ASIATIC. 165 



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surrounding land ; and a road, is an outer harbor, or place of anchor- 

 age. A lake, is a body of water quite surrounded by land, and 

 usually fresh ; salt lakes being mostly called seas. A river, is a large 

 stream of water, formed by the union of smaller streams or brooks, 

 and flowing from the higher lands into some ocean, sea, or lake. 



The land consists principally of two Continents or vast regions, 

 not completely divided by water. The Eastern Continent comprises 

 three grand divisions, Asia, Europe, and Africa ; and the Western 

 Continent or America, comprises two, North and South America. 

 If to these we add Oceanica, a name applied by Malte-Brun to the 

 islands south and east of Asia, we shall have six grand divisions of 

 the land ; each including the adjacent islands. An island, is a smaller 

 body of land, surrounded by water. Islands may be regarded as 

 mountains or highlands, projecting above water ; as lakes are val- 

 leys or lowlands, overflowed. A mountain, is a lofty portion of 

 land, forming either an insulated peak, or a continuous range, or 

 chain. A volcano, is a mountain which, either continually or at 

 intervals, emits fire, smoke, and lava ; serving as a chimney to the 

 subterranean fires. Its conical aperture, is called a crater. Of more 

 than 200 known volcanoes, about one-half are found in America. 



A basin or valley, is an extent of country bounded by mountains 

 or highlands, and watered by a single river, with its branches. A 

 plain, is a level region; whether low, as the prairies, savannas, or 

 pampas of America ; or elevated, as the steppes of Asia. A desert, 

 is a region which, whether sandy, dry, or cold, is destitute of vege- 

 tation. An isthmus, is a narrow neck of land, connecting two larger 

 portions. A peninsula, is a portion of land almost surrounded by 

 water, but connected with some larger portion ; as Africa, and South 

 America. A cape, is a point of land projecting into the sea ; and a 

 high precipitous cape is called a promontory. The land is subdi- 

 vided by mankind into countries, occupied by different nations ; 

 these, again, into states, provinces, cantons, or departments ; and 

 these are often subdivided into smaller portions, under various names ; 

 containing cities, towns, and villages ; the fruits of civilization. Of 

 edifices, roads, canals, and other works of art we shall speak farther 

 in the province of Technology. 



We proceed to treat more particularly of Geography, under the six 

 Grand Divisions, of Asia ; Europe ; Africa ; North America ; South 

 America ; and Oceanica. 



CHAPTER I. 



ASIATIC GEOGRAPHY. 



ASIA, the largest grand division of the earth, was the cradle of 

 mankind, and the seat of some of the earliest empires mentioned in 

 history. Central Asia became known to the Greeks, by the expedi- 

 tions of Alexander; and Thibet and Hindoostan were known to the 

 Romans ; the latter by means of the navigation from the Red Sea to 



