Naruana 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 16 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 anabarngion, or the place of" descent. In the map of D'Anville it is expressed 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. "Josephus. Ant. 1. 1. c. 3. p. 16.

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

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 this 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 4° 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.

4o° P. 201.

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

1

"They spare not to aver, says the author, from a tradition, that upon this mountain of Damoan the Ark rested. Hard by is a village named Morante, where they suppose the wife of

Noah to have however inac

died. I mention these accounts, curately transmitted, to shew how universal the history was of that great event, of which I have been treating. The scene of action was attribu ted to different places; but the real appulse of the ark was upon the mountain of Arat, called Ar-arat, in the province of Har-Men, upon the river Arach, or Araxes.

He af

After the sacred writer has described the preservation of Noah and his family, and their descent from the Ark, he gives a short history of the Patriarch, and mentions his residence upon the spot, and his planting of the vine. terwards proceeds to shew how the reparation of mankind was effected in that family, and how they multiplied upon the earth. When they were greatly increased, he gives a list of their generations, and describes them with great accuracy upon their separating, according to their places of destination: and concludes with telling us,

"Herbert's Travels. p. 201. The mountain Da Moan sig iLes Mons Lunus, or Lunaris.

trea

45 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations. And again, 4 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations; and by these were the nations divided in the earth, after the flood. I have spoken upon this subject in a former 47 tise; and have shewn that this distribution was by the immediate appointment of God. We have full evidence of this in that sublime and pathetic hymn of Moses, where he addresses himself to the people whom he had so long conducted, and was now going to leave for ever. 48 Remember, says he, the days of old; consider the years of many generations. Ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee. When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance; when he separated the sons of Adam ; he set the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel: for the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. By this we may see, that the whole was by God's appointment; and that there was a re

45 Genesis. c. 10. v. 5.

46 Ibid. c. 10. v. 32.

47 Observations and Inquiries relating to various parts of Artient History, vol. vi. p. 285.1

48 Deuteron. c. 32. v. 7.

serve for a people who were to come after. St. Paul likewise speaks of it expressly as a divine ordinance. 49 Εποίησε τε (ὁ Θεος) εξ ένος αίματος παν εθνος ανθρωπων κατοικείν επι παν το προσωπον της γης, ὁρισας προτεταγμένες καιρες, και τας ὁροθεσίας της και τοικίας αυτών. God made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation. This is taken notice of by many of the fathers. Eusebius in particular mentions 5° the distribution of the earth: and adds, that it happened in the two thousand six hundred and seventy-second year of the creation, and in the nine hundred and thirtieth year of the Patriarch's life. Then it was that Noah, by divine appointment, divided the world between his three sons. The like is to be found in " Syncellus, Epiphanius, and other writers. The Grecians had some traditions of this partition of the earth, which they supposed to have been by lot, and between Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto.

52

49 Acts. c. 17. v. 26.

30 Μερισμος της γης. Τῳ Βφοβ ετεί το κοσμο ενακοσιοςῳ τριακοσιοςῳ ετει το Νωε, κατα θειον δηλονότι χρησμον εμέρισε Νωε τοις τρισιν ύτοις

αυτή την γην. Euseb. Chron. p. 10.

33

3 Syncellus. p. 89.