1832.] 
ISLAND OF JAVA. 
265 
name of Java, is vi^ashed on its western end by the Strait of Sunda, 
which is at one point only fourteen miles in width ; and by the 
Strait of Bali, on its eastern extremity. 
This division, or breaking up of the great eastern peninsula, is 
supposed by some writers to be alluded to in the book of Genesis, 
where the sacred penman, in his account of Noah's descendants, 
and their various locations in the postdiluvian world, says — 
And unto Eber were born two sons ; the name of one was 
Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided." Speaking of the 
sons of Javan, it is written — " By these were the isles of the 
gentiles divided in their lands ; every one after his tongue, after 
their families, in their nations." From this passage it has been in- 
ferred, that the island under consideration was named " after the 
family" of Javan, or Java. That caravans of merchants once 
traded and held intercourse with a rich country in the east called 
Javan, appears from Ezekiel, who describes them as traders in 
" the persons of men, and vessels of brass, to the market of Tyre, 
and who, going to a?2(i/ro, occupied in her fairs, brought bright 
iron [steel], cassia, and calamus." One of the sons of Javan was 
called Elishah; and the prophet speaks of "blue and purple from 
the isles of Ehshah." His brother's name was Tarshish ; — " Tar- 
shish was thy merchant hy the reason of the multitude of all kinds 
of riches, with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they all traded in thy 
fairs." The brothers of Javan were called Mecheck and Tu- 
bal : — " Javan, Tubal, and Mecheck, they were thy merchants ; 
they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass, in thy 
market." A nephew of Javan was called Togarmah : — " They 
of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and 
horsemen, and mules." 
In all these passages, some writers see, or think they see, a 
direct allusion to the extensive caravan-routes, formed at an early 
period, for conveying the fine manufactures of the east into the 
kingdoms of the west. Although " the embroidered work and 
chests of rich apparel bound with cords," mentioned by Ezekiel, 
are said to have been brought from depots on the banks of the 
Euphrates, yet it is not supposed that they were manufactured 
there, but drawn from more distant countries of eastern Asia ; 
probably from the great chain of islands now under consideration. 
But all this is curious and amusing speculation ; and we shall 
