THO' all the feparate and apparent Parts of the Earth ought to be called Islands, because an Ifland is nothing but a Part of the dry Land every where environed with Water; yet, in the common Way of speaking, this Word is feldom used to exprefs these large Tracts of Land whofe Boundaries by the main Ocean, (by reason of their vaft Extent,) are not fo perceptible. Such as those are frequently called the Terra firma, or great Continents, which peculiar name they ought to be diftinguished by on account of their Magnitude, in refpect of the rest of the Islands, which are very fmall in comparison of them. Therefore we shall, in what follows, call them the Terra firma or great Continents. But the word Continent is frequently used to express several Parts of the Terra firma as well as the whole. And fometimes it is taken ftrictly for a Part of the Earth, on no fide contiguous to the Sea: Or in a large Senfe for a Country bounded by the Sea on one fide, and on the other joined to a large Tract of the Terra firma.

It is also often taken in general for a Part of the Earth joined to another, whether by a large or a narrow Tract of Land. In thefe Senfes the Word Continent differs from that in which it is frequently used to exprefs large Islands.

PROPOSITION III.

Thefe large Tracts of Land, Continents or Terra firma, (which you will pleafe to call them) are accounted four in Number.

1. THE old World.

2. The new World, or America. 3. The Northern Continent, or Terra Artica. 4. The Southern Continent, or Terra Auftralis.

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1. THE Old World (being the most famous of the four, which we inhabit, and which was only known to the Ancients) is divided, by the Sea into two Parts, which are only joined one to another by a small neck of Land, whereof one is Africa; while Europe and Afia jointly make the other. It is thus environed by the Ocean.

ON the North by the Icy or North Sea, the White Sea, and the Tartaric Ocean,

ON the East by the Great South Sea and Pacific Ocean.

ON the South by the Indian Sea, the Southern and Ethiopic Ocean.

ON the Weft by the Atlantic Sea.

THE aforefaid Divifion of this Continent is made by the Mediterranean, and Arabian Gulpb or Red Sea. The Distance of these two Bays, or the Breadth of the intervening Tract of Land being about 40 German Miles; fo that Africa would have been an entire Terra firma, and numbred among the Continents, but for this fmall Ifthmus.

THE Old World is not far diftant from America in the East about the [fuppofed] Streights of Anian [or Uries,] if there be fuch; but the least [known] Distance of Europe from America is between Norway and Newfoundland.

THE Distance between the Old World, and the Arctic Continent is shortest about the [Icy Sea]; alfo the Old World is not far diftant from the South Continent about New Guinea.

2. THE New World, or America, is thus encom→ paffed by the Ocean.

ON the North we are in Doubt whether there be Sea or Land beyond the Streights of Davis. ON the East it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean.

ON the South by the Magellanic Streights.

ON the Weft by the Pacific Ocean.

THE New World is also nearly divided into two Iflands at Panama and Nombre de Dios, where the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean are hindred from meeting by a very small Ridge of Land.

AMERICA is not far diftant from the Old World about the Streights of Anian [or the Sea of Japan]; and not far again from the Arctic Continent at Davis's Streights, and feparated from the South Continent only by the Streights [of la Maire] and the Magellanic Sea.

THE Arctic and Antartic Continents are every where environed with Sea, the former [as is fuppofed] with the North Sea at the Streights of Davis, [Uries or] Anian, [and the Icy Sea]; the later with the South Sea, Pacific and Indian Ocean, and the Streights [of la Maire],

3, THE Artic Continent is not far diftant from the Old World [at the Icy Sea], nor from America at Davis's Streights; but it is feparated from the South Continent by a vast Interval.

4. THE Antartic Continent is not far removed from the old World at the Peninsula of New Guinea, and feparated from America by the Streights of Magellan [and la Maire].

BUT we have not been able to find for certain whether the Old World, America, and the Northern Continent, be each of them encompaffed with Sea, and separated one from another; tho' it be very probable that they are, by reafon of the feveral Bays and Entrances of Streights that run in from the Ocean to the Landward. Only the Southern Continent hath been actually failed round, and therefore is certainly known to be environed on all fides with Sea, and therefore separated from the reft. But this has not yet been done by the

other

SECT. III. other Parts; for men have not failed about the Old World much further then Streights of Waigats, tho' the whole Western, Southern, and Oriental Shores have been visited, and there is but a fmall Part of the North [East] Coast that remains to be discovered (a). America also hath been failed round

round except a Part of the Northern Shores, on account of the Uncertainty of the Streights and other Difficulties. This therefore is the Situation of the four Continents.

PROPOSITION IV.

To enumerate the great Iflands difperfed over the Surface of the Terraqueous Globe: viz.

1. BRITAIN, comprehending England and Scotland, is fuppofed to be the greatest of those commonly called Islands (thofe in the preceding Propofition excepted). It lies betwixt Europe and America, near France and Flanders. It is furrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, and it's Form is oblong.

2. JAPAN, in Maps and Globes is represented of a lefs Magnitude than it ought to be; for they that have been there affirm it to be larger, or at least no lefs, than Britain (b). It lies eastward of Afia not far from China. It is furrounded by the Pacific Ocean, and is of a curve Figure.

3. LUCONIA, which is alfo called, from it's Metropolis, Manilha, is the Principal of the Philip

[I forbear to enlarge upon an Account given us lately, as advices from Mufcovy, of an Expedition entered upon, under the Command of one Capt. Berring, to find out this North EaftPaffage, whofe Voyage is now faid to be Printing at Mofcow; in which he affirms, that there is a free and open Sea to about the North-East Point of Tartary, and believes it to be likewife open to the Sea of China, or, as fome Geographers call it, the Sea of Japan.]

(b) Whether Japan be an Ifland, or annexed to the Land

of Jesso, the Inhabitants of both Countries doubt; because vaft and inacceffable Mountains interpofe which hinder the Communication. Neither doth it as yet clearly appear, whether this Land of Jesso is a Part of Tartary, or whether it is by an Arm of the Sea divided from it. The Chinese affirm that Tartary runs 300 China Leagues beyond their famous Wall; fo that if we follow them the Country of Jesso, and alfo Japan, may feem not to be Islands but annexed to Tartary. Philof. Trans. No 118.