and has 10,000,000 inhabitants. It is divided into three parts, Arabia Petræa, Arabia Deserta, and Arabia Felix. Arabia Petræa is the smallest of the three, and towards the north is full of mountains, with few inhabitants, on account of its barrenness. It had its name from the town Petræa, its ancient capital, now destroyed. It differs little from Arabia Deserta, so called from the nature of the soil, which is generally a barren sand; but there are great flocks of sheep and herds of cattle near the Euphrates, where the land is good. In the desert are great num. bers of ostriches, and there is a fine breed of camels in several places. But of all their domestic animals, the Arabians put the greatest value on their horses; which can bear the greatest fatigues, pass whole days without food, and show uncommon courage against an enemy. Arabia Felix is so called on account of its fertility with regard to the rest.

The Arabs in the desert live in tents, and remove from place to place, partly for theke of pasture, and partly to lie in wait for the caravans, whom they often rob, as they travel over part of this desert. Arabia Felix produces frankincense, myrrh, balm of Gilead, gum Arabic, and coffee, of which latter they export prodigious quantities. Mahomet was a native of this country; and his followers, soon after his death, conquered a great part of Asia, Africa, and Europe, establishing their religion wherever they came. The Arabs are the descendants of Ishmael, of whom it was foretold, "that their hands should be against every man, and every man's against them." This is now uniformly true. The Arab in every clime is the same; a pirate on the sea, and a robber on the land.

The capital of Arabia is MECCA, an ancient and famous town of Arabia Deserta. The number of pilgrims, who yearly visit this place, is almost incredible.

MEDINA, about 50 miles from the Red Sea, is the place to which Mahomet fled, when he was driven out of Mecca. It contains a magnificent mosque, in which 300 lamps are kept always burning. The Arabs compute their time from the flight of Mahomet, which was in the 622d year of the Christian era.

JAPAN.

ON the eastern verge of Asia is the powerful empire of Japan, consisting of three large and a number of smaller islands. It lies about 160 leagues eastward of the coast of China and Corea. The author of the Church History of Japan, published in 1700, computes all those islands to contain about 600 leagues in compass. All the coasts of this empire are surrounded with craggy, high and inaccessible mountains, and shallow boisterous seas, and their ereeks and bays are for the most part choaked up with rocks, shelves, sands, and whirlpools; so that Providence seems to have excluded it from all communication with the rest of the world. The country is no less pleasant and inviting within, than its avenues are discouraging and frightful. It is sufficiently fertile to supply the wants of the inhabitants, and to furnish other countries with rice and corn.

The country abounds with rivulets, lakes and springs ; they have plenty of sweet, as well as medicinal waters, and fish. Japan breeds a great number of horses: though not so large as those of Europe, yet they are very beautiful, and highly valued. The forests abound with all sorts of wild beasts, of the furs of which they make considerable traffic as well as of elephant's teeth. But the great riches of this empire consist in the fineness of their metals and minerais. Earthquakes here are frequent and sometimes very terrible, burying whole towns under their ruins.

The religion of the Japanese is gross heathenism and idolatry.

The government of Japan is despotic. The emperor has the power of life and death over all his subjects. The inhabitants amount to 15,000,000. The army cousists of 160,000 foot and 20,000 horse. Their arms are muskets, bows and arrows, daggers and scimetars.

The Japanese are modest and courteous, just in their dealings, and very ingenious in manufactures. They trade with every people except the Chinese and Dutch.

The capital of the empire is JEDDO on the island of Niphon, said to be 21 leagues in circumference. The names of the largest islands are KIUSIA, SIKOFF and NIPHON.

EE

ORIENTAL ISLANDS.

UNDER this head we include the island of Ceylon, the Maldives, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Sunda Isles, Borneo, the Manillas, the Celebezian Isles, and the Spice Islands. These lie in what is called the ORIENTAL ARCHIPELAGO.

CEYLON lies southeast of the peninsula of India, from which it is separated by a narrow sea. It is of an oval form, 80 leagues long; the soil is exceedingly fertile, producing all the fruits of the Indies, but is particularly noted for the cinnamon tree. The Dutch formerly had pos sessions on this island, which now belongs to the English. The inland parts are governed by native princes, and are little known. It has 600,000 inhabitants.

The MALDIVES, a cluster of small islands,, in number about 1000, lie southwest of Ceylon. The inhabitants are Mahometans and Pagans. Cocoa is the most valuable production.

The ANDAMAN ISLANDS, two in number, are near the entrance of the Bay of Bengal, called Great and Little Andaman. They are loaded with thick forests, almost impenetrable. The people are a savage race of beings. There is a small British settlement here.

The NICOBAR ISLANDS are at the entrance of the gulf of Bengal. They are almost entirely uncultivated; but the cocoa and other tropical fruits grow spontaneously to the greatest perfection. The inhabitants are not numerous. The SUNDA ISLES embrace Sunda, Java, Balli, Lombok, Lumbava, Timor, and several smaller ones in the vieiuity of these.

SUNDA is the westernmast of this chain. The equator divides it into nearly equal parts. It is 900 miles long, and 150 broad. A chain of high mountains runs through the island. The soil produces all kinds of tropical fruits and grains. Tigers, elephants, monkies, and other wild beasts are numerous. The inhabitan's are Malays, Acheenese, Battas, Lampoons, and Rejangs.

JAVA is separated from Sumatra by a narrow sea, called the Strait of Sunda. This island, with Madura, has 976.000 inhabitants. The Dutch have establis Lments on

this island, the chief of which are Batavia and Bantam. The other islands are divided into several kingdoms, or states. The productions are various and valuable.

Of the other Sanda isles little is known.

BORNEO is 900 miles long, and 600 broad. The coasts are peopled by Malays, Moors, and Japanese. The oran outang is a native of this island. It is situated directly under the equator. The north part is possessed by the English. It has 5,000,000 inhabitants.

The MANILLAS, or PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, 1100 in number, lie 300 miles southeast of China. Manilla, or Luzon, is the largest and most important. They are all in the possession of Spain. The inhabitants are Chinese, Ethiopians, Malays, Spaniards, Portuguese, and Mesters, which are a mixture of all the others. Their situation between the two continents is such, that the inhabitants carry on a commerce with Mexico and Peru, as well as with India. Gold, copper, and iron are among the products. The, city of Manilla contains 33,000 inhabitants.

CELEBEZIAN ISLES. Of these Celebes, or Macassar, in latitude 1 39 north, is the principal. It is a delightful spot; the fruits are ripe all the year. The natives are Mahometans. Around Celebes are many small islands,. governed by their native chiefs. They have 3,000,000 inhabitants.

The SPICE ISLANDS called also the MOLUCCAS, lie in the compass of 25 leagues, south of the Philippines. Their chief produce is cloves, mace and nutmegs, which are monopolized by the Dutch. Ternate is the largest of the group.

AMBOYNA, between the 3d and 4th degrees south latitude, is 70 miles in circumference, defended by a Dutch garrison.

The BANDA or NUTMEG ISLES, lie between 4 and 5 degree south latitude, and are chiefly in the possession of the British. These islands contain about 5000 soufs.

AFRICA.

Boundaries and Extent. AFRICA, is a peninsula, join ed to Asia by the Isthmus of Suez, 60 miles over, between the Red sea and the Mediterraneas. It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean, which separates it from Europe; east by the Isthmus of Suez, the Red sea, and the Indian ocean; south by the Southern ocean; west by the Atlantic, which divides it from America.

Hassel, who is perhaps the best authority, in his Statistical Tables, published in 1809, divides Africa as follows. Divisions.

1. Kingdom of Morocco

2. Free state of Algiers

Do. Tunis

No. Inhab.

5,000,000

1,500,000

3.

1,000,000

Total 98,945,000

General Description. Though situated for the most part under the torrid zone, and the climate excessively hot, the coasts and many parts of the country are well peopled. The natives of these scorching regions would as soon expect that marble should melt and flow, in liquid streams, as that water should be congealed by cold and cease to flow.

The rivers in this part of the globe are not to be compared with many in other quarters. The most considerable are the Niger, Senegal, Gambia, and Nile. The