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degree, made a definition of the thing represented, and it has often a relation to the original history. Some of these have a reference to this mystical number eight, of which I shall give two instances of a very curious nature. They are taken from the letter of that learned Jesuit at " Pekin, who wrote in answer to some queries sent by the Royal Society at London. Le caractere de barque, vaisseau, est composé de la figure de vaisseau, de celle de bouche, et du chiffre huit: ce qui peut faire allusion au nombre des personnes, qui étoient dans l'arche.-On trouve encore les deux caracteres huit, et bouche avec celui d'eau pour exprimer navigation heureuse. Si c'est un hazard, il s'accorde bien avec le fait. The same reference to the number eight is to be observed in the history of Mount Masis, or Ararat. It was called the Mountain Thamanim, or Tshamanim; and there was a town towards the foot of the mountain of the same name, which was supposed to have been built by Noah. Now Thaman is said, in the antient language of the country, to have signified eight, and was analagous to the po, Shaman, of the "Hebrews, which denotes the same num

30 Lettre de Pekin sur le Genie de la Langue Chinoise, &c. A Bruxelles, 1773. p. 32.

3' See Bochart. Geog. Sacra. 1. 1. p. 18.

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ber. Ebn Patricius mentions the Ark resting upon Ararat, and calls the district below the region of the Thamanim. He also mentions the city of the same name; and he says, that it was so called from the eight persons who came out of the Ark. Other writers express it Thamanim, which is a plural from Thaman. Terra Thamanim signifies the region of the eight persons, whose history needs no explanation. It is so rendered. by Elmacini, who speaks of the town, and styles it 33 pagum, quem extruxit Noa, postquam ex Arcâ egressus est: the place which Noah built, after that he came out of the ark. William de Rubruquis, who travelled into Tartary in the year 1253, and returned by Armenia, has a remarkable passage to this purpose. 34 Near the

2 Vol. 1. p. 40. Vocatur autem hodie terra Thamenin. In another place he adds, Cumque egressi essent, urbem extruxerunt, quam Thamanin appellârunt, juxta numerum suum, quasi dicas, Nos Octo sumus. p. 43.

33 L. 1. c. 1. p. 14. Thamininum vel Thsamininum pagum. Περι τα Καρδχια εις κωμην Θαμενων. Agathias. 1. 4.

34 See Purchas. vol. 3. p. 50. but especially the original. Araxi et Naxuanæ duos imminere montes Massis nomine; in quibus Arca resedit: et Cemainum oppidum ab octo illis ibi conditum, qui ab Arcâ exiverunt: idque patere ex ipso nomine, quo octo significatur. Rubruquis. The town of Naxuan is mentioned by Ptolemy. 1. 5. c. 13. and placed upon the Araxes. In the

city Naruan there are mountains called Masis, upon which they say that the Ark of Moses rested. There are two of these mountains, the one greater than the other, and the Araxes runneth at the foot of them. There is also a little town Cemainum, which is by interpretation eight; for they say it was so called from the eight persons who came out of the Ark, and built it. This is plain from the name; for Cemainum signifies eight. They call the mountain the mother of the world. From hence we may perceive, that what this writer renders Cemainum, should rather have been expressed Shemainum, or Shemanum; for it is undoubtedly the same as the Themanim and Thamanim of Elmacini and others, and analogous to the, Shaman of the Hebrews. The town of the Thamanim, or Shamanim, was so called from those eight primæval persons who were said to have founded it. There is reason to think, that it was the same as Naxuan, a very antient city, which is mentioned by Ptolemy, and placed upon the Araxes. The editor of Moses Chorenensis has some curious observations upon the history of this place. 35 This town, which seems to be the

map of D'Anville, it is expressed Nactshevan; and is situated upon the river, at a small distance from Mount Ararat.

35 L. 1. c. 29. p. 71.

Naxuana of Ptolemy, is close upon the plain of Araratia; and held in great regard by the Armenians, who give out, that it is the most antient place in the world, and built immediately after the Deluge by Noah. Galanus, a Roman Presbyter, who wrote an account of the Armenian Church being reconciled to the Church of Rome, tells us, that, according to the natives, the true name is Nachidshevan. By this, they say, is signified

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THE FIRST PLACE OF DESCENT. Hence there can be no doubt, but this is that place in Armenia, of which Josephus takes notice, and says, that by the natives it was called arobarngior, or the place of " descent. In the map of D'Anville it is expressed 38 Nactshevan; and placed at the distance of a few miles to the east of Mount Ararat, in the true region of Har-Men, or Armenia, which retains its name to this day.

I have mentioned, that the same names have been given to different places where the Arkite rites were instituted, under the titles of Baris, Meen, and Selene. Hence the same event was supposed to have happened in different places,

36 I believe that the name related to the history of the Patriarch; but whether the etymology is precisely true, I question. 37 Josephus. Ant. I. 1. c. 3. p. 16.

38

They have a tradition that Noah died here. See Tavernier. 1. 1. c. 4. p. 16.

this

and the like history has been recorded. Mount Taurus extended a great way eastward of Armenia; and one part of it, in the province of Adarbayn, in Persia, is still called Al Baris, similar to the name by which Ararat was of old distinguished. 39 Sir Thomas Herbert travelled way in 1626; and he mentions one peak near the city Tauris remarkably high, which he with great reason imagines to have been one of those where stood the Iäsonea, mentioned by Strabo. This hill was called 40 Da Moan; and the town at the foot of it had the same name. By this, according to the natives, is signified a second plantation. But Mon and Moan was the name of the Arkite type, as I have abundantly shewn and Da was the antient "Chaldaic particle analagous to the in our language. Da Maon related to the Arkite Moon: and the history of the place still evidences the fact; for they have an antient tradition, that the Ark was driven to this mountain.

39 He calls the ridge of Taurus El Bors, p. 197. This is a variation of El Baris. Taurus is expressed by the natives Tabaris: from whence we may infer, that the former term is only a contraction of the latter; and that from Tabaris and Tavaris came the names of Tauris and Taurus, both the city and mountain. Har Ta-Baris is the mountain of the Ark.

4° P. 201.

See of this work vol. iii. p. 318.

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