2 95 .

Hamilton’s account of the east indies.

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athwart crofs-ways their bottoms to keep them open. They are alfo daubed on theoutfide and bottom with bitumen. And this fort they make ufe of to tranfportgoods from place to place. Bitumen is a thick fulphurous and un&ious matter, ge-nerated in the earth there, and boils up of its own accord to the furface ; and forne-times it is fo hot, that it fcalds the hands or feet of them that go to gather it. And thereare fome hot pits in the ground, that putting a pot over them, they’ll b'oil meat. Thereis alfo oil of Peter in thofe grounds, which is very good in healing rheumatick pains..

Chap. IX.— Gives a Defcription of the Sea-coajl of Perfia , from Euphrates to Gombroon ,with the Places of Qommerce on the Perfian Side of the Gidf.

THEY have a tradition, that between Baffora and Comera was Job’s habitation, ifhe had any ; but that is out of my fphere, and fo I’ll travel down the Euphrates againtowards Perfia.

For above 20 leagues to the eaftward of the channel for feipping, or from Marganpoint, the land is very low and marifh, and is overgrown with reeds and ftrubs, which,in the month of Auguft, are very dry by the extreme heats of June and July and thewinds blowing frefh, put them in fo great agitation, that by friction they take fire , fothat before we fee any land, we fee great finokes by day, and great fires by night,of 4 or 5 leagues long. But at Durea, which I take to be the eaftermoft branch ofthe river, the land is pretty high, and fome date trees to be feen from the fea. Andthe firft mountains that appear in Perfia, are thofe of Bander-dillon, which is a largetown on the fea-coaft. It has large plains near it, that produce plenty of wheat andbarley, and have good pafturage for horfes and cattle. As alfo does Bander-rick,another fea-port town, and may be.feen plainly from the fea; but the bay is lhallowfe far off, that a {hip cannot come within three leagues of it; however it has prettygood inland trade, by reafon of its vicinity to Shyrafe, the fecond town in Perfia formagnitude, from whence it is but fix days journey for beafts of carriage.

Bowchier is alfo a maritime town, about 12 leagues to the fouthward of Bander rick,.It Hands on an ifland, and has a pretty good trade, both by fea and land.

The iflands of Carrack ly, about weft north-weft, 12 leagues from Bowchier. Oneof them has no inhabitants but deer and antelopes. The fouthermoft has between 20aand 300 poor filhers on it, who ferve Hupping with pilots for Baffora. It affordsgood mutton and fife, potatoes and onions, with good water. The anchoring-place isat the north end of the inhabited ifland, in 12 fathoms water. Their language is•Arabick, and religion Mahometan.

About 7 leagues to the fouthward of Bowchier, on the fea-coaft is Curchoir, whereare the ruins of a large caftle and pier that jets a pretty way into the fea. They werebuilt by the Portugueze, who kept a garrifon there, and had gallies continually cruiz-ln g about in the bottom of the gulf, to compel all {hips that traded there, or to Baf-f°fa, to pay 10 per cent, toll or cuftoms to them. There is nothing elfe to invite ob-fervation for travellers, from Courchoir to Congoun, which is about 30 leagues, buthigh, dry, barren mountains, and hideous precipices.

C.ongoun Hands on the fouth fide of a large river, and makes a pretty good figurem trade ; for moft of the pearls that are caught at Bareen, on the Arabian fide, arebrought hither for a market, and many fine horfes are fent thence to India , where theygenerally fell well. And four days journey within land, is the city of Laar, which,according to their fabulous tradition, is the burying-place of Lot, and they pretend to

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