412 Br Bone's Researches in Geography, Natural 



herids the geography, geognosy, natural history, and meteoro- 

 logy of the country, and occupies one volume. The second 

 part relates to the social condition of the people, and occupies 

 two volumes. The first of these volumes describes the lan- 

 guage and character of the inhabitants, their dress, food, 

 houses, public edifices, fortresses, manners and usages, anti- 

 quities, &c. The second volume treats of the state of agri- 

 culture, commerce, education, religious instruction, civil ad- 

 ministration, &c. The third part is historical and political, 

 giving an account of the civil condition, past and present, of 

 the eight nations which are contained in Turkey. The whole 

 is concluded by an article on the mode of travelling, table of 

 heights and of distances, and the roads. 



The portion which relates to the geography of Turkey is 

 hardly susceptible of analysis. It is in great detail, and implies 

 a long residence in the country. 



It appears that there are no less than seven or eight systems 

 of mountains in Turkey, which render its description very 

 complicated, as there is no central chain to serve as a point 

 of departure, as is the case in Italy and in the Alps. Of these 

 systems the following may perhaps be pointed out as the 

 principal : — 



1st, The range of hills running parallel with the Adriatic, 

 which forms the country of Montenegro. It runs from north- 

 west to south-east, and its greatest heights are 8500 to 9000 

 feet above the sea. It is the Scardus of the ancients, the 

 Schardagh of the Turks. 



2d, The chain of Despotodagh (the Rhodope of the an- 

 cients), which runs from north-west to south-east, dividing 

 Macedonia from Thrace. The highest summits are from 

 7000 to 7800 feet above the sea. 



3d, The chain which divides Thessaly and Epirus from 

 Macedonia. It comprehends the ancient Pindus, and extends 

 down to Mount Olympus. The height cannot be less than 

 5000 feet. 



4M, The Balkan, which stretches from west to east, divid- 

 ing Bulgaria from Thrace. Its elevation is comparatively 

 small, the Great Balkan not exceeding 3000 feet, the Little 

 Balkan 2000. 



