FLOATING Inlands ought alfo to be rec koned among these, for which fee Chapter xviii. PROPOSITION VIII. To enumerate the Clusters of Iflands in the feveral Parts of the Globe. WE generally call these Clufters of Islands, having no better Name to exprefs them by, fuch as: 1. THE Canaries, formerly called the Fortunate Islands, which lie in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Western Shore of Africa, over against Mount Atlas. They are [Seven] in Number, not reckoning the Salvages. 2. THE Azores, or Flandrian Islands, betwixt Europe and America, in the Western Ocean; they are accounted Nine in Number. 3. THE Islands of Cape Verd, or the Hefpeperides of the Ancients, lie in the Atlantic Ocean, near the Western Shore of Africa, over against Cape Verd. These are Ten in Number. 4. THE Maldivia Islands lie in the Indian Ocean not far from the Coast of Malabar in India, and extend North-Weft from the fecond Degree of South Latitude, to the feventh Degree of North Latitude. Their Number is very uncertain, fome reckoning them one Thousand, and others twelve Thousand. Narrow Chanels, which feem to be worn by the Currents, Separate them one from another, of which fome are not a Stone's-caft over. 5. [THE Antilles comprehending] 1. The Lucaios or Babama Islands, fituated between Cape Florida and Cuba, are remarkable in being one of them (viz. St Salvador) the first Land seen by Columbus, the firft of the Europeans that discovered America. The Chief of them is Lucayo, from whence the reft are named [being of the larger fort, about feven in Number]. 2. [The Virgin Caribee, or Leeward Iflands] between Hifpaniola and the Old World. 3. [The Stotovento and Bermundas Iflands] to which are referred all thofe in the Gulph of Mexico. 6. THE [Comoro and Admiralty Ilands] lie between Madagascar and Africa. 7. THE Molucco [and Sunda] Islands are many in Number, of which five are particularly called [Spice Inlands]. They are furrounded by the Indian Sea. 8. THE. [old and new] Philippine Islands near the remote Parts of Afia, are almost innumerable. 9. THE Banda Islands, and others betwixt Java and [Timor]. 10. THE Ægean Islands, or those in the Archipelago. 11. THE Japan Islands. 12. [PRINCE William's Islands] or those of Solomon in the Pacific Ocean. 13. THE Ladrone Islands, in the fame Ocean. 14. THE British Islands, or those about England and Scotland. 15. THE. Islands of Terra del Fuego, between the Streights of Magellan and thofe of la Maire. TO these may be referred fuch Islands as are found in large Rivers, as thofe in the Nile in Africa, the Wolga, St Laurence in Canada, and in other Rivers: Alfo thofe obferved in Lakes or Moraffes, fuch as are in the Morafs of Lambre in Africa, and in the Lakes of South America. WE do not here reckon those Islands, that in great Numbers are ftretched along the Shores of fome Counties, as Norway, China, Brafil, Davis's Streights, &c. PRO . PROPOSITION IX. Befides thefe Islands there are other Parts of the Earth, whofe Surfaces are different in Shape or Figure; fuch as Peninfulas's and Ifthmuffes. A Peninfula, called by the Greeks Cherfonefus, is a Part of the Earth joined to another by a narrow Neck of Land, and on every Side elfe encompaffed with the Sea. That narrow Tract or ftrait Paffage, whereby one Country hath communication. with another by Land, is called an Ifthmus. We must also here obferve those Parts of the Earth that are stretched out into the Sea, but are joined by a larger Tract to the main Land, for fuch extended Parts form a Species of Peninfula's, and may in fome fense be fo called. SUCH are Italy, Spain, part of England, Greece and proper Achaia, Afia minor, Norway with Sweden and Lapland, Indoftan, New Guinea in the South Continent, [New Holland] New Britain, and [New Scotland] in America, Cambodia, Patagon, the extream Parts of Africa, &c. PROPOSITION X. To enumerate the Peninfula's. THESE Peninsula's are oblong, viz. 1. CHERSONES Ad or, or Malacca, contiguous to India. 2. CIMBRICA, or Jutland, contiguous to Holftein. 3. CALIFORNIA, on the Western Shore of North America, is thought, by fome, to be a Peninfula; but commonly reprefented in our Maps as an Inland, 4. YUCATAN I 3 4. YUCATAN, in the Bay of Mexico, contiguous to New Spain. 5. THE Cherfonefus of Romania, near the Hellefpont. 6. CORE A, was formerly thought to be an Island, and not a Peninsula. In fome Maps I have feen it joined to Tartary, and in others furrounded with the Sea. Nevertheless, the latest Obfervations make it a Peninfula; but even now it is not fettled among Geographers. 7. TO these may be added the three fmall ones of Ionia in leffer Afia [or Smyrna], Melasso, and Halicarnaffus. THESE Six Peninsula's are roundish, viz. 1. AFRICA, a great Part of the old World, furrounded by the Mediterranean, Atlantic, Ethiopic, Indian, and Red Sea. It is joined to Afia by a narrow Neck of Land near Ægypt. 2. 3. NORTH and South America viz. Mexico and Peru. They are joined together by the Streights of Panama. 4. PELOPONNESUS, now called the Morea, a Part of Greece. 5. TAURICA Cherfonefus, now called [Crim Tartary] in the Black Sea, near the Streights of Caffa. 6. CAMBAYA, or Guzarat, in India, PROPOSITION XI. There are as many Ifthmus's as Peninfula's. Those of most note are, 1. THAT of Suez, which joins Africa to Afia. 2. THAT of Corinth, which joins the [Morea to Achaia.] 3. THAT of Panama, which joins North America to South America. 4. THAT joining Malacca to India. And, MAN CHA P. IX. Of Mountains in general. ANY Things occur worthy of particular Notice, in explaining the Nature of Mountains, and therefore they are copiously handled by Geographical Writers, especially the Computation of their Altitudes, because they feem to many to make against the Earth's Rotundity. PROPOSITION I. A Mountain is an elevated Part of the dry Land, overtopping the adjacent Country; and a Hill or Cliff is a fmall kind of Mountain. A Promontory, is a Mountain ftretching itself into the Sea, and Rocks are Stones raised above the Sea or Land, in the Form of Mountains. We must know that all the Parts of the Earth which appear plain, are not exactly of the fame Altitude, but commonly elevated towards the Inland Parts, and depreffed towards the Sea Shores, as is manifeft from the Origin and Courfe of Rivers; for that Part towards which they flow, is always more depreffed than that where they Spring; and Fountains feldom are increased into Rivers, unless they take their Origin from Mediterranean or inland Countries: which fhews, that thofe Countries are more elevated than the Maritime Parts. So Bohemia is known to be higher than Holftein, becaufe I 4 |