30 feet wide, and passes through or near 41 large cities. It has 75 large sluices to keep up the water, besides several thousand bridges.

Lakes. There are several large lakes in China, well stored with fish, the chief support of the neighboring inhabitants.

Soil and Productions. In several of the provinces, the and yields two crops a year; yet, though the husbandman cultivates it with such care, as not to lose the smallest portion of ground, China has often been desolated by famine. Its numerous mountains (which are chiefly in the north and west parts of that empire) contain mines of iron, tin, copper, quicksilver, gold, and silver; but those of gold and silver are not permitted to be opened; the emperors having always feared, that if the people should be exposed to the temptation of these artificial riches, they would be induced to neglect the more useful labors of agriculture. Quarries of marble, coal mines, lapis lazuli, and rock crystals, are abundant in China. They have potter's earth too, of such various and superior kinds, that their celebrated fine porcelain will ever remain unrivalled.

Besides the fruit peculiar to the country, China produces the greater part of those of Europe. Among the trees peculiar to China, is the tallow tree, the fruit of which has all the properties of tallow; the wax tree; the tsichu, or varnish tree; the iron wood, which is so hard and heavy, that it sinks in water, and the anchors of the Chinese ships of war are made of it; the camphire tree ; the bamboo reeds, the tea tree, &c.

Civil and Political History. Learning, with the arts and sciences in general, are much cultivated, in this country. The government is absolute, and the emperor has the privilege of naming his successor, but the chief mandarin has permission to tell him of his faults. He looks upon bis subjects as his children, and professes to govern them with paternal affection. In the garden of one of his palaces is a temple, in which is a magnificent throne. On this the emperor sits at certain times, to hear and determine causes. Such is the virtue of this seat, that it is believed, that on the justice or injustice of his decrees, his life or immediate death depends.

Their empire is very ancient, and they pretend that it existed many thousand years before Noah's flood: it is generally allowed to have continued 4000 years. The annual revenues of the crown are computed at 9,000,000l. The surplus revenue remitted to Pekin in the year 1792, was stated to be about 12,000,000l. sterling. The attention, precaution, and extreme jealousy of the government, have not been considered sufficient for the protection of the empire, without the assistance of an immense standing army, which in the midst of a profound peace, was stated by Vanta-gin, to consist of 1,000,000 of infantry, and 800,000 cavalry.

Their religion is paganism. They allow polygamy. The government has lately published a decree prohibiting the propagation of the Christian religion in the empire, on pain of death.

Cities. PEKIN, 50 miles from the great wall, is the capital of China. It is six leagues in circumference. Its temples and towers are numerous; and its inhabitants 2,000,000. NANKING is the largest city in the empire. CANTON, the only port to which Europeans are admitted, is 20 miles in compass, contains 2,000,000 inhabitants, and often sees 5000 trading vessels at a time, waiting to receive its rich commodities.

Curiosities. The most remarkable antiquity of China is the great wall, erected at a remote period, to prevent the incursions of the Tartars. It is a stupendous work, traversing mountains and vallies, and crowned with towers.

Islands. In the Chinese sea are several islands of consequence. HAINAN, separated from the province of Quangtong by a narrow strait, is 50 leagues long, and 25 broad. It contains mines of gold and lapis lazuli, and many sorts of valuable wood. The natives are deformed, small in stature, and of a copper color.

FORMOSA, on the northeast coast, is 240 miles long by 60 broad. It produces two harvests in a year; and has a rich variety of trees, fruits, plants, quadrupeds, and birds. Only part of it is governed by the Chinese; the remainder is possessed by the original inhabitants, who are represented as in a state of nature. The capital city is built in the Chinese style; it has a good port; but of difficult

entrance.

LEOO-KEOO, a group of islands to the northeast of Formosa, are tributary to China.

THIBET.

WEST of China lies the country of Thibet, or Tangut, bounded north by Tartary, west by Hindoostan, south by Assam and Birmah; 1000 miles long, its breadth unequal. According to Templeman, it contains 16,826 (German) square miles.

This country is one of the highest in Asia; it being a part of that elevated tract which gives rise, not only to the rivers of India and China, but also to those of Siberia and Tartary. We are informed that it is generally divided into three parts, Upper, Middle, and Lower Thibet. The upper division seems to respect the countries towards the sources of the Ganges and Sampoo rivers; the middle, that in which Lassa is situated, and of which it forms the cen tre; and the Lower Thibet, that which borders on China; but the subject is obseure. Little Thibet, which is situat ed between Upper Thibet and Cashgar, is rather a depen dency of the latter, than of Great Thibet.

Considering the exceeding rough and sterile state of the country of Thibet, and the severity of its climate from its wonderful elevation, we are astonished to find its inhabitants in a high state of civilization; their houses lofty and built of stone; and the useful manufactures in some degree of improvement. All these advantages they probably owe to their vicinity to the Chinese, to whom the lama is in some respect tributary.

The Thibetians are governed by the grand lama, who is not only adored by them, but is also the object of adoration for the various tribes of pagan Tartars, who walk through the vast extent of continent, which stretches from the Volga to Corea. He is not only the sovereign pontiff, the vicegerent of the Deity on earth, but by the more remote Tartars is absolutely regarded as the Deity himself. They believe him to be immortal, and endowed with all knowledge and virtue. Every year they come from dif ferent parts to worship, and make rich offerings at his

shrine. Even the emperor of China acknowledges the lama in his religious capacity; although, as a temporal sovereign, the lama himself is tributary to him. The opinion of the most orthodox Thibetians, is, that when the grand lama seems to die, either of old age or infirmity, his soul, in reality, only quits a crazy habitation, to look for another younger or better; and it is discovered again in the body of some child, by certain tokens, known only to the priests, in which order he always appears. Beside the religious influence and authority of the grand lama, he is possessed of unlimited power throughout his domin

ions.

The religion of Thibet differs, in many respects, from that of the ancient Bramins, yet in other things, they have a great affinity. The Thibetians have a great veneration for the cow, and highly respect also the waters of the Ganges, the source of which they believe to be in heaven. The Suuniasses, or Indian pilgrims, often visit Thibet as a holy place; and the lama always maintains a body of nearly 300 of them in his pay.

This is one of the least favoured countries in the world. Low, rocky hills, without vegetation, extensive arid plains, of stubborn aspect, promise little produce, and are generally incapable of culture. The climate is so cold, that it drives the people to vallies, hollows, and sheltering rocks. The flocks of wild fowls, beasts of prey, and herds, are astonishing

The dead are consumed by fire, or devoured by beasts, the mortal remains of the sovereign lamas excepted. These are buried, sometimes in a coffin of gold. Under the portico of the mausoleum are priests, who read and pray always upon the same spot, and keep alive the saered fire that burns before the shrine. They occasionally relieve each other.

Thibet contains 12,000,000 inhabitants: The mission-aries estimate them at 33,000,000.

HINDOOSTAN.

Boundaries and Extent. HINDOOSTAN, called also INDIA ON THIS SIDE THE GANGES, lies between 8 and 31

degrees north latitude, and is bounded on the north by Tartary and Thibet ; east by Assam and Arracan ; south by the sea; west by the river Indus; 1800 miles long, and 1600 broad.

Climate. The climate towards the north is temperate; but hot in the south. It rains almost constantly for three months in the year.

Rivers. The Indus, the Ganges, and the Burrampooter, far exceed the other rivers of Hindoostan in magnitude. The Ganges is one of the finest rivers in the world. It is revered by the Hindoos as a deity who is to wash away all their sins. Its whole course is 2100 miles ; it empties into the sea by several mouths.

Productions. The vegetable products of Hindoostan are almost innumerable, and extremely luxuriant. The grain most cultivated is rice. All kinds of fruit suited to the climate, are produced here in abundance. The domestic animals are buffaloes, sheep, camels, elephants. Of wild quadrupeds are the rhinoceros, the Bengal tiger, monkies, wild boars, &c. The mines of Golconda have long been celebrated for diamonds.

Population, Religion, &c. The inhabitants of Hindoostan are computed at about 10,000,000 Mahometans, and 109,000,000 Hindoos. The Mahometans, or Mussulmans, are represented to be of a detestable character. The Hindoos, or Gentoos, are of a black complexion; their hair is long, their persons straight and elegant, and their coun tenances open and pleasant. They differ materially from all other nations by being divided into tribes or casts. The four principal are, the Bramins, Soldiers, Laborers, and Mechanics; and these are subdivided into a multi plicity of inferior distinctions.

Their institutions of religion form a complete system of superstition, upheld by every thing which can excite the reverence of the people. The temples, consecrated to their deities are magnificent; their religious ceremonies splendid; and the absolute dominion, which the Bramins have obtained over the minds of the people, is supported by the command of the immense revenues, with which the liberality of princes, and the zeal of pilgrims and devotees, have enriched their pagodas. The dominion of religion extends to a thousand particulars, which in other countries