Empires, and the end of the World. They have no Genius for Sea-Voyages, and consequently are very Raw and Unexperienc'd in the Art of Navigation, scarce venturing to Sail out of Sight of Land. I speak of the natural _Turks_, who Trade either into the _Black Sea_, or some part of the _Morea_, or between _Constantinople_ and _Alexandria_; and not of the Pyrats of _Barbary_, who are for the most part Renegado's, and learn'd their Skill in Christendom, which they exercise so much to the Terror and Damage of it. A _Turkish_ Compass consists but of eight Points, the four Cardinal and four Collateral; they being at a mighty Loss how to Sail by a side Wind, when by hauling their Sails sharp, they might lie their Course, and much more, when they are in the Winds Eye, not knowing how to make Tacks and Bords, but choose rather to make hast into some Neighbouring Port, 'till the Wind blows fair. An _English_ and _Turkish_ Vessel both bound for the Bay of _Saloniki_, at the time of the Grand Signior's being there, past together out of the _Hellespont_; but foul Weather happening, the _Turks_ got into _Lemnos_; while our Men kept at Sea and pursued their Voyage, and after three Weeks stay, returned back to us, observing in their way, that the _Turks_ remained in the same place where they left them, for want of a Fore-Wind to put to Sea in. They trouble not themselves with reading the Histories of other Nations or of antient times, much less with the Study of _Chronology_, without which, History is very lame and imperfect; which is the cause of those ridiculous and childish Mistakes, which pass current and uncontradicted among them. For instance, they make _Job_ one of _Solomon_'s Judges and (_Iscander_) _Alexander_ the great Captain General of his Army. They number _Philip_ of _Macedon_ among the Ancestors of our _Blessed Saviour_, and believe that _Sampson_, _Jonas_, and St. _George_ were his Contemporaries. In this they are more excusable then their false Prophet _Mahomet_, who in his _Alcoran_ has perverted several Historical Notices in the Writings of the Old Testament, and is guilty of vile and absurd Pseudo-chronismes. To remedy this defect, of which he was very conscious, and the better to understand the States of _Christendom_, and the particular Kingdoms and Republicks of it, the late Great and Wise _Vizir_, _Achmet_, made his Interpreter _Panagiotti_, a Learned _Greek_, at leisure Hours, even at the Siege of _Candia_, as well as at other times, read several ancient Histories to him, and render them _Ex-tempore_ into the _Turkish_ Language, and particularly _Blaeus Atlas_, with which he was mightily pleased, and made great use of, and truly gained the Reputation of a solid and judicious States-man, as well as Souldier among the _Christian_ Ministers, who in the ordinary course of their Negotiations apply'd themselves to him.