The New atlas, or, Travels and voyages in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, thro' the most renowned parts of the world ... performed by an English gentleman, in nine years travel and voyages, more exact than ever.

CHAP. VI. Travels and Voyages to Alexandria in Aegypt; with many things remarkable in the way, &c.

THUS having taken a view of Constantinople, with the places about it; the Religion, Man∣ners, Customs, &c. of the Turks, I could not, how∣ever, rest satisfied, my curiosity now abroad, lead∣ing me on to visit remoter Countries; wherefore, I set forward for Bursa, the Ancient Prusea, formerly the Capital City of the Turkish Empire, taken from the Caramanian King, by Orcham, or Ʋreham, Son of Othoman, in his Father's Life time. It was likewise the Ancient Seat of the Kings of Bythinia. In order to this, I went on Board at Tophana, and was transported to Montagua, but making no stay in such an inconsiderable place, I took Horse, and rid to Bursa, 13 Miles from it; this City is not above 10 Miles distant from Mount Olimpus: It is plea∣santly Scituated, and well Watered by Aquaducts; it consists of many fair Buildings, and they reckon about 200 fine Mosques. There, in little Cha∣pels covered with Domes, lie Buried the first Turkish

Sultans, and French Sultana, in great State. The City is about half a French League in length but not Walled in all parts; and upon a little Hill in the middle of it, is a little Castle, found to be built by a Maiden Princess, who was cured of a Lepro∣sie by the Hot Waters; for as a wonder in Nature, there runs a Rivulet of Hot Water, almost scalding those that step into it at first; and there one sees the Tomb of Roland, or Orland, a very Valiant Man, who defended the City against all Assaults his Sword, Mace, and other warlike Habiliaments hang by it; but this Tomb stands on a Hill, in a little Chapel, where usually a Turkish Hermit Lives.

From this place I set forward to Smyrna, and ar∣rived there by several Stages, finding nothing in the way memorable. Smyrna is about 8 days Jour∣ney of a Caravan from Bursa; It is a noted Town of Jonia; they say it was first Founded by Tantulus, and since called Smyrna, by an Amazon of that Name, who Conquered it; it has been subject to Earthquakes, and felt the dire effects of them, by being reduced to a heap of Rubbish; and after that built by Mark Anthony, nearer to the Sea than at first it stood; the People boast that Homer was Born there; the Turks at present call it Ismyr. This Ci∣ty, Anciently one of the Seven Churches of Asia, to whom St. John was commanded to Write, is ve∣ry well Peopled, and Defended by a Castle, but it is not strong; there is a huge Cistern cut out of a Rock, and the Amphitheatre, where St. Policarp suf∣fered Martyrdom. There is another Castle nearer the Sea, and on the Gate, the Arms of the Church of Rome, supposed to be erected by the Genoese, who once were Masters of the City, and all the Coast. This Castle shuts the Port, which is but little, so that the Stranger Trading Ships ride at Anchor a∣broad, in the Road, which is good and spacious. There is another Castle at the Mouth of the Road, commanding the Ships that enter, and go out, for the Custom here is very considerable to the Grand

Signior, most European Traders having Consuls there. The Country about it is Spacious, Plea∣sant, and Fruitful; Oyl, and a pleasant sort of Wine, called Smyrna Wine, in abundance. The Air is Temperate, for in the Heat of Summer the Northern Breezes blow, and cool all the Region a∣bout it.

After I had tarried here 8 Days, I found a Ves∣sel bound for Alexandria in Aegypt: I had read much of that anciently Famed Country, which enticed me to lay hold on the opportunity of being an Eye-Witness, of what had been almost every where spoke of it, so embarked with my Baggage, and in two Days came to an Anchor in the Port, or Road of Chio, a very fine Island, mostly inhabited by Greeks: There grows abundance of Mastick Trees, which yield the Owners-great advantage; they grow crooked, like a Vine, and being cut, the Gum, called Mastick, at a certain Season, flows from them, and is the best that is to be found. The Christians, both Greeks and Latins, have their free Liberty to exercise their Religion, so that there are a great many Religious Houses, and they enjoy greater Priviledges, than any within the Turkish Dominions, for here they have Bells in some Mo∣nasteries, and elsewhere they are not allowed, par∣ticularly at Niamoni. The Villages stand here ve∣ry thick, and the Inhabitants are numerous; but the Ship coming to Anchor here, only by reason of bad Weather, I had time to take but a slight View e'er I Sailed again; and passing many other Islands, as Samas, Nicaria, &c. in the former of these, in the Night, I saw a light near the Sea, rising and falling, as big as a large Candle, which the Patron of the Vessel, who was a Greek, told me, always appeared in the Ruins of a Christian Church, but as any Man approached it, it vanished, or remov∣ed further from them, which made me conclude, it was an Ignis fatuis, rising from the Unctuous Vapours, and kindled by Agitation. These Islands are now Poor, and of no great Note, though Anciently ve∣ry

Famous. I shall pass over other that appeared on Star, and Larboard, and sometimes a Head of us; we Sailed near some in great danger, by reason of the bad Weather, and Rocks that jutted out in the shallowness of the Sea near them, the Winds shift∣ing, and the Waves running high; but after all, at Sun rising, a gentle Gale blowing from the South, we spread our Sails, and cleared our Vessel of a dangerous Streight, between some Rocks and Islands, that we were fallen in with; and about Evening, shifting to the North West, we stood a∣way South and by East, so that next Morning we made the Island of Rhodes, and about Noon came to an Anchor in a good Harbour, to recruit our selves with Provisions, for the Storms we met with spoil∣ed most we brought with us, the Waves frequent∣ly rowling over the wast of our small Vessel, du∣ring that Violence, so that a great deal of Water enter'd her, and all Hands were at the Pump Night and Day.

This noted Island has Lycia to the North, a Sea 20 Miles over, separating them. To the East, Cy∣prus; to the West, Candie; and to the South, Aegypt; it lies in a temperate Climate, and is in Circuit a∣bout 100 Miles; few Clouds are ever seen over it; it is very Fruitful, and the Turks strugled long before they could be entire Masters of it, which happen∣ed in the Reign of Solyman the Magnificent; for the City that gave the Name to this Island, was then taken, at the Expence of 150000 Turks, from the great Master, and Renowned Knights, Hospitallers, who Immortallized their Fame, in defending it to the last extremity. This City has two commodi∣ous Harbours, did not the great one lie so open to the East, and North-East Winds, that sometimes drive Ships from their Anchors, The Turks have built a strong new Tower in the place of the old one, to command the Entrance, and Centinels are placed in Turrets, to give Notice of the approach of Ships. It has a Bastion and Curtain, that reaches to the Town, so that it makes one side of the Port,

and there is an Old Castle over-against it: Over this Port formerly stood a Huge Collossus of Brass, one of the Wonders of the World, for it stood strad∣ling 50 Fathom, one Foot from another, and 70 Cubits high, so that Ships under Sail passed under it; it represented the Sun, and was cast by Chares the Lydian: In one Hand it held a Light-House, to di∣rect Ships in, in dark Nights; but it was thrown down by an Earthquake, and being broken by the Sarasens, when they Conquered Rhodes; they sold it to a Jew, who loaded 900 Camels with the Me∣tal for Alexandria, and now the Tower and Castle I mentioned, are built where the Feet of it stood. There are many Ancient Monuments remaining in this City; as the Statue of St. Paul, and divers o∣thers of Note. The Escutcheons of Christian Princes, and the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. The Building is Regular, and the Streets pretty Fair. But now the Wind serving, I was constrained to end my Observation here, and return on Board; we set Sail with a North-west Wind, and soon left Lindo a-stern, being a little Rock at the point of the Island of Rhodes, 20 Lea∣gues from the City, and on it there is a small Town, with a very good Fort. The next that appeared was Scarpanto, 17 Leagues distant from Lindo, leav∣ing it to the Starboard, we enter'd the Gulf of Sa∣ta••ia, where, for a considerable time Sailing, we had a Rowling Sea, the Current there setting with Ed∣dies, and it is many times dangerous passing, for Ships are often cast away there; and here we were encompassed with many flashes of Lightning, that glancing on the Waters, made the Sea seem as on Fire, looking very terrible; and I plainly perceived the Master of the Ship was at a loss to stand in with the Coast, so that it growing somewhat Calm, we made little way that Night.

The Morning proving Fair, the Man sent up to discover, could, however, see no Land, but the whiteishness of the Water made the Sailors con∣clude, we must be near the Land of Aegypt, which

is the only Mark at a great distance, that can be ob∣served, the Land lying so low, that it is not made till a Ship is in a manner upon it.

This whiteness is occasioned by the River Nile, that carries it a great way into the Sea, and at this distance from the Coast, we had many Flurreys, ac∣companied with great Showers of Rain, but they were in a little time over, and the Wind coming about North-west, we tacked, and sent up again to discover, but no Land appearing, we kept sail∣ing South and South-west; but fearing to lose the Windward of Alexandria, we stood East and by South, but finding that a mistake, we tacked about that we might get nearer to the Land, from which we knew we could not be far distant, and held on the same Course, till we found our selves obliged to Tack, and bear away South-west; here we saw the Moon rise Ecclipsed, half an hour after Sun-set, which was not visible in England, Holland, France, &c. because there, according to the Almanacks, the Ecclips, was to happen at 3 in the Afternoon, Feb. 11. and the next Day we percieved the Sea very white about us, and the Man that looked out cryed Land; some thought it to be Damiette, and others Bouquer; but in the mean time, that we might not Sail to Leeward, we continued our Course South-west, and in a few Hours we Tacked and stood North-east; and about a quarter of an hour after the Wind turning North-west, we bore away South and South-west, and in conclusion we made the Bouquer, and a little after the Farillon, or Light-House of Alexandria, and at 3 of the Clock in the Afternoon the same day, we entered the Haven by the South. One thing I found remarkable in ap∣proaching Land, from Damiette to Rossetto, between the two Branches of the Nile, that from 40 Fathom Water, it lessens every Mile till you come to Land. Aegypt is bounded on the East with the Red Sea, on the South with Asia, on the West with Cyrene, and on the North with the Mediterranean Sea.