I might tell you that _Marcus Paulus Venetus_[28] (whose
suppos'd Fables, divers of our later Travellours and Navigatours have since
found to be truths) speaking of the King of _Zeilan_ that then was, tells
us, that he was said to have the best Rubie in the World, a Palm long and
as big as a mans Arm, without spot, shining like a Fire, and he subjoyns,
that the Great _Cham_, under whom _Paulus_ was a considerable Officer, sent
and offer'd the value of a City for it; But the King answer'd, he would not
give it for the treasure of the World, nor part with it, having been his
Ancestours. And I could add, that in the Relation made by two _Russian_
Cossacks of their Journey into _Catay_[29], written to their Emperour, they
mention'd their having been told by the people of those parts, that their
King had a Stone, which Lights as the Sun both Day and Night, call'd in
their Language _Sarra_, which those Cossacks interpret a Ruby. But these
Relations are too uncertain for me to build any thing upon, and therefore I
shall proceed to tell you, that there came hither about two years since out
of _America_, the Governour of one of the Principal Colonies there, an
Ancient _Virtuoso_, and one that has the Honour to be a member of the Royal
Society; this Gentleman finding some of the chief Affairs of his Country
committed to another and me, made me divers Visits, and in one of them when
I enquir'd what Rare Stones they had in those parts of the _Indies_ he
belong'd to, he told me, that the _Indians_ had a Tradition that in a
certain hardly accessible Hill, a pretty way up in the Country, there was a
Stone which in the Night time shin'd very vividly, and to a great distance,
and he assur'd me, that though he thought it not fit to venture himself so
far among those Savages, yet he purposely sent thither a bold _Englishman_,
with some Natives to be his guides, and that this Messenger brought him
back word, that at a distance from the Hillock he had plainly perceiv'd
such a shining Substance as the _Indians_ Tradition mention'd, and being
stimulated by Curiosity, had slighted those Superstitious Fears of the
Inhabitants, and with much ado by reason of the Difficulty of the way, had
made a shift to clamber up to that part of the Hill, where, by a very
heedful Observation, he suppos'd himself to have seen the Light: but
whether 'twere that he had mistaken the place, or for some other Reason, he
could not find it there, though when he was return'd to his former Station,
he did agen see the Light shining in the same place where it shone before.
Pages:
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357