THE HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, BOTANY, ANTIQUITIES, &c.

OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE WORK.

BY

THE REV. SAMUEL LEE, B.D.

D. D. of the University of Halle; Honorary Member of the Asiatic Society of Paris, Honorary Associate of the Royal
Society of Literature; Member of the Oriental Translation Committee, and of the Royal Asiatic Society of
Great Britian and Ireland; Fellow of the Cambridge Philosophical Society; and
Professor of Arabic in the University of Cambridge.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR THE ORIENTAL TRANSLATION COMMITTEE,

AND SOLD BY

J. MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET; PARBURY, ALLEN, & CO., LEADENHALL STREET;
AND HOWELL & STEWART, HOLBORN.

1829.

ΤΟ

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL FITZCLARENCE,

FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON,

HONORARY MEMBER OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF CALCUTTA,

MEMBER OF THE ASIATIC SOCIETY OF PARIS,

MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LITERATURE,

A VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND,

AND

TREASURER OF THE FUND APPROPRIATED TO THE TRANSLATION OF ORIENTAL WORKS BY THE COMMITTEE OF TRANSLATION ATTACHED

TO THAT BODY.

DEAR SIR:

I think myself fortunate in having it in my power to dedicate to you the first-fruits of an Institution, which owes its origin and efficiency almost entirely to your exertions : and, as my author traversed and described many parts of the East, of which you, nearly five hundred years after his time, have given so many interesting and confirmatory accounts, this will constitute an additional reason for doing so.

The principal motive, however, which has induced me to inscribe this work to your name has been, the consideration of public utility. No one, perhaps, can better estimate than yourself the duty incumbent on this country to possess an accurate knowledge of the history, geography, commerce, manners, customs, and religious opinions of the East. Placed as we are in the proud situation of legislating to perhaps its richest