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Sect. V,] 



GEOGRAPHY. 



153 



ships and vessels? Are they employed at sea, or on 

 rivers or canals ? What is the character of their sailors ? 

 If by land, have they yet learnt the use of railroads ? 



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Are 



they available for carts and waggons, or only for beasts of 

 burthen ? What beasts are used— horses, mules, asses^ 

 bullocks, or camels? Which are most useful? How 



oadi 



Are they in good or bad condi- 



tion? Are the bridges well built and well kept up? 

 What is the ordinary rate of travelling, and the expense 



of carrying goods? What ar(3 the weights and measures 



used in the country? Are they the same in trade or 

 commerce as in private life ? Many of these questions 

 are easily answered, and all v/ill be found useful for one 

 purpose or another. 



There remains one subject on which it may not be ir- 

 relevant to make a few remarks, although there may be 



some question as to whether this is the proper place for 

 its introductioue Our information respecting distant lands 



and their inhabitants cannot be said to be complete with- 

 out some knowledge of their past history and their an- 

 tiquities ; and we therefore propose briefly pointing out 

 to the traveller a few of the points to which liis attention 

 may be advantageously directed. In the first place, in 

 his excursions in the country, let liim carefully examine 

 the sites and remains of ancient buildings. This identi* 

 fying of ancient positions, and fixing the names of ancient 

 cities, has not unfrequently been Ccxlled comparative geo- 

 graphy, as establishing a comparison between the ancient 

 and modern state of things. Where the remains appear to 

 indicate the site of a ruined city, let him carefully trace 



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