A new description of the world, or, A compendious treatise of the empires, kingdoms, states, provinces, countries, islands, cities, and towns of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America in their scituation, product, manufactures, and commodities, geographical and historical : with an account of the natures of the people in their habits, customes, warrs, religions, and policies &c. : as also of the rarities, wonders, and curiosities of fishes, beasts, birds, rivers, mountains, plants, &c., with several remarkable revolutions and delightful histories / faithfully collected from the best authors by S. Clark.

Persia Described.

PERSIA has for its Eastern boundard India; for the Western Media, Assyria, and Chaldaea; the Northern Tartary; and the Southern the main Ocean; so named, (if you will credit the Story) from Perseus, Son to Jupiter and Danae; though rather from Persis a small Province; or part of the Coun∣try which took its name from one of their Kings: and the whole Region of Persia, is found to extend from 82 degrees of Longitude, to 120. 36 degrees in all, and in bredth from 32 degrees North Lati∣tude to 42, scituate under the fourth, fifth, and sixth Climates; so that the longest day in the Southern parts, is 13 hours and almost three quar∣ters but in the most Northern 15 and a quarter; the Air for the most part pure and wholsom, though the Earth by reason of the great heat of the Sun, is dry, and sandy in many parts, and destitute of water; having few Rivers, and not many Lakes; how∣ever taking the Country in general, it abounds with all things necessary, and may properly be divid∣ed into 12 Provinces, viz. Susiana, Persis, Car∣mania, Ormus, Gedrosia, Drangiana, Aria, Parthia, Arachosia, Paropamisus, Hyrcania, and Margiana; and held to be one of the Antientest Kingdoms of the East; the people as the Chaldaeans, giving themselves up to the Study of Astrology; and as to their Religion, its the Sect of Haly, differing in many things, from the Tenets of the Impostor Maho∣met; tho amongst them are many Christians and more

Jews; and the chief Rivers that visit Persia, are Araxis, some windings of Euphrates and Tigris; and here are found Mount Taurus, the Seriphian Hills, and some others of less note: And has for the most material Cities, Persopolis, Aracca, Tarsiana, and others; the Country affording Dates, Myrrh, Drugs, Spices, Mines of Silver, Brass, Quarries of of Marble, Cedar-wood, and rich Manufactures of Silks, and Embroideries of Silver and Gold, and has been much traded to, by the European Mer∣chants, especially the Island of Ormus; accounted the most fruitful in the World; so that those who have compared the World to a Ring, have allowed this to be the Jewel, that ought to be set in it; for the Portugals upon their first coming hi∣ther, so much inriched themselves, that they easily commanded the whole Trade of Eu∣rope.

As for the Persians, they are generally good natur∣ed, courteous to Strangers, exceeding obedient to their Prince, whom they in a manner Idolize; they are tall of Stature, well Limbed, and for the most part handsome (especially the Women) Pati∣ent of Labour, yet through the Plenty of the Coun∣try much given to Luxury, Valiant in Fighting, as well the Women as the Men, who accompany their Husbands to the War in disguise, and frequently die Fighting by their sides, as appeared by the great number of them found upon the stripping of the Slain in many Battles fought between them and the Turks. And within this Jurisdiction we may include Bactria, lying West of Margiana, watered by the River Oxus, so that it is partly Fruitful, and partly Barren and Desert, possessed by a rough and untractable People, and has many Woods and For∣rests full of wild Beasts, which renders the Passage dangerous to Travellers, and has its Name from Bactria the Metropolitan City, Seated at the Foot

of the Mountain Sogdij, and is now in Subjection to the Persians.