Volume 1

A collection of voyages and travels, some now first printed from original manuscripts, others now first published in English. To which is prefixed, an introductory discourse (supposed to be written by the celebrated Mr. Locke) intitled, the whole history of navigation from its original to this time / Illustrated with maps and cuts, curiously engraved.

  • Awnsham Churchill
Date:
1744-1746
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A collection of voyages and travels, some now first printed from original manuscripts, others now first published in English. To which is prefixed, an introductory discourse (supposed to be written by the celebrated Mr. Locke) intitled, the whole history of navigation from its original to this time / Illustrated with maps and cuts, curiously engraved. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    were not thoroughly difeovered even in the from that enterprise, they being altogether time of the Roman greatnefs. However, ignorant, and we may fay incapable of no doubt is to be made but that they foiled coming a\va'y north, which was acciden- very far both ways, and might perhaps tally found out many years after the difeo- add fomething of their own invention, to very of the Weft-Indies. The Greeks, though occafionally men- Greeks, tioned before them, were the next in order to the Phoenicians in maritime affairs, and learned the art of them. They not only ✓ gain the more reputation to their under¬ takings. Nor were they confined to the Solomon’s Mediterranean and weft ward ocean, it was Fleets lent t]iey that condu&ed Solomon's fleets to Ophir; to Ophir. an(j we reaj jn j Ting5 ix. 27. that Hiram equalled their mafters in this art, but foon K‘iramof (who was king of Tyre, and confequently excelled them, and gave them feveral no- Tyre, his men Phoenicians fent in the navy his fer- table overthrows on their own element ; iKingsix-vantSy fhipmen that had knowledge of the fta. for we often find them, though much in- 27-_. And again, chap. x. ver. n. And navy alfo ferior in numbers, gaining glorious vido- 1 Kings x. ^ j_j[ram tfoat yought Gold from Ophir. ries over the Perfians, whofe fleets were all Thus we fee the Phoenicians traded to Ophir managed by Phoenicians. One inftance or before king Solomon, and for him. To two may ferve for all ; the firft is the fa- enter into the controverfy where this Ophir mous battle of Salamis, where the confede- was, is not proper for this place, but the rate Greeks, whofe whole force confifted moft probable opinions conclude it to be but of three hundred and eighty fhips, fome part of the Eaft-Indies, and indeed defeated thirteen hundred of the Perfians, there is not the leaft ftiew of reafon to place with inconfiderable lofs to themfelves, it elfewhere. How they performed thefe and incredible to their enemies; as may long voyages without the help of the com- be feen in Plutarch's lives of Thcmiftoclcs Plut. in vie, pafs, or magnetical needle, would be an- and Ariftides, in Hiod. Sic. lib. XI. Herod, rhemift.^ other no lefs difficult inquiry, confidering lib. VII, and VIII. and others. Again, they could not always foil by day, and lie the Athenian fleet commanded by Cimon y^ ,, by at night, or continually keep within lorded it along the coafts of Afta, where Herod, lib; fight of land, whence tempefts at leaft clofely purfuing the Perfian admiral Ti- 8 and 9. would often drive them into the open fea; trauftes, he obliged him to run his fhips but this is eafily folved by all authors, aground, of which he took two hundred, who with one confent inform us, that they befides all that periffied on the fhore. And were diredted by the courfe of the fun in not fo fotisfied, Cimon proceeded to Hy- the day, and by the ftars at night. And drope, where he deftroyed feventy fail, in this knowledge of the heavens the Phot- which were the peculiar lquadron of the nicians exceeded all other nations, as may Phoenicians ; for which particulars fee Thu- Thucyd. Pliny, lib. be gathered from Pliny, lib. 5. c. 12, and cydid. lib. I. cap. 11, and 12. Plutarch in1'b-I- caP- 5. cap. 12 19. where he fhews that mankind is obliged vit. Cimon. and Diod. Sic. lib. XII. Thefe pi^nyfc'. and 19. to the Phoenicians for five things of the victories were the bane of Greece, which cimon. greateft ufe, viz. Letters, the knowledge growing rich with the fpoils of the Perfians Died. Sic. of the ftars, the art of navigation, mili- fell into thofe vices it had before been ,2, tary difeipline, and the building of many ftranger to, and which broke that union towns. By this their knowledge of the which had preferved it againft the common ftars they recovered themfelves when loft in enemy. Hence followed the war betwixt foul weather, and knew how to fhape their the Athenians and Lacedemonians, and feve- courfe acrofs fpacious gulpits, and bays, ral others, where thofe little ftates confe- which would have fpent them much time derating one againft another fee out many in coafting round. However it muft not numerous fleets, and ftrove for the fove- hence be inferred that they were capable of reignty of the fea, till having fufficiendy traverfing the vaft ocean betwixt Europe weakened themfelves they at length became and America, as fome would endeavour to a prey to others. Yet during their flou- make out ; becaufe it is well known that riffling times, and even in adverfity, when voyage even with the help of the compafs driven from home by difofters, they never was at firft thought impracticable, and ceafed fending out colonies upon all the when difeovered, for fome time proved coafts of the Mediterranean, and particu- very difficult and dangerous, till time and larly of A fa, Spain, France, Italy and Si- experience had made it more familiar. The icily. In all which countries they fo for ex- very reafon alledged for the poffibility of tended their empire, that it would fill a vo- their foiling to the Weft-Indies, which is lume to give but an indifferent account of the certainty of the trade-winds blowing them. Yet under Alexander the Great, the Alexander always at eaft within the tropicks, makes founder of the Grecian empire, there are the Great, againft them, becaufe had thofe winds car- fome things io Angular drat they well de- ried them thither, the vaft difficulty in re- ferve a place here. That thefe latter ages turning the fome way would deter them may not boaft of the invention of firefhips, we