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Through Part of

EUROPE, ASIA MINOR,

The Ilands of the ARCHIPELAGO;

SYRIA,

PALESTINE,

11

EGYPT,

Mount SINAI, &c.

Giving a particular ACCOUNT

Of the most remarkable Places, Structures,
Ruins, Infcriptions, &c. in these Countries.

TOGETHER WITH

The Customs, Manners, Religion, Trade, Commerce,
Tempers, and Manner of Living of the Inhabitants.

BY THE HONOURABLE

J. EGIDIUS VAN EGMONT,
Envoy Extraordinary from the United Provinces to the
Court of Naples; and

JOHN

HEYMAN,

Profeffor of the oriental languages in the univerfity of Leyden.

Tranflated from the Low Dutch.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON,

Printed for L. DAVIS and C. REYMERS, against
Gray's-Inn, Holborn.

Printers to the ROYAL SOCIETY.
MDCCLIX,

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PREFACE.

W

HOEVER attentively perufes our books of voyages and travels, will be abundantly convinced, that every treatife of this kind, written with judgment from the dictates of truth, is productive of great advantages to fociety. How many dif coveries do we owe to thefe laborious obfervers of the operations of nature, and the performances of art! Some of them have applied themselves to determine in the moft accurate manner the latitude and longitude of different places, to obferve the temperature of the air, and the various changes it is fubject to at different feafons of the year. Others have directed their attention to the feveral degrees of heat and cold, the drought and moisture, the density and tenuity, the gravity and levity, the purity and noxious qualities in the air of different countries, and in different seasons; and at the fame time to remark it's changes and variations, and at what times they generally happen. They have alfo carefully obferved what winds a country is moft fubject to; which of them are impregnated with falutary, and which with peftiferous particles: which bring on their wings refreshing showers, and nourish the vegetable productions of the earth; and which waft those terrible armies of locufts, that often intercept, in: their flight, the rays of the fun, and spread defolation over a whole country.

WITH regard to the waters, they have minutely xamined the depth and fáltness of the fea at different places; the various plants that cover it's bottom, and

A 2

the

the astonishing variety of infects and fishes, with which it abounds. They have accurately obferved the fettings and velocities of the currents, with the ordinary. and extraordinary accidents attending the flux and reflux of the fea.

NOR have they omitted to confider the rapidity of the currents of rivers, the remarkable inundations to which fome of them are fubject, and the prodigious fertility they occafion. And at the fame time have made the neceffary obfervations on the various lakes and mineral waters found in different counties, their properties, virtues, and ufes.

AFTER a general furvey of the earth, they have attentively examined the objects that decorate it's furface, and those which are found in it's bowels. The various nature of the foil, and the fingular properties for which each is remarkable. The plants and animals with which it abounds, together with their uses, their virtues, or noxious properties. With regard to each particular country, they have defcribed it's dimenfions, fituation, and boundaries; and the feveral plains, mountains, hills, and valleys, for which it is remarkable. They have measured the height of mountains, observed their directions, pointed out the places where they are eafieft of afcent, and where their precipices render them impaffable. They have carefully obferved the bearings of head lands, roads, and barbours; the dangerous rocks, fands, and fhallows, that project from fome, and the fecure retreat which others offer to the mariner, where his fhip may ride in fafety amidst the violence of the storm.

OTHERS have with attention contemplated the ftupendous ruins of antiquity, which ftill difplay the amazing power and wealth of their founders, notwithstanding they have been defaced by the hand of lawless ambition, and fuperftitious bigotry, and fo long exposed to the corroding teeth of time.

NOR

NOR have the bowels of the mountains escaped the refearches of the curious; they have explored mines which nature feems to have endeavoured to conceal fthe prying eyes of mortals; and have difcovered the fecret recefies where the precious gems, fo highly valued by the rich and powerful, are formed, and acquire thofe exquifite, tincts, and brilliant luftres, which art has to long endeavoured to imitate.

BUT the most general object of enquiry, and which is not indeed attended with fo many difficulties, is the nature of the different inhabitants of the terraqueous globe; their manners, cuftoms, difpofitions, virtues, and vices; their mental and corporeal faculties, exercises, manner of living, education, polity, trade, commerce, the diftempers they are fubject to, and the methods they ufe in curing them.

FOR thefe, and a great variety of other useful difcoveries, and valuable informations, we are obliged to attentive and judicious travellers. Without the lights they have afforded us, we fhould still have been involved in the night of ignorance, like our fore-fathers. We fhould have known nothing of the wonderful structure and conftitution of this earthly globe, which providence has allotted for our habitation: we fhould have been totally ignorant of the religions, laws, and cuftoms, which prevail in different parts of the earth; deprived of all opportunities of improving the faculties of our minds, and confequently without ability to conduct ourselves like rational

creatures.

It is therefore no wonder, that perfons of the greateft learning and wisdom, have, in all ages, been excited to vifit, foreign countries, in order to enquire into the wonderful productions of nature and art, and make themselves acquainted with the customs and manners of the inhabitants. To acquire this they have difregarded fatigue and expence; nay even ha

zarded

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