden urns with the earth which we bro'talong with us. Ihcn they turned, ardm rched dire^ly before us, hold ng theurns in their h^^nds as high as they c(^uld,but all in a deep and mournful filence.1 hefe wt re deputies of the five Nomes ftntWcto meet the urns. advanced in thisiilent manner \\ ithout faying one word, till\"sve came to the river, over which v\ as a iVately

Sìg. GAUD2NTI0 J&X LtTCCA. 159fiate!)' bridge with a triumphal arch on thetop of it, beautified with funs of gold, moftmagnificent to behold. Beyond the bridge,we immediareiy paiTed through a kind ofcircular grove, which ied us into a incitdelightfuL pbin, like an amphitheatre,pur fiiencc was broke with iliauts of jo}-that rended the very Ikies ; then thewhole multitude fahing fiat on their faces^aJorinaj the urns, and thrice repeatingt Ueir fhouts and adorations, there advanc-ed ten triumphant chariots, according tothe colours ot the Nomcs with funs as be-fore ; nine of the chariots were drawnwith fix horfes each, and the tenth witheight for the Pophar regent, The five de-putieb, who were the chief of each Nome,with the urns and companions, mountedfive of the chariots, tjie other five were forus, two in a chariot j only being a fuper-numerary, I was placed backwards in thePophars chariot, which he told me wasthe only mark of humiliation and inequa-Welity 1 would receive. were conductedwith five fquadrons of horfe, of fifty meneach, in their proper colours, with ftream-ers of the fame, having the liin in the cen»tre, though the oppofite avenue, till weCame into another amphitheatre of a vailextent, where we faw an infinite numberof tents of filkof the colour of theNomes,all of them fpangled with golden funs : her*?

The Adventureg cfiiere we were to reft and refredi ourfclvel..ThePophar's tent, was in the centre of his-own colour, whidi was green, the fecondIs'Oine In dignity, in whofe dominions andgovernment we now were. >I havS bee» longer in this dercription,be»-caufc it was more a religious ceremonythan any thing, che, thefe people being ex-remely myfterlous in all they do^. 1 flialiexplainthe meaning to your llevercnces asbriefly as lean, 'ihe flopping before wecame to the bridge on the borders of thofeinhofpitabl':! deferts, and walking in thatmournful filcnt manner, not only expreffedtheir mourning for their deceafed ance^tors, but alio fignihed the viirious calami-ties ard labours incident to man in thislife, where he is not only looked upon tobe, l)ul really is, in a ibre of baniihment2nd mourning ; wandering in fun-burntdcfcrts, and toiled with ftorms of innu-merable liwlefs defires, ftill fighing aftera better country. The paiTage over, the* Tlic anrientEgyptrans vere fo miltcrions, pp.rticularly in th'-ir relT-f'oiis LCiemoiiies. ai>o ;irciaa of govcrninent, that, inali probabllityjthe :'.nc:cnt fiHe?, wl.'th very fev.' yet iinderitanci rgbtly, had their rif6fvosnthem; thoifih t':ie Isainei! Bocliart, in his Phaleg, derives then»r>--,f *^y from the CaniTnites, who (\"ifperfns, thcmielves all over thev.-oi-id, vvhen «hey iiei from Joftu-^, impofed Lpon tl e credulous GrceltimV) the diferent figa'ti'. itioas ot' the fume words their language. Iti obfervaMe by the by. thnt the moil ancient languages, as the HcbrewJ.< ;ih its d:Herent dia'erts, cf whith the Canaancaa or Phceniciaii lan-many; :-,!;e v. as one, ihf Chinee !ai;j',vage, gee. had a great flgnificati-vfli for the fame word, either from the plain fimplicity or poveriy o(rican.-icnt langjage-., or m«rc piobabljfrom zn affeded myflcrioul^ii^':i: in ali they di^. • bridge.

Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. i6ibridge, they would have to betoken man*sentrance into rell by death. Their llioutsof joy, when the facred urns arrived inthat glorious country, not only iignifiedthe happinefs of the next life, (for thefcpeople' univerfally believe the immortalityof the foul, and think none but brutes canbe ignorant of it), but alÙ3> that their an-ceftors, whofe burial-duil they broughtalong with them, were now in a place ofeverìaiiìng reif,[^Inqidfitor. I hope you don't believe fo of Heathens, let them be ever fo mo- ral men, fmce we have no aiTurancc: of happinefs in the next life mentioned\" in the Holy Scripture, withour faitìi in Chriil,Gaiidentlc. No, Reverend Fathers, I only mention the fenfe in which thefe men underiiand the myileries of their religion. As 1 believe in Chrid, -I know there is no other name under heaven by which men can be fived,Gol.iqiafitQr, on.] Every ceremony of thefe people ixiz foniemyiiery or other included in it ; but thereappeared no harm in any of them,' excepttheir falling proiirate before tive duft,which iooked like rank idolatry': but theyftid Itili, they meant no more tnau-v.'has. O 2 was

ìGi The Adventures ofv.as merely civil, to Ugni fy their refpe^lfor their deceafed parents*» I l'hall not as yet detain your Reverenceswith the defcriptiou of the beauties of the:country through which we pafTed, havingfo much to fay of the more fubftantialpart ; that is, of their fcrin- of govern-ment, Liv/s, and cuftoms, both religiousand civil ; nor defcribe their prodigiousmagniikence, though joined with a greatdeal of natural fimplicit'j^, in their towns,,temples, fchools, colleges, &c. Becaufe,being built moflly alike, except for parti-rular ufes, m.anufaftures, and the like j1 fiia.ll defcribe them all in one, when 1come to the great city of Phor, otherwifccalled, in their facred language, No-cmf:.for if I flrould flay to. defcribe the immenferiches, fertility, and beauties of the coun-try, this relation, which is defigned as areal account of a place wherein I lived fo^many years, would rather look like a ro-ni?.ncc than a true relation, i fliall onlytell your iveverences at prefent, that afterhaving taken a mod magnificent repafl,* See the rem irks before on that head, and the acco&nts of the war-£i'?of the Ciiinefe, who were originaU.v Fgypti.mc, in the cii-pi.tes be-tween the Do ;n'n leans ar.d Jefuixs, where the Jatter jna'uuahied theidoJjtrcu.i,ce.-<.cioriic3 and QtTtimgs mac'e to their decea cd aiiLeflors, to-imaly n>ithÌEg but a natura! and ciWi icfpeft.\" The Dominicans, on thecpntFdry, very jaftly held thera to be idoJitry, as they were judsfd tofee, a;id coiidemned as fiidi by C'enicnt XI.tjoephas jgiinft Appion diftinpuiihes t\ro languages of the ancientFgyptians the one facred, t!)e otl.et coniJuou. Tkeir acxed langnagcJir;:?fufltjrjr;-fieries, pcr^afs like the Cabal lof the Jews.\"' conflfting

Sig. G'AUDENTIO DI LuCCA. ì6$confifting of all the heart of man can con.ceive delicious, both of fruits and wines,while weilaidinthoferefrelhingtaberDacles,wc paffed on by an eafy evening's journeyto one of their towns, always condufteeLand lodged in the fame triumphant man-ner, till we came to the head of that Nome,which I told your Reverences was thegreen Nome, belonging to the Popharreg^t, fecond in dignity of the whole em-pire. Here the «rn of dull belonging tothat Nome w-as rcpofited ina kind of gold-en tabernacle, let with precious ftones ofimmenfe value, in the centre of a fpacioustemple, which I fhall defcribe afterwards.After a week's feafting and rejoicing, bothfor the reception of the duft, and the fafc-return of the Pophar and his companions,together v/ith his exaltation to the regency,,we fet out in the fame manner for thc'other Nomes, to repolit all the urns intheir refpeftive temples. Thcfe are five,as I informed your Reverences before.The country is fomething mountainous,particularly under the line^ and not veryuniform, though every thing eUeis ; con-taining valleys, or rather whole regionsrunning out between the defcrts ; befidesvaft ridges of mountains in the heart ofthe country, which inclofe immenfe richesin their bowels. The chief town iis fituatedas nigh zs poiìiblc in the middle of the Komes,

164 The Adventures ofNomes, and about the centre of the coun-try, bating thofe irregularities I mentioned.The four inferior Nomes were Hke thefour corners, with the flame-colouredNome, where the grand Pophar, or rc-gtni pro tempore ' Yt^id^dy in the centre ofthe fquare. Their method was to go tothe four inferior Nomes ftrft, and repoiitthe urns, and then to complete all at thechief town of the firll Nome- ThefeNomes were each about .eight days veryeafy journey over. Thus we went theround of ail, which I think, as I then re-marked, was a kind of political vifitationat the fame time. At length we came tothe great city of Phor, or No-om, there torepoiit the hill urn, and for all the peopleto pay their refpeds to the grand Pophar,if in being, or eife to the regent. By thattime, what with thofe who accompaniedthe procefFion of the urns, and the inha--bitants of that immcnfe town, more peo-ple were gathered together, than one-would have almoft thought had been inmdthe whole world ; but in fuch order dec*;ncy, difiiriguitiied in their ranks^ tribes, and colours, as is not eafy to becomprehended. The giiti ering tenls fpread themfelves over the face of the earth. . 1 fliall aere give your Reverences a de- fciipii'in of the town, becauic all other great towni or heads oi the Kcnies are built

Sig. GAtJDENTlO DI IjUCCA. 3' I6built after that modei, as indeed the lelTeftowns cOTTiC as nigh it as they can, except^as I laid, places for arts or trades, whichare generally built on rivers or bix)oks,forconveniency ; fuch is the nature of thepeople, that they affecl an exact uniformi-ty and equality in all they do-, asbeing bro-thers of the fame ftock. The town of Fhor, that Is, the Gloryor No-om, which fignines the houfe of thefun, is built circular, in imitatioii of thejfun and its rays. It is fituated in ihe-larg^eft plain of all the kingdom, aiKÌ upon thelargeft river, Vv'hich is about as big as ourPo, rifmg from a ridge of mountains underthe line, and running towards the north,where it forms a great lake, almoft like afea, whofe waters are exhaled by the heatof the fiin, having no outlet, or. link un-der ground in the fands of the vafl defertsencomipafilng it. This river is cut into amoft magnificent canal, running direftly-through the middle of the town. Beforeit enters the town, to prevent inundationSjand for other conveniencies, there areprodigious bafons, and locks, and fluices^with tollaieral canals, to divert and let outthe. water, if need be. The middle ftreamforms the grand canal, which runs throughthe town, till it comes to the grand-place ;then there is another lock and fluice whichdividing it into two femicircles or wings, aad

l6ò The Adventured ofand ciirying it round tlie grand place^forixis an iflAiitl with th^ tempie; of the (uqin the centre, and meeting again ()pp(iuteto where it divided, io goes on in a canalagain. There are twelve bridges with onegreat arch over each, ten over the clrcuiarcaniils, and two vv'here they divide andmeet again. There are alfo bridges overthe ilrait canab, at proper diflances. Be-fore the river enters the town, it is divid-ed by the firil great lock into two prodigi-ous femicircles encompafling the v/hoietown. All the canals are planted witiidouble rows of cedars, and waiks th.e moildelightful that can be imagined. Thegrand place is in the centre of the town, aprodigious round, or immenfe theLitrc, en-COmpaiTed with the branches of the canal,and, in the centre of that, the temple ofthe fun. This temple confifts cf threemhundred and fixty-five double role pil-lars, according to the number of die daysof the year*, repeated with the (lories oneabov^e another, and on the top a cupolaopen to the ^y for the fun to be feenthrough. The pillars are aH of the Corin-thian ordert, of a marble as white asfnow, and • Our anthor Teems to be a little oat in this place i-,<br it is certainthe- ancient -Egyptiaas did not-mate their year to confift of fc», nun?;days, unless you will fiy, that thefe people, being very great' aftronoffiers, were more exact in their obfcrvations. t II is generally nppored, that the different orders of pUlars,a.s thet>oritttlie louic, Coriathisn etc came -frU fiora ttie Greeks, as their

\"Si^- Caudkittio di I-ugga. ì6ffind. fj pieci. - xThe,aì?e- of the'iìiitc?;, h\\'\\the/Ci:ipitsì]si«?.)iìi,i{Rcr*,- afti ^U- gilt. M heiBner* rootijiO! Vi>i; v>.u gallerie.-, on' tl'c.ewùhpillars,, are f^ilti.> c(i 'be iun, moc n^mo-and.: liars, /ckprt:iiiniJf' their d'ffcrcTittions ;• with hierogi-phicskEown oFiiy tofomei^w of the (Anct elders or luiers, 'i heoutfides of sU are doubly gilt, as h theCiìixìe Gr;grand Concave on ibe^-top, -openio tiie lììiddle to the Iky. In the middle of '\"this concave is a golden iiin, hanging in thevoid, and iupportcd by golden lines orF^d's fr<un the edges of the • dome. Theuiiiiici. Ì fun looks down, as if it were fiii-n-ing on 3i globe of earth, ertcled on a pe-dehal aitar-wil'e,' oppolite to the fun, ac-cording to the fituation of .their climate tothat glorious planet; in which globe orearth are incloied the urns of their deceafedaHceftm'Sf- C>n the infide ofcthe pillars, are;tlje feats of'the grandees or elders, to hold-the'ir councils, which are all public. ()p-pofite to the twelv-e great ftreets, are iorriany entfiwces into the terr.ple, with asmany wj^if *^cerit it air-cafes between theaprclht'oiiS, t cir,g Creek, ivoulcj maie ns tere\<' ; but the frmous andancient paljccou PtUtj.o,Ì£, tioitt ithiianciiiifi its (.\"reek name, where .mvthere svcre liicrojiyphiLS and lifcrii't'Oni in .rharaftcrs none con ddepl'and, befalei, othtr rcatbny, flew that the invention tame frojTl'Egypt or from, the antient Ch.ildEans,,- or rather fVoni Seth.Ndah, and• the aniicntHcbrcws. It is IìÌlw'c very cfb'trvable, that the invcntioaeF.arts and fc>nees came from the cilh and cm be traced no higherthanNoha's, food ; unlels you will allow the fabics of Seth, ah'edpcd bymthe learned Jo ephus his antiquit cs, qui'^tcd above-. All which is aTcpy nat'jr.il coafinr.atioo.iji'.lbc account-givon by Mocs, againil ourmodern iceptict. entrances,

.ló'i The ADViiNTunrs ofentrances, to go into the galleries or places-Wlierc they keep the regifters of their laws,t\C. with gilt baluftrades iooking down in-to the temple. .On theped^ltals of all thepillars y/ere Lngraven hieroglyphics andcharafìcrs known to none but the fivechief Pophars, and communicated, underthe greatelt fscrecy to the fuccelTorof anyone of them, in cafe of death, lofs.of fen- ;fes, and the like. I prefume, the grandlecrets, and arcana of 'fiate, and, it may1^, of their religion, arts, ;and fcienceSj.arecontained therein. The nioft impiroper de-corations of the temple, in my opinion,are the fiutings of the pillars, which ra-ther look too fini<:al for the auguif andmajeftichmplicity affec^e^d by thefe peoplein other risfpeds. The fronts of the houfes round the grandplace are all concave, or fegmonts of cir-cle?, except where the great. ilreets meet,which are twelve in number-, according tothe twelve figns of the zodiac, pointing tothe temple in ftrait lines like jjays to th«centre, This vaft round is. iQ'.tvith dou-ble rows arrd circics of {lately cedars beforethe houfzs, at an exacl diflance ; as are allthe ftreets on each fide, like fo m.anybeautiful avenues, which produce a moft-delip;htfui efiecTt to the eye, as well as con-veniency of .iliade. The crofs ftrqets arefo many parallel circles round the grand place

\"place and tempie, as the ccntr -- •.7^- greater circles as tiie town er»Il'hey build always circular-\^iic li;i L.c;circle is complete ; then anailjer, arid lbon. All the icrects, as 1 faid, bothilràighrand circular, are planted wùth double 1 owf,•of cedars. The middle of the areas be-tween the cuttings of the ftreets are let:;for gardens and other conveniences, en-larging themfelves as they proceed fromthe centre or grand place. At ever}- cut-ting of the ftreets, is a lelfer circukir j\"::a;cfet round with trees, adorned v/ith ioi,]--tains, or ilatues of famous nnen ; thst, ineffecf, the whole town is like a prodigiousgarden, diftinguiihed with temples, pavili-ons, avenues, and circles oi gr&cns 10 ;that it is difiicult to give your iie vere n-ces a.juft ideaef the beauty ot it. 1 fer-got to tell your Reverences, that tlietwelve great lir.eets open themfelves asthey lengthen, like the ;W// of a wheetf*'fo that at the finì; coining into the t )vvn,you have the profpeCt of the tenr;p]e andgrand place directly before you ; and fromthe temple a, direct view of one of tliefineit avenues and countries in the v^orld.Their principal towns ai^ built after thisform. Alter they have tiiktn a plan ( ftlie place,, they firll buiid a temple ; ^I enleave the great area, or circular ma kit-place, round wliich they buiiu a circie of P houlls.

170 The AovKNTuAfg ofhoufca, and add others as they increafe,according to the foregoing defcription ;ridiculing and tontemning other countries,svhofe towns are generally built in a con-fufed number of houfes and Ilrects, with-out any regular Sgure. in- all the fpacesor cuttings of the ftreets, there are eitherpublic fountains brought by pipes from aluountaln at a confiderable diiiance fromthe town ; or, as I faid before, ftatues ofgreat men holding fomethins: in their handsto declare their merit ; which, having no\v;ir3, is taken, either from the inventionof arts and fciences, or fome memorableaction done by them for the improvementand good of their country. Thefe theylook upon as m.ore laudable motives, andgreater fpurs to glory, than all the trophiesereded by other nations, to the cu ftroyersof their own fpecies. 'I'heir houfes arebuilt all alike, and low, as 1 obferved be-fore, on account of iionns and hurricanes,to which the c(>untry is fubject ; they areall exactly of a height, fat-ròofed, withartificial gardens <>n the top of each*, fullof Sowers and aromatic fhrwbs ; fo thatwhen yoj look from any eminence downinto the ftreets, you f^e ail ihe circles and*T\"ne T,i-\"ert \" i'lylorrins ^nd -^.it'Pr'al girclerK!, or hort pcnfifcs,«T ihe tops or t: i;i] i.oiL., -.i •-..uly a<; the gj-eat Strair.mis; thoi:itli He roc'otiis de: re^ ihe'r inicnt \"n fiom a later Ratyoni.in ijucen, whobe'.rp, J N'irci» by naton, ir.d lov nr wood'>, >^d noi benr ;K-imit!ed toLa6c o^t of I'-.e pautC; Ljiofe aii'Su.ai jaiten* made to d.vert her. avenues

Slg. Gaudentio di Lucca. 171avenues like another world under, you ;and if on the level, along the tops of th?houfes, you arc charmed with the proipcctoften thoufand diiterent gardens meetingyour fight where-ever you turn; infojnuch,that 1 believe the v;hoie world belides can-not afford fuch a profpecl. There are .agreat many other beauties and convenien-ces according to the genius of the people ;which, were I to menlion, would makeup a whole volume. I only fay, that theriches of the country are immenfe, whichin fome meafure are all in common, as Ifilali fliew when I come to the nature oftheir government ; the people are the moilingenious and induftrious in the world;'the governors aiming at nothing but thegrandeur and good of the public, havingall the aflluence the heart of man can delire,in a place where there has been no war forneir three thoufand years ; there beingindeed no enemies but the inhofpitablefinds around them, and they ali conhderthemfeivcs as brothers of the fame liock,living under one common father; fo thatit is no\", fo ^uch to be wondered at, ifthey are arriv^ed to fuch grandeur and mag-nificence, as pcriqns in our world can.fcarce bciievc or conceive. When the ceremonies for the receptionof th\" urns were over, lellgious ceremo-nies with thcfe people always taking place cf

; 2-';; T;ie \D\a~NTURis of ^ ci .'.],*, iliey proceeded to the inaut. .'oT; o: ill- Pophar regent ; which vas. :-..;cd <v'.th no t) hor cerv^mcny, J-or i .'hiiU teli )()ur l-veverences .iftjr- :t placing ìrim in a chair of Itate . i.:ce towards the eaft, on the topol: the inglu'lt ]ihi in the Nome, to ihewthat he v.us t;o infpecl:, or overk^ok all,loòk'r.g towards the temple of the fun,Vv-irlch il lod directly eaftward of liim, to] al iilin in mind- that lie was to take careof\" the reiiii )n of his ancellors in the lirft'yJ:^.ce. Whi^n he was thus p];)ced, threehunJreJ hxiy-five of the chief of theNome, as rcpr^ientatives of all the reft,came up to kirn, and making a rcfJDecifulbow, fiid, E/i Pop/jar, which is as much asro fay, Ha/I ftvthet' of cur nation ; and he-.;ni braci iji.^ them- as a father docs his chil-ftren, anf.vercd them with Cali Bi:7Ùm^ that^iì. Ivi) char children. As many of the wo-men did the fame. This was all the ho-mage they paid him, which was efteemedi.:> iiicred as never to be violated. All the\"'.li^linclion of his habit was one great fun ; -- !\"lie rio'T: ;)oi':e :ii'''-:is of aitiqu'ty. even among the Heathens, ,As.: 1 . : / _--r-'L .' L : J i^iigioi:, before ail other coiifiderations.1.;, ; ;. ,1. -,: ; ; 'f,. .:, :liet2;h of late perfoBS of^ome wit, little judg-r- ;, a^-J mi ij ; ;.!; , -.i.'l it in qxieftion, it is weilknovvn, tnen beiorne .nv:e r.ie.1 ;;s they become Cliriilians. The light of faith brought inJcaniiiig, pu'iteuefs, humanitj', jiuH.c, andeqaity, inftead of .tj^at igno-iM-iie, mid a u.-L:taI barbarity, th.-.i ovcrfprcad the face of thè' j-?irth111! liic w.iiit >i it -.vJ!! lend us i:i time into the fama £normit:es''*hicii, ,.: /,.; 1 r ]; t.i :'''t i!s tn forfike ; 0!i which account it is tlie part of all':..'. yi\{;:i;T.' .-i^ 13 twuntcHiipce. and picfsrv» reiiiiioa.

S\i'£(>. Caudentio di Lucca.on his breaft, much bigger than that ofany of the relt. The precious Hon ::s al fo,which were ict in the white fillet bindinirhis forehead', were larger than ordinary, a-iwere thoie of the crofs circles over his head,terminated on the luir.mit with a largetuft of gold, and a thin plate of gold in theilrape or the fun, faftened to the top of ithorizontally ; all of them, both men andwomen, wore thole filiet-crowns with atufr of gold, but no fan on the .toj>,. excepttlie Pophar.As foon as the ceremonies and rejoicingswere over, which were perforaicd in tentsat the public cxpenfe, he was conducted,with the cheerful acclama lions of the peo»pic, and the fcnmd of mufical inlii^jmcnts,to a magniticerit tent in the front of thewhole camp, facing ihe eill,which is look-ed upon as the molb honourable, as hrftf-éing the rang fun ; and fu on, by eafyjour-iey-^, till he came to the chief town ofthat Nome.- The reafon why rhefe cere-monies were performed in the ciilferentKom.f?, \vas to fhewtbat they all dependedon him, and: becauie the empire was fuvery populous, it wa > impoillble tiiey coukimeet at one place.. I cannr>i e:fj)refs theearefles' I received from them, elpeciallywhfn th-y found h was deicended h'om'^e fam^::i:e by the mocher's fide, and fcjaearl)^ related to the Pophar.' When. I H3 ' \"sank^,

174 The Adventures ofcame firlj:\" into their company, they ailembraced me, men nnd vvom.en, Vvith themoil endearing tendernels ; the youngbeautiful women did the lame, calling mebrother, and catching me in their arms-v/ith fuch an innocent afilirance, as if Ihad been their real brother loft and founda3:ain. I cannot fay but fonie oi them ex-preTed a fondnefs tor me that focmed to beof another £ rt, and which afterwards gaven-;e a great deal of trouble ; but i im^putedit to the nature of the fex who are unac-countably more fond of flrangers, whomthey kiiOw nothing of, than of perfons ofm'jch gre ter merit, who converfe withthem every day. Whether it proceedsfrom the v/ant of a fuflicienl: folidity intheir jucv^n»enr, or from a levity and fickle-nefs in their nature, or from the fpirit ofGontrad'ftlon,. which makes them fond ofwriaf they moRìy Hiould avoid ; or think-ing that Itrangers are not acquainted withtheir Jefe^ls, or, in fine, are more likely tokeep their counfel ; be that as it will, fheirmutual jealoulies gave me m.uch uneafmcfsafterwards. But to fay a word or twomore of the nature of the people, before Imyproceed in. relation ; as I told yourReverences, they are the handiomeft raceof people I beheve nature ever produced,with this only difference, which fome maythink a defeé, that they all are too much Uke

SIg. Gaudentio di Lucca 175like one another : but if it be 2.^c£cSi, itproceeds from a very laudable caufe ; thatis, from their fpringing from one family,without any mixture of different natkwjs ill their blood* ; they have neither wars, nor traffic with other people, to adulteratetheir race, for which reafon they know ijothing of the vices fuch a /commerce often brings along with it. Their eyes are fomething too fmall, but not fo httlo as thqjfe of the Chinefe j their hair is generally black, and inclined to be a Httle cropped 01' frizzled t, and their CfUipiexion brov/n,'but their feature^) are the molt exscl and regular imaginable ; and in the nu>Lin>-aia- ous preti tuwards ihe iine, v/aere th? uir is cooler, t'ley are rather f. irrr than our Italians t; the m:.i are univerfrill-/ w-U fliaped, tail' and (leader, except through fome accidental del\)rmity, which is very • Tacitas \"ays much the ùms of the f^e.-mms, Ipf-j 'oram op n:o.rt—bus accedo, qui Germ inias popiiios nullis aKarviro a. tbnurn connubit?.infeftos, propri im et flizerain et tanqium iu\" Jlrri'Ii;!! ^(-.it-Tn eKPuthVearb'.trintur *. I agree, fays he,, with tlieir opi.ùon. who th'nk the peb-p'c of Geimmy To pe.u'iarly iike one another, berauTc they have notbed cnr:-uptei by n-i.ur:-;ges w'th other iiU'on^. 1 Ley weie aoted 'ilAl gulhis's t'me to have bUie e^es as moll of the native GTmans^haveto this .'.ay. I remember I faw a revie.v of a G.rnian re&iment in thecity ot'Milin, where a'mojt cviry one of t''e common fiidiers had bl'ieNoeye;. wonder therefore,, if il.eic Afri-jaus, our author fpeaJcs of,jhotilJ te fo !ike one another.t The ancient Egvptiins,, according to Herodotus andaBochtrt ^,verefo. t rhoush OBr Itiiians are foir-ething more fivnrthy than tl e nort'^emT.ramont mi -, ytt our hidies lieepmg much in v\r ho-a:t fro.n their chiid-hood, have very finefltias and excel ail othcis.ior delicacy («features i»* Ta:itas c!e niiribus Gorm^. loriim.1 1 fancy Siguior KJiedi nevpr faw our American beat tic?. rar&v

i26 The Adventures ofrare ; but the women, who keep them-felvc3 much within deors, arc the-mofbbeautiful creatures, and the finert fhapcd-in the world, except, as I faid, beuig too^much alike. 'Ihere is fuch an ini ocentfweetnefs in their beauly, a^-id fuch a na-tive modefty in thdr cour/ccnance, as can-not bs dcfcribed. A buM forwardnefi in-a woman is what they dill ike ; and to givethem theii* due, even the women are the-moil chiilc 1 ever knew, vvhic'i is panlyowing to tlie cariy and provident care oftheir governors. Bat as I defign to make'a feparate article of the education of their)'oung people, 1 fhall f.iy no more at pre-Irnt on that head. . The vifitations- wliich wc made to carryflie urns, gave me an (opportunity of feeingthe greatell part of their country as foon asI came there ; though the Pophur, \^'i^h alefsreiinue, and witiiwhom L always was,vifited them more particularly aftei wards.The country is generaUy more hilly thatvplain, and in fome parts even mountainou ;there are, as I faid, va^ft ridges of moun-mtains, whiclj run feveral hundred les,.either under, or parallel to the equator.Thefe are very coìd^ and ccnt.-ihule verymuch to reader tha elimate more tempc-<rate than mi,;rf\t othervvh'e, be e^tpecledyboth by refrigerating the air with coolingbreezes^ which are wafted from thence

Sfo^. Gaudentio di Lucca. 177-©ver the reft of the country, an4^y^fup^plying the plains with inniimerable rll\i;rsrunning both no'^th and louth, but chicSytowards the north^^^. Thcfe hills, and thegreat woods they 'are generally coveredwith, are tu\" occailon of the country'sbeing fubject to rain^-}- ; there arc valtforeits and place,^, which they cut dov.^nand deRroy as they want vc-v.-n^ VcyAvj^ lefi.grove.-, for bcauiy and v:ri.t,y, as -x-^A as.ufe and conveniencyo. Tlie rjiifis ani hilh-iiefs of the country make travèiling a'ìittie-ineomniov-iloi; ;, but then thev all^irc! num-beriefs fprings and rivuiets, with-^faJi de-^licious vales, that, adding this to the ho-nefty and innocence of the iahibkaiits, onewould think il a perpcu-d parr.diic, d'lic;foil is fo prodigious ferule, not only iadifferent forts of grain and rice, wiih a fortof wheat inuch larger and richer in iiowerthan any Indian wheat I ever faw: butparticularly in an inexauftible variety orfruits, legumes, and eatable herb? of Inchnourifiiing juice, and delicious tafte, that-to provide fruit for fuch numbers of people * It Is ermarkable that meft 'prings rife fton the north fide of ihr-hiUs, and more rivers run novthwaid than (ojihv/ard, at Icafl: oa thisfide of tiie line, thoi^gh the obfcrvat'on docs not always holj; the rea-(oa may be, for that there a e more mifts and dews hanging on the north.-fide, heraufe the ''v.n dries up the moiilure on the .ontii fi Jc o. tiie moun-tains, more than on t'lc north; though perhaps all iprings tlon't rife from,rain and mi/ls, he, yet moft do. t ft is well knawn to the n ituralifts. that great wor ds and hills coUeft«loudf and vapours, and cijpifecjuenUy «.ìfti» it V»wip »pot« tJjei;ethaa in .*tber slr>c<|Si

I ;S T .he A d VSN t u r i s ofis t'iC Isaii of their care. One v/ould thinkt'lc ciiffe ot Adam had fcarce reached thatpii't ol die world • or that Providence hadproportioned the fertility cf the country tothe innocence of the inhabitants; not butthe induftry ?.nd ingenuity of^ the people,joined with their perpetual peace and redirom external and aimoit internal broil?,contribute very much to their riches andfcitii'ty. Their villages being mod oftiieni buUt on the livulols far mjinufaciuresand trades, are not to be numbered. Theirhills are full of metallic mines of all forts,with materials fufiicient to work them ; (il-ver is the fcarceit, and none more plenti-ful than gold ; it com.es out ofrentiuies ingreat iun^ps from the mineral rocks,, as ifit Wept oui from between the joints, andwas thrown off by the natural heat of theGarth, or other unknown c:iufes : this goldis more ductile, ealicr to work, and betterfor all ufes, than that which is drawn fromthe CiZ. Their inventions not only forcommon conveniences, but even the mag-nificence of life, are aftoniilring. \"When 1fpoke of their fruits, I fhould have men-tioned a fmall fort of grape that growsthere naturally, of v.hich they make a^vine, fliarp at firft, but which will keepa great many years, mxllov/ing and im- proving as it is kept ; but ths choiceft grapes, which are chiefiy fur drying, are\" cultivated

Si\"?b.* GAUc2i4«frt5 be ì-^cultivated among Éhern, and a very littlepains does ic. ineir v/ines nre more cor-dial than inebriating j biit- a fmalkr fort,diluted with water, makes their conflantdrink. I don't remember i ever favv any-horned beaits in the country, except goatsof a very large lize, which ferve them formilk, though it is rather too rich : deerthere are innumerable, of more differentkinds than are in Europe. Ihcre is alittle beaft fecmingly of a ipecics between aroe and a (heep, Vv^hofe flelli is the mollnouriihing and delicious that can be tafted ;thefe make a diih in all their feaiis, and \"are chiefly referved for that end. Theirfcm 1, wild and tame, make the grealeftpart of their food, as to fleili-meat, ofwhich they don't eat much, it being, astli.y think, too grofs a food. Ihe riversand likes are ftored v/ith vaft quantitiesof mod exquifue COi, particularly a goldentrout, whole belly is of a bright icarlefccolour, as ddeclaLle to the palate as to the .eye. They fuppofe flh to bemore nourifh-ing and eaiier of digeftion than fleOi, forwh>ch reafcm they eat much more of it jbut having no rivers that run into the fea,they want all or that kmd. 'iheir horfes, as I obferved before, arebut finail, but full of mettle and life, andextremely fvvift ; they h-ave a wild afs long-er than the horfc, of ail the colours of the /.

i8o The ADvzKT'JtiEj ofrair.bow, very (Irong and profitable forburden and drudgery ; but their greatcarriages arc drawn by elks ; llie drome-daries are for travelling over the fands.The rivers, at lead in the plain and low-countries, are cut into canals, by which,they carry moll -of their provilion and ef-fcds all over the country. This is only afmall fketch of the nature of the country,becaufe I know thefe matters don't fall un-der the cognifance of your Reverences, fomuch as the account of their religion, mo-rals, cuftoms, laws, and government. YetI rnuft lay that for riches, plenty of alldelicacies of life, manufaciorics, inventionsof arts, and every thing that conduces tomake this mortal frate as happy as is pofli-ble, no country in the known world canparallel it ; though there arc fome incon-veniences, as your Reverences willobiervcas I go on with miy relation. Before 1 com.e to the remaining occur-rences of my own life, in which nothingvery extraordinary happened till I cameavv-ay, unlefs 1 reckon the extraordinaryhappinefs I u-as placed in, as to all thingsmoRof this iife, in one of the deliciousregions of the univerfe, married to the re-gent's daughter, whole f.iclure is therebefore yc u, and the de pio: aule lofs of herwith my only remaini g ion. [Here he\"ould not. refrain iroui weeping for iome tlm.;i,

Sig. Gaudentio di Lune a. iSitime], as well as the prefent ilate to whichI am reduced ;• though I muft own I havereceived more favourable treatment thancould well be expeded : Ì fhall give yourReverences a fucdncl account of their reli-gion, laws, and cuftoms, which are almoftas far out of the common way of thinkingof the reii of the world, as their country. Of their Religion.The religion of thefe people is really ido-latry in the main ; though as limple and; natural as pofiible for Heathens. Ihey in-deed will not acknowledge themfelves to beHeathens, in the fenfe we take the word ;that is, worftiippers of falfe gods*, for theyhave an abhorrence of idolatry in words asv/ell as the Chinefe, but arc idolaters in'•effect, worihipping the material fun, andpaying thofe fuperflitious rites to theirdeceaied anceftors ; of which part of theirreligion your Reverences have had a fullaccount already. Thefe people howeveracknowledge one lupreme God, maker v-iwhomall things, they call £/-[-, or the *i This oplnian ws.s very anc!<*iit, and came originilly from E.^/pi,Wihere Pytlugcras learned it: though perhaps not hking this \r.iy of«ijnploying it, he altcied it quite froni what thefe msn KeJd, \vh'i.;i itt'l'c icfs irrational of the two. Tiiough, wirb S sjijor G:u:dtntio\"s x^ivr,1,1 can never believe, thee wife men teaily held thct opinion, but oi.A-/undcrftood it ailcgorica.'Iy: I mufl- own, at the (ivm« tiice, bine of tiie(ancientJ did hoid th''lbther ir.etemp/j>:]io<ls. t The cM Arabians by A', or perhaps F,i, mean fometli\"ng rery grindj(ftr high, as Al-C.iii, for Grar.d Cair, Alchymy for the highif: chyin:iLy,f\;- . 1 «' ondci Sigu;; ivicdi took no notice of this^n ii.s r.iii arks. Q_ rr.cft

h^ The Advfntuhei of moft high of all. This they fay naturadreafon teaches them from an argument,though good in itfelf, yet formed after adifferent way of arguing from other people:they fay all their own wifdom, or that of^1 the wifeft men in the world put toge-ther, could never form this glorious worldin all its ^aufes and effects, fo juftly adapted to its refpcclive ends, as it is with refpect to every individual fpecies. Therefore the'«uthor of it muft be a being inSnitelywifer than all intellectual beings. As forthe notion of any thing producing itfelfwithout a prior caufe, they laugii at it,jLud alk why we don't fee fuch effe<5ts pro.duced without 2 caufe ? hence they holdone only independent caufe, and that. theremuft be one, or nxJthing could ever be pro-duced. Though they make a god of the(un, they don't fay he is independent asto his own being : but that he received itfrom this El. Some of the wifer fort,when I argued with them, feemed to ac-4tnowledgc the fun to be a material beingcreated by «God ; but others thinjc him tobe a fort of >vicegerent, by whom the EIperforms every thing, as the chief inflru-mental cauf^ of all -productions. This isthe reafon ha they addr^fs all their pray-ers to the fin, though they allow all power5s to be referred originally to theiEl. Ihcjlicn look upon the moon to be a material being,

Sig. GaUUENTTO DI liUCCAr 1(?^being, dependent on the fun but the ;women fecm to make a goddefs of her, byreafon of the influence flie has over thatfex; and foolifhiy think flie brings forthevery month vi^hen flie is at the full, andthat the ftars are hers and the fun's chil-dren. They all of them^ beih men andwomen, reftfatisfied in their belief, with-out any difputes or ftudied notions abouti being fo infinitely above them, thinking,it much better to adore him in the infcru-tability of his effence, in-an humble filence,than to be difputing about what they can-not comprehend; all their fearch is em-ployed in fecond caufcs, and the know-ledge of nature as far as it may be ufeful tomen.\^InquiJttor. I hope you don^t deny butthat fomc men may ha.vc\"wrong noti- on» of the Deity, in which they ought to be fet right by wifer and more learn- ed men than themfelvcs ; by confc- quencc all fearches and difputes about the being and nature of God are not to be conJemned.Gaudentio. No, may it pleafc your Re-verences, for I prefume you only un-derftand me now as representing otherpeople's opinions, not my own, which is entirely conformable to what the Catholic church teaches. I often told the Pophar, to whom I could fpcak my

JiS.j The Adventures ofmy mind with all the freedom in theworld, that as np mortal man couldpretend to tell what belonged to theincomprehenfibility of God's effence,yet our reaxbn obliging us to believehis being; it was neceiTary, by thefame reafon, that we fhould be in-flrucled by himfeif, or fome lawgiverimmediately commiffioned by himjleft we fhould err in fo material apoint. This lawgiver we Chriiliansbelieve he did fend,^ by giving us his;only Sob, who was capable of inftruft*ing UB in what belonged to. the eter-,i;?J. Godhead : that -he -did not only•^ive us the juftefl notions we could^||)oHibly have, but confirmed the truthcf what he faid, by fuch Hgns andwonders as none but one fent fromGr,d could perform..GoInqitifUcr. on;When 1 faid, they addrefs all their pray--€rs, and moR of the external actions o£tfii'ir v.-oriliip to the fun, it is on accountcf their believing l.im to be the phylicalV iiufe of theproduclion of ail, things by his^natural iniluence ; which, though the wiferiort of them, when you came to reafonmore ciofeiy, will gr?-nt to be derived firomcthf KI, and fome of them will own him tobe z mere material being,, moved by aprljr cauie. yet the generality of them doa't

Sii:^. Gaudentio di Lucca. 1C5'don*t reflecl on this ; but are rcully guiltfof idolatry in worfhipping a rcc^retrèauire.Neverthelefs, as to-\"the motai elTct^.j cfthe univerie, or ths free acliors of rccnwith refpe6t. to equity, juiìicev goccims,upri^htngfsj and the like, which they allrvv'to be properly the diity cf r;utional crea-tures, and of much g;rc:^tcr- eonfcquenc-c.than the phyfical' part cf the world : tirs,,I lay, they all refer to t^hc luprerre b^'iK;,vvhofe will it is they faGuld be mcrLÌiìii,[MDod, juft, and cquiiMl to'aUj agrei^'ibh-to'thc juft notions of the all-vvj^ authorof their exi:ience,.whofc fuprenje rc::t^>nbeing incapable of a^iy'in'egiiiar'Liai, jug^^tto be the i^|ttfef his creaturcfi that dependon' him, arra^e in fome>.mea-fure nartikcr.;;of his perfec!icns.< 'They-confirnrthis i\-'-tion by a very proper coiTipariron ; v.o i .;;example, to acl contrary to «the law s ci'nature in phyfical productions, ii^i^o pro'*duce monilrous births, &c. fo to aft con-trary to the ideas of.the iupreme reafon inmudmoral cafbs, be a s'reat deforrrity in • I o\¥n i was charmed with this natur.:!v/ay of reafoning, and aflced them fur:L :r,whether they believed iJie fj.preme- beinp;troubled himfelf about thQ*;^craì p.irt ofthe world, or the ffcc aCitòfìn of mt;^ :'i'hey leerned fi:rpri;ed attììe queition, ar.l.liked. me, whether I thouchr it v.-.-.s p<: f-1 2-

r '> Th c A D VE :; T u £ 5 s of h' ^1..^;.] Irave the i:cblcft part out of his i -'-. r.icmhc took the pains (that was -::-;rciTion) to create the Itaft infcd . ^'-^'i-g to the moil exacl rule* of art i;.à kncnvl^igc, beyond all that the art of nr.-; c.;n ccn:c up to ? I afked them again, V. li at M ere the rules, which it was his willÙ..U free ager.ts, fuch as man for inflance, fbcr,!»! foJlow in the dircLÌion of theiriivc.\" : Tbcy told mc, rcafon, juilice, and.equity, ifl imiiation of the fuprcmc reafonin him ; for, fa^.d* they, can you think theiuprcnic bcii;g can à|(provc of the enor-r.Giir -ifìions conmntttd by men ; or thatany v?le practices c.ìu be according to theji'ii ìJ.l:.ì of his reafpn ; if upt, they muft •' c '.i'.iSmT^j to the beiijight of reafon, not ]y in' 'God, but man, and therjjcfgrc . ..'r-eio he puiiiihcd by thejuft governor I r>-l:fiùt iheie nodons to your Revcren-' ; -^eirtr judgment, but'I thov^ght them '.ry cutrac^Iinary for {ierfcns who hadT .:hif:g bi^he hght of nature to direiflI :'5rn ; it is pity but they had been asii:;t.t in |:hcir more remote inferences as /•;.- v.ere in thefe principles. The fum : rivrore of the theoretical part of their Firit, iliai tlieEi h the fupreme inteliec-tu^l, raiiorll*4,,a«^morx noble of all beings ;that i? is the (fifty cf all intellcclual beings to

Sig. Gaudeijtio di Lucca. iBy to imltiitc the jufi laws of rcafon in; Iiim, othcrwifc they depart from the fu preme.rule of all their a<^ions, unce what is con- trary to the nioft perfect re:ifon in God, mult be contrary to our own, and by con- fcqnencc of a deformity liighly blameabicIn his light ; all their prayers, and what- ever they aik of this iiipreme being, is, that they niay be jufl and good as he is. Secondly, that the fun is tlie chief, at leaftinllnimental caufe of their bodies, and all other phyfical cifecca. Your ilevercncei know better than I cà|| inform you, that thÌ3 is wrong : to him^ they addrefs their prayers for the prefervation of tlielr lives, the fruits of the earth, SiC. Thirdly, that .their parents arc the more immediate inilruinenul caufe of their na- tural teiug, which they d^ùvc partly from the El, and partly from the fun, and they^reverence them the more on this account, as being the vicegerents of both, and be- lieve them to be immortal, as to the fpiri- tuai or .inteilcctuai part, and confequtntly able and ready to aiiift thcrn accqrding to the refpect they fliew them by reverencing their tombs and honourin^thcir ni'ièrnorics. Though, «pon a nicer exa-mination, I found that the fuperftitious worfhip'thcy pay to their decealed anceilors, wa^;;as much a politic as a religious inilit'ut|Bn, bccaufc ihcir government being patriarchal, this inviolable

i8'S The Adventures ofinviolable refpccl they fhew to their ps.^rents radices th^em obey their elders or go-vernors, not only with the mod dutifuli|obfervance, but even v;ith a filial love and -alacrity.:;-There are; fome other points of lefs con-fcquence, and reducible to thefe threeheads, which your Reverences will obfervemyin ti\e, cciirife of relation . As for theiir-inortality of the foiil, rewards *and pa-ni ihrnents in another life, they believe both-,though they have an odd way of explain-ing them. TheyjiJfppòre,; without,, any heiÌLntion, that tJiSfouT is a being inde- pendent of nriatter^^ào its eilence, Iw-ving faculties of tJiinldng, willing, and chufing, whicli mere niat-tr, let it \"be fpurt 'ever|jp*fe) fine, and a^iu^t^d by ULcmn^^cit and the moiJ.fub^Le niotihn, cilc^vcr'be ca*pa-ble of ;'tDut tlieir notion c'fiheir pre-exiil-ènee with the ^1, before they were feni:into bodies, is very confufed. The rewardsand puniGiments in the. next life they be-lieve will c;iiefly' cennfl: in thi^ :. tbat inpròporiicix«^às their actions have 'Weenccn-fbrmable to tlie j,uPl ide5's oi: the fupreinebeing mthis life,* partaking ftill tnore and.-vmoixpf^ his infinite v^'ifdom, fo their fouh '\7ill apprcich ftill ' nearer to the beautifulintelligence cf their divine model in th :^lext. Eut if their actions in this life havebeen incDn£fient widi theJuprertifi. reifon •

Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 189.in God, they fhaU be permitted to go onfor ever in that inconfiftency and diiagree-ment, till they become io monftrouilywicked and enormous, as ta become abo-minable even to themfeives.Qf their opinion concerning the tranfmigratioit of fouls, and the fcience of fhyjiognomy. I found the wifeft of them held theme-tempfychofis, or the tranfmigration o£%fouls not as a punifhment in the nextlife,- as fome of the ancient Heathen philo*fophers did,, but as a pirnifhment in. this ;the chief punilhment in the next was ex-plained above. TMs^; tranfmigration offouls IS quite different from the receivednotion of the word. Inflead of believing^as the ancients did^ that the fouls of wick-ed and voluptuous 5 men» after their deaths,tranfmigrated inta beafts according^ to thefimilitude of their vitlous inclinations, tillj^giaillng through one animal into another,,they were permitted to commence menagain j. I fay, thefe people, infìead of be-Eeving this,- hold, a metempfyehofis ofq^uite a different nature ;: not that the foul»of men. enter into^brutes^ but that the foms•'Thi« notion oftWo tranfmigration- of tSe fouls of brutes into m«u.womenfctrd ini this life, paitdcuiarly into the laiter, was, not unknowButo tl;e ancients, though explained foinething after a different way: wit-acfs a remaining. fra^mtntoC SioionJd», aiTcry ancivBt Gicek pucti t»tàat.easja.. of

i^D The Adventure» or ©f brutes enter into the bodies of menv even in this life. They fay » for example, that the bodies of men and women ari fuch delicate habitations, that the fouls brutes are perpetually envying them, and contrivingj to get into them ; that, unlefs the divine light of rcafon be perpetually attended to, thefc brutal fouls fteal in up- on them, and chain up the rational foul, fo that it Ihall not be able to govern the body, unlefs it be to carry on the defign» of the brutal foul, or- at beft only make fome faint efforts to get out of its flavery. I took it at firft, that this fyftcm was merely allegorical, to fhcw the fimilitude between the paflions of men when not directed by reafon^ and thofc of bratti But, upon; examination, I found it wa»H their opinion, that this tranfmigration did really happen ; infomuch that in my laft journey with the Pophar into Egypt, when he faw the Turks, or other ftrange nationi* nay fcveral Armenian and European Ghrife tian», he would fay to me in his own lan- guage, there goes a hog, there goes a lion, a wolf, a fox, a dog, and the like ; that ais, they believe the body a voluptuoui man is poirclTed by the foul of a hog, of a luftful man by that of a goat, a treacher- ous man by that of a fox, a tyrannical man by that of a wolf, and fo of the reft; This belief i& infUUed into them fo early, and witk

Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. i^twith fo much cire, that it is-of very greatbenefit to keep them within the bounds ufrcAfon. If a ycung man finds himlclf in-clined to any of thtfc pafGons, he addreffe»himfelf immediately to fome pcvion whomhe thinii^ of f.ujcrior wifdom, who affureshim that the ioul of fome certain bratc isendeavouring to furprifc and captivaie hisrational foul, and take poffdlion of itsplace. This makes them always watchful,and upon their guard againil their ov/npaiTions, not to be furprifed by fuch araercilefs enemy. Their immediate reme-dy is, to look fledfaftly at the divine lightthat ihines within them, and compare it/with its original, till by the force of its rays•they drive away thofe brutal fouls, which, as foon as fully difcovcred in their treach-erous attacks, (for they come on, (ay they, by ftcalth, not daring to attack that divineJigkt direftly), are eafiiy repulfed, before they have obtained pofleffion, though itcofts a great deal of pains to diflodge them,*when once they arc got in. .The fear of being abandoned to the flavery of thefe brutal fouls is fo deeply imprinted in themjfrom their infancy, that they look upon the temperance and regularity of their lives to be in a great meafure owing to this doc- trine. 'Ihe fame notions hold with their women; into whom their mothers and.governcffes inftil them, as the wife men do

192 The Adviznttjres ofdo to the men; only they believe the brutalfouls that eilter into women, are of a differ-ent Ipecies froir» tiKjfe that enter into men.They hy, for inftance, that of a cameleonmakes them falfe and inconftant ; that ofa peacock, cequettiih and vain ; that of atyg'refs, cru^l and ill-natured; and fo ofthe reft. They add another difference be-tween men and women, that when thefebrutal fouls are entered into theili, they aremuch harder to be driven out from them,than from the men ; befldes that thefebrutal fouls will lurk undifcovered in wo-Dicn a great while, and arc often fcarcedifcernible, till the age of five and twentyor thirty ; «--hereas in moft men they dif-cover themfclves prefently after their en«tr2ince. It \v?.s on account of this dottrine, as Ifound by repeated obfervations, that theywere fo addicted to the ftudy of phyiiogno-my, laying down rules to know by thecountenance, the lines of the face, and un-guarded looks of men, whether the brutalfoul has got poffefììon or not, in order toapply proper remedies. This fcience, how-ever uncertain and doubtful among Chrif-tians, (who have greater afliftance of graceand virtue to refift' their pafHons, thofctreacherous invaders), is brought to great-er perfection and certitude than one wouldimagine, amor j fuch of tliefe people, who, havintr