OF ARABIA. 193. The Arabians in general are wanderers and robbers. The climate is various; in some parts it is excessively hot and dry, and subject to poisonous winds. In other parts the soil is fertile, and the air highly salubrious. In the great deserts, travellers are guided by the stars and compass, as mariners are at sea. 194. Arabia is divided into three paits: Arabia the Stony, Arabia the Desert, and Arabia Felix, or the Happy. (1) Stony Arabia is a small province north of the Red Sea, between Egypt and Palestine, The chief town is Suez. (2) Arabia the Desert is the middle part of the country, the inhabited parts of which lie on the borders of the Red Sea. (3) Arabia Felix, or Happy, comprises the south-west part of the country. 195. The chief towns are Mecca and Medina; the former the birth-place of their prophet Mahomet, and the latter the place at which he was buried. Mocha is a port on the Red Sea, and Aden a port near the strait of Babelmandel.' 196. Between the narrow branches of the northern extremity of the Red Sea, are Mount Sinai and Mount Horeb, on which are several cells or chapels possessed by monks. Here also is the wilderness where the children of Israel sojourned forty years in passing from Egypt to Canaan. 197. Arabian horses are much esteemed. Ca mels and dromedaries are the common beasts of burden. The coffee of Arabia is superior to that of all other countries. OF THE EASTERN ARCHIPELAGO. 198. The immense cluster of islands called the eastern Archipelago is divided into, (1) The islands of Sunda, or the Sumatran chain, which comprises Sumatra, Java, Balli, Lom bock, Florez, and Timor, with several others of less importance. (2) Borneo, and some smaller surrounding islands. Borneo is the largest island in the world, except New Holland. (3) The Manillas, or Philippine islands, including Luzon, Mindanao, Palawa, Mindora, Pany, Negros, Zebu, Leyta, Samar, and several hundred smaller islands. (4) The Celebesian isles, viz. Celebes, Boutan, and the surrounding small islands. Boutan is governed by a Mahometan Sultan. (5) The Spice Islands, including the Moluccas: these are Gilola, Ceram, Bouro, Oby, Amboyna, Banda, Tidore, Ternate, &c. which produce nutmegs, cloves, and other valuable spices. Amboyna and Banda, with their depens dencies, were taken by the English in 1810. OF THE AUSTRALASIA. 199. The islands called Australasia contain the following: (1) New Holland, or Notasia, and all the islands between twenty degrees west, and twenty or thirty degrees east, of it. New Holland is about three-fourths as large as all Europe, but is not yet explored. (2) Papua, or New Guinea, and the Papuan isles. (3) New Britain, New Ireland, and the Solomon isles. (4) New Caledonia, and the New Hebrides. (5) New Zealand. (6) Van Diemen's Land is separated from New Holland by Bass's strait or channel. OF THE POLYNESIA. 200. The clusters of islands called Polynesia consist, (1) Of the Pelew Islands. (2) Of the Ladrone, or Marian, Islands, the principal of which are Guam and Tinian. (3) Of the Carolines, the largest of which are Hogolen and Yap. (4) Of the Sandwich Islands, discovered by Captain Cook, at the largest of which, Owhyhee, that great navigator lost his life. |