170 GEOGRAPHY. 



China, and extends southward to the Himmaleh mountains. The 

 chief rivers of China and Chin-India rise in Thibet ; and the Bur- 

 rampooter runs through it, and through British India, to the Bay of 

 Bengal. Lassa is the capital, and residence of the Grand Lama ; 

 but Jigagungar, east of it, is said to be the largest city. 



Chinese Tartary, to which alone the name of Tartary properly 

 belongs, lies north of Thibet, China, and Corea ; extending north- 

 ward to the Altaian (or Altay) mountains ; and eastward to the Seas 

 of Japan and Okotsk. It is divided into Mantchooria, (or Mand- 

 shuria), in the east ; including the island of Seghalien (or Saghalien) ; 

 Mongolia, in the central part ; and Soongaria, Little Bucharia, and 

 Little Thibet, in the west. The western part was anciently called 

 Scythia extra Imaum ; being beyond the mountains of Imaus, in 

 regard to the Romans. The largest river of this region is the <flmoor, 

 (or Saghalien), in the east ; and the great desert of Gobi (or Shamo) 

 occupies much of the interior; being 2,000 miles long. Its chief 

 cities are Seghalien and Chin- Yang, in the east; Cashgar, and 

 Yarkand, in the west. The Tartar tribes are mostly rovers ; living in 

 tents, subsisting chiefly on the produce of their flocks, and held in 

 slight subjection to China. 



The Empire of Japan, consists of several islands east of the Sea 

 of Japan ; the largest of which are Niphon, the principal ; Jesso, 

 north of it; and Kiusiu, to the south-west. The chief cities are 

 Jeddo, the capital, said to contain 1,300,000 inhabitants, Miaco, (or 

 Meaco), and Osaca ; all on the island of Niphon. The religion is 

 Paganism, in various forms ; and the government is despotic. The 

 people resemble the Chinese, in their bigotry, their manners, and 

 their devotion to agricultural pursuits. 



4. The Northern Part of Asia, is generally very cold and bar- 

 ren ; and hence thinly inhabited, and imperfectly known. Independ- 

 ent Tartary, more properly called Turkistan, (or Turkestan), 

 as being the original country of the Turks, comprehends the ancient 

 Bactriana, in the south ; Sogdiana, in the centre ; and Scythia intra 

 Imaum, in the north and east; extending eastward to the mountains 

 of Imaus, now called Beloor, or Belur Tag. It includes the Aral 

 Sea, and the rivers which flow into it ; the Cihon, in the east ; and 

 the Jlmoo, (formerly Gihon or Jihon), the ancient Oxiis. This 

 country is now held by the Turcomans, in the west ; the Kirghees, 

 (or Kirguis), in the north ; and the Usbecks in Khokan, Khiva, 

 Great Bucharia, and Koondooz. The chief cities are Bucharia, 

 Samarcand, and Balk, (the ancient Bactra), all lying towards the 

 south; Khokan, and Tashkent, in the east; and Khiva, south of 

 the Sea of Aral. Khooloom, in the south-east, is the capital of 

 Koondooz. The Usbecks are more civilized ; but the other tribes 

 still live a nomadic or pastoral and wandering life. They are 

 governed solely by their khans, or chiefs ; and the prevailing religion 

 is the Mohameclan. 



Russian Asia, including Siberia, extends from the Ural Mountains 

 and river Volga, (or Wolga), on the west, to the sea of Kamtschatka, 

 and Bhering's Straits, on the east ; and is inhabited by numerous 

 tribes, among which are the Samoieds, and Osliaks, in the west ; 



