ADAM, a famous German traveller, whose real name was Gelschläger, was born in Aschersleben in Prussian Saxony in the year 1600. After finishing his studies at Leipzig he entered the service of Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. There his knowledge of mathematics and geography soon attracted notice. Accordingly, when the duke, intent upon opening a commercial intercourse with India through Russia and Persia, was about to send Crusius, a civilian, and Brugman, a merchant, on two separate embassies to the Russian Czar and the Persian Shah, he appointed Olearius their secretary. The envoys set out on their first embassy in October 1633, and arrived at Moscow in August of the following year. The Czar Michael Fedorowitz approved and countenanced the enterprise of their master; and they returned to Holstein in April 1635. Their second embassy commenced in October of the same year. Having reached Moscow they embarked on the Moskva, passed from the Moskva into the Oka, from the Oka into the Volga, from the Volga into the Caspian, and, coasting along the western shore of that sea, were cast on shore at Derbend. Then they passed overland by the cities of Ardebil, Sultanieh, and Koom, and arrived at Isphahan in August 1637. At the end of a few months the Shah had made up his mind to open a negotiation with the Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, and the envoys turned their faces homewards. On his return, Olearius set himself to write an account of these expeditions, which was published under the title of Beschreibung der Muscovischen und Persischen Reise, folio, Schleswig, 1647. The work gave much judicious and exact information regarding many subjects previously unknown, and it speedily became popular. It was translated into French by Wicquefort in 1727, and into English by Davies in 1662. The fourth edition of the original appeared in Hamburg in 1696, twenty-five years after the author's death. In addition to other works of lesser importance, Olearius was also the author of a chronicle of Holstein, 4to, Schleswig, 1674.