Caucasus, which runs eastward between Persia and SECTION LXV. OF ASIA. ASIA is superior to Europe and Africa in the extent of its territories, stretching into all climates, from the frozen wilds of Siberia, where the hardy inhabitants are drawn in sledges over the snow, to the sultry regions of India and Siam, where, seated upon the lofty elephant, the people shelter themselves from the scorching sun by the spreading umbrella. woman This, though the second, is yet the principal quarter of the globe; for here the first man and were created, from whom sprang the race of mankind. Here the great and merciful work of our redemption was accomplished by our blessed Saviour; and from hence the light of his glorious gospel was carried into all the known nations by his disciples and followers: this was, in short, the theatre of almost every action recorded in the Holy Scriptures. This vast tract of land was, in the earliest ages, governed by the Assyrians, Medes, Persians, and Greeks; but the immense regions of India and China were little known to Alexander, or the conquerors of the ancient world. Upon the ex tinction tinction of those empires, great part of Asia submitted to the Roman arms; and afterwards, in the middle ages, the Mahometans, or, as they are usually called Saracens, founded in Asia, Africa, and Europe, a more extensive empire than that of Cyrus, Alexander, or even the Romans, when in the height of their power. The Turks and Tartars succeeded the Saracens, and became conquerors on every side; and their descendants, at this period, rule over the vast continent of Asia. Various are the religions professed in Asia: Christianity, though planted here with wonderful rapidity by the apostles and primitive fathers, has suffered an almost total eclipse by Mahometanism, which has overspread Turkey, Arabia, Persia, part of Tartary, and part of India. The other parts of India and Tartary, China, Japan, and the other Asiatic islands, are involved in the grossest idolatry, under different forms: the most considerable of which are, the worshipers of Brama and Föe; besides these, are the more sagacious followers of Confucius; the fa mous Chinese philosopher; and some of a still more ancient sect, who derive their principles from Zoroaster, acknowledging but one supreme deity, whom they worship under the symbol of fire, which they esteem the brightest and purest emblem of the all-perfect God. The principal languages spoken in Asia, are, the modern Greek, the Turkish, the Arabic, the Persian, the Malayan, the Chinese, the Japanese, the the Tartarian, and the Russian. The European languages are also spoken upon the coast of India and China. The trade in Tartary and the Northern parts, is in sables, and other furs, iron, &c.; and in the other parts of Asia, silks, sousies, muslins, calicoes; carpets, tapestry, mohair; musk, aloes, rhubarb, cassia, myrrh, camphire, incense, manna, drugs; cinnamon, nutmegs, and other spices; coffee, tea, gold-dust, quicksilver, pearls, diamonds, and other precious stones; fine china, and lacquered and japanned ware. Besides the animals we have in Europe, there are lions, leopards, tigers, camels, elephants, and rhinoceroses; also oran-outangs, and campandreys, which are animals as big as a man, and greatly resemble the human shape. The Turks, Moguls, and Chinese, are well made; the men wear turbans, vests, and slippers; and the women dress much like the men; the Mogul ladies are fond of bracelets on their arms and legs, rings on their fingers and toes, jewels in their noses, and pendants in their ears. The Chinese ladies are remarkable for their little feet, and the gentlemen for their long nails. In Siam and Pegu, the inhabitants are tawny, and their features coarse. The men wear a piece of cloth wrapped round their waist, having the rest of the body quite bare; and some of them pull up their beards by the roots, as the Chinese and Tartars do. The women go almost like the men; they wear a piece of cloth, like a long sheet, wrapped round their waist, and throw one end of it across the shoulder, which covers great part of the neck, having their arms and legs bare. But many of the common people, on the coasts, go almost entirely naked, and, among the Facqueers, who are a sort of religious mendicants, there are several in all parts of India who have not a rag upon them. Most of the islands lying near or under the line, afford great quantities of sugar and spices, in which the Dutch formerly traded to all parts of the world. The inhabitants are of a tawny or olive complexion, go almost naked, use poisoned arrows, and are superstitious and gross idolaters. The prevailing form of government in Asia is absolute monarchy. SECTION LXVI. OF TURKEY, IN ASIA. TURKEY in Asia, is bounded on the North, by the Black Sea, part of Circassia, and the Sea of Marmora ; South, by Arabia, and the Levant Sea; It is divided into ten Provinces, viz. On On the East: 1. Eyraco Arabic; 2. Diarbec, or Mesopotamia; 3. Curdistan, or Assyria; 4. Turcomania, or Armenia; 5. Georgia, including Mengralia, Imaratta, and part of Circassia. Iberia. Georgia was anciently called On the West, called Anatolia, or Lesser Asia: 6. Anatolia Proper, 7. Amasia, 8. Aladulia, 9. Caramania. On the East of the Levant Sea : 10. Syria, with Judea, Palestine or the Holy Land, and Phoenicia. Anatolia, or Asia Minor, comprehends the ancient provinces of Lydia, Pamphilia, Pisidia, Lyconia, Cilicia, Cappadocia, Pontus or Amasia; all of them territories celebrated in the Greek and Roman history, but are now a heap of ruins. Turkey in Asia is 1000 miles long, and 800 broad. It is situated between 28° and 45° North latitude. SECTION LXVII. OF TURKEY, IN ASIA. 1. IN EYRACO ARABIC, or CHALDEA, the chief towns are Bassora, and Bagdat, both on the Tigris, near the Persian Gulf. |