,2 ^ AN ESS AY ON I NDi A, 



The greater iflands of the Indian fea^ Ceylon, BorneOt. Java, Su^ 

 matra, Celebes, Ltifonia, Mindanao, Cera'/n, Gilolo, Waighen,, and 

 the ifle of Papua or New Guinea, are all mcuntalnous, and full of 

 burning or extinguifhed volcanoes. They are covered v/ith ever- 

 green woods and reed-grounds, luxuriant in various tropical fruits, 

 produftive of all kinds of fpices, and of many drugs valuable in 

 Useful Trees, medicine and the arts, efpecially Camphor, Benzoin,: Gamboge^ 

 Sanders, the Aniomiims, Cojlus,. Zedoary, Galangal,, the Peppers,, 

 Snakeroot, Bragons-bkod, and many others which need not here 

 be enumerated. Thefe iflands, enriched with fo many and great, 

 advantages, are everywhere inhabited by various anim.als ; their 

 woods and thickets are thronged with innumerable birds ; their 

 feas abound in filhes of all kinds,, the greatefc part of which have, 

 never been examined by naturalifcs ; and what vaft treafures of 

 fhell-filli their fhores, marine rocks, and the bottom of their feas 

 contain, may be gathered from hence, that for at left a century 

 that thefe feas have been frequented by Europeans, they have 

 continually been offering fomev/hat nev/ to the curiofity of men 

 whofe avarice or vanity has prompted them to colle6l fuch ilores 

 fi-om all parts. Nor are thefe regions deflitute of inhabitants, 

 differing from each other in colour, fliape, manners, drefs, religion^ 

 and language. For fome tribes in the interior recelles of the 

 woods and mountains preferve their antient favage ftate, treat 

 all ftrangers as enemies, and devour the flain ; others, adoptirig 

 gentler manners, and formed to commerce, and even to fubmif- 

 fion, becomiC daily more civilized. 



Thus much, concerning the limits, climate, foil, and feas of 

 Indie, I thought necelTary to prefix, in order to render what 

 follows more perlpicuous, 



r ON 



